Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) Degree
Further Your Healthcare Career With an MSHA Degree
Grand Canyon University’s Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) can provide you with the skills and experience necessary to position yourself to perform as middle- and upper-level managers in a variety of health organizations. This degree from the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions can help you gain the skills and experience necessary to position yourself to serve as an innovative change agent, as well a leader of organizational improvement and adaptation within the health administration industry. Graduates may choose to pursue careers where they focus on running the business side of a healthcare organization, facility or hospital.
As an MSHA degree student, you will be taught to effectively communicate and manage employees, use critical thinking skills, and respectfully recognize the diversity of their patients and populations while abiding by the health organization’s rules. Additionally, in the health administration master’s program you can learn how to collect and analyze evidence and information that can be applied to improve patient safety, clinical processes and health outcomes.
Hospital and healthcare administrators are privileged with the opportunity and responsibility of potentