Online Master of Healthcare Administration
Online Master of Healthcare Administration!
Developed with Industry.
Designed for You.
Take your Healthcare Career to the Next Level.
MHA Program Created Just for You
Boston College invites you to strengthen your career trajectory in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and other life science sectors with our online Master of Healthcare Administration degree. Our MHA program is designed for working professionals like you to accommodate competing professional and personal demands while having the flexibility that allows you to complete a graduate program. Our program is developed to provide graduates with a comprehensive understanding that can be applied across the health ecosystem.
Employment of healthcare occupations is projected to grow 15% from 2019 to 2029, making this an excellent time to advance your career with a graduate degree.
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Online Master of Healthcare Administration Degree
A Degree Program Where Your Experience Counts
Boston College invites you to advance your leadership role in healthcare with our online Master of Healthcare Administration degree. Our program is designed for working professionals like you who need to balance an academic experience with full-time work and life. Our competency-based education model is developed in collaboration with top healthcare employers to ensure that you gain the knowledge and skills that you need to advance in the industry.
Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 17% from 2014 to 2024, making this an excellent time to support your success with an advanced degree.
What Makes the MHA Program at Boston College Unique?
REquired Core Requirements
Elective Courses
Provides students with an overview of healthcare services in the United States, including their historical development within a unique social, economic, and political environment. Current institutional structures and delivery systems are described, as are the evolving health needs of Americans. Emphasis is placed upon the basic concepts and issues associated with the management and regulation of healthcare providers and the delivery of services.
In today’s highly competitive healthcare environment, data-driven decision making is key to assuring quality, increasing access, minimizing cost, and supporting innovation. In an industry focused on evidence-based decisions, leaders must be able to understand current research and critically evaluate research presented in the media and in peer-reviewed publications. The course emphasizes the use of various data sources from across the health ecosystem, the development of research questions, hypotheses, study design, analytic approaches, and data visualization techniques. Students will learn how to assess the validity and reliability of information, and interpret data to optimize the decision-making process and assure that decisions are evidence-based.
Federal and state-level healthcare policies affect a wide range of issues, including access to care, quality, cost, and modes of delivery. Effective healthcare managers must interpret and anticipate a changing policy landscape, and strategically apply that interpretation as part of the process of organizational planning and execution. In this course, the social and economic implications of contemporary healthcare policies are explored. Emphasis is placed on how public policy (e.g., Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010) influences human resources/capacity, values, needs, reimbursements, and regulation of individuals, insurers, and medical and healthcare organizations.
Economics is a large driver of what happens in the health sector. The course provides an understanding of the economic drivers that effect patients, providers, and payers across the health-related industries. As a leader in these industries, it is important to understand and anticipate the economic challenges of spending growth, expensive new technologies, and how payment reform can promote lower cost high quality care. The course includes an overview of economic principles, including supply and demand and perfect markets, and explores the economic challenges of healthcare economics and how health and health services are different from other goods. Considerable attention is given to topics of current public concern, including market failure, government interventions, health insurance, rapidly increasing cost, value, and expensive new technologies.
This course explores the critical role of e-health and information systems in the planning, operation, and management of healthcare organizations. Students will learn how to assess and evaluate health information systems and business requirements in a variety of settings such as health systems, hospitals, and medical practices. Students will develop skills in healthcare technology implementation design that address industry-specific requirements such as translating HIPAA and other regulations into specific technology decisions while implementing medical systems (EMR, lab, clinical services, medical database providers, etc.). Students will also learn how to manage multi-institutional relationships as they are expressed in technology implementations, including the many vendor configurations, but also cross-provider organization relationships. Specific topics include data and systems integrations, communications protocols, security standards, procurement, and authentication and authorization.
This course explores the theoretical foundations and application of quality improvement methods, tools, and strategies needed to increase organizational effectiveness. The course focuses on measurement and accountability in healthcare delivery systems through the examination and analysis of data, structures, processes, and outcomes. Process improvement theories and models are explored with the goal of preparing students to lead and practice in organizations that advance high reliability principles, patient safety, inter-professional teamwork, and continuous learning.
Decisions involving strategy and marketing must be based on a manager’s overall understanding of the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives. This applied research project provides methods to evaluate organizational performance and productivity, analyze internal and external resources, and perform needs assessment. The course presents various models and methods for planning, branding, and positioning of healthcare services. It also emphasizes the importance of creating a strategic planning process.
As the culmination and synthesis of the program experience, the applied research project requires each individual student to develop a business plan for the expansion of or development of a new healthcare facility. The business plan must address the major themes of each prior course, including relevant policies, quality initiatives, financial planning, human resource planning, technology planning, and planning for regulatory compliance.
The course introduces leadership models, theories, and skills needed to successfully manage and lead healthcare organizations through transformational versus transactional leadership styles. Students use a variety of self-assessment tools (e.g., Myers-Briggs, SWOT analysis of self, leadership-style inventory) to develop self-awareness and to better understand the role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership. Students gain knowledge and skills for building and growing the interpersonal relationships and political skills required to develop and lead teams, and to successfully advance from organizational management roles to leadership roles.
This course examines how healthcare organizations can innovate and adapt to the ever-evolving needs and demands of a dynamic, competitive, and regulatory healthcare environment. To do so, the course explores types of innovations and how individuals/organizations develop them, factors that affect the adoption and implementation of these innovations, and approaches to evaluating whether these innovations had their intended effect.
This course includes the application of management and organizational behavior theory to explore factors affecting behavior, performance, and job satisfaction of people working in organizations. The course focuses on theories and observations of team behaviors and techniques, with special emphasis on the individual as a team member, and on change management as a challenge and opportunity for healthcare organizations. Students will learn and apply best practices for managing individuals and teams within healthcare organizations.
Healthcare managers face human resources issues such as benefits, grievances, and labor relations management in health organizations with organized labor. This course covers personnel practices such as job analysis and description, recruitment, selection, and compensation in various health delivery system settings. The course focuses on skill development in dealing with personnel at all levels of education, licensure, and skill sets.
This course will provide an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by describing the basis for FDA regulation of the development, production, and the approval processes for drugs, devices, and biologics. Offers an opportunity to study FDA standards and to develop the foundations necessary of scientific and technical basic understandings of the drug discovery, testing, reporting, manufacturing, and commercialization. Examines the steps in the development and regulation process within the governing FDA’s regulatory centers, and ensures overall compliance with policies, laws, and the evolving regulations.
In this course, legal issues related to the organization and delivery of healthcare are examined, along with the ethical and moral considerations associated with the management of healthcare facilities and the provision of health services. Topics include government regulation of healthcare facilities and occupations, civil rights regulations regarding diversity, fraud, and abuse, institutional and personal liability for negligence and malpractice, patient consent requirements, termination of care, the confidentiality of medical information, medical staff credentialing, peer review of care, utilization review, and managed care regulations. Treatment of ethical and moral issues emphasizes the understanding of diverse viewpoints and methods for resolving conflicting moral obligations. Students apply course concepts through the development of a compliance plan to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in billing.
This course introduces the basic tenets and components involved in project management. The primary objective is to provide frameworks that make it possible to track and measure project performance, overcome challenges, and adapt to changes in a variety of professional environments across the health ecosystem. Specific topics covered in the course include project scope, communications, time, cost, quality, risk, and stakeholder management. Operational issues and implementation processes that emerge during project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closing a project will be addressed.
The Boston College Commitment
Located just west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, Boston College is known for its highly regarded graduate programs and is consistently ranked as a top 40 school by U.S. News & World Report
• Best Colleges, #36, National Universities, U.S. News & World Report
• Best College Values Among Private Universities, #20, Kiplinger’s 2020
• America’s Top Colleges, #41, Forbes 2019
"The faculty, student and networking connections that Boston College offers, make it a top choice for a Master of Healthcare Administration program."
Amy, Student
"There were numerous opportunities to interact with students and professors in an online program. The program did not feel online with all of the resources I had available."
Olivia, Alumni
"The Master of Health Administration program covered all of the directions I could take in my career. It covered finance, innovation, quality improvement, process improvement, and everything in between."
Olivia, Alumni
"The Healthcare Administration graduate program at Boston College is the perfect blend of creative innovation rooted in emerging healthcare industry trend."
Kristen, Alumni
"I already leverage the skills I’ve developed in my first two courses of the program in my day-to-day work in the military."
Jorge, Student
"Both students and professors in the program come from various backgrounds and locations. It allows you to learn from so many talented people who work in the health ecosystem."
Olivia, Alumni
"The professors bring care and passion to their instruction, providing ongoing feedback and a real-time presence throughout the course. A weekly open discussion hour allows students to explore current issues with faculty and peers; although it’s optional, many students typically attend."
Kristen, Alumni
"The faculty are welcoming and open to connecting anytime. They often share their real-world expertise and are willing to provide connections to professional organizations and their network."
Andrew, Student
"What I enjoyed most about the program were the connections I made with my classmates. Not only did I form a strong bond with those I started the program with, but I met new people as I moved through it, resulting in a more substantial personal network."
Katrina, Alumni
"Connecting with peers started in my first course and continued throughout the program. I still have a group chat with several students from my introductory class and keep in touch about opportunities, networking and long-term plans for our futures."
Andrew, Student
"As someone who wants to be a healthcare leader, I want to learn from and about the people on the frontlines of healthcare dealing with today’s pandemic events and the decisions they are making. This program focused on the “here and now.”
Amy, Student
"The course content is continuously updated with articles and case studies to ensure they align with current events and trends. The program incorporates the many traditional components of the industry, as well as the ever-changing demands of the health ecosystem."
Kristen, Alumni
"As an undergraduate English major, the idea of working with datasets was initially daunting to me. After completing the data-related course, I am now the go-to data person in my office, and these skills will be beneficial as I pivot my career into the health ecosystem"
Kristen, Alumni
"Although I did not previously have a healthcare background, the program prepared me for the next steps in my career, which will focus on a pivot from the military into healthcare."
Jorge, Student
"I was a fellowship coordinator when I began the program and was unsure about my career’s next steps. The Master of Healthcare Administration program paved a new path for me and led me to advance into a new position after completing only six courses."
Courtney, Student
"During my time as a student, I had the opportunity to be promoted. I applied to a director position where I attribute my success in the interview to many of the lessons that I learned and the ability to think of things on a larger scale instead of on a tactical level."
Andrew, Student
"If you are considering getting a Master of Healthcare Administration degree – go for it! The program at Boston College is wonderful, and you will learn from students across the country, and across the healthcare sectors. The program incorporates learning from news articles and case studies, as well as directly from the faculty."
Amy, Student
"The program gives you a solid education and a deeper understanding of what it takes to be in a leadership and management role. This program helped me become the leader I wanted to be and navigate the healthcare industry confidently."
Katrina, Alumni
"The Master of Healthcare Administration program is directly applicable to healthcare. The skills you develop are also applicable to many other domains."
Courtney, Student
"The flexibility, in-depth curriculum and feeling of community of this online program are some of the unique qualities of the Boston College Master of Healthcare Administration."
Jorge, Student
News & Insights
Two of the Best Hospitals in the U.S. are in Boston
Two of the top ten best hospitals in the U.S. are in Boston, along with many more top-notch healthcare institutions. Earn your MHA in Boston.
Addressing Workforce Shortages in Life Sciences
Sunny Schwartz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd) addresses what Massachusetts needs to do to fill life sciences jobs.
U.S. Healthcare Prices Continue to Remain Significantly Higher than Other Countries
The New York Times site recently reported on a study of international prices for common medical services. The author addressed the dramatic cost differences between the United States and other countries.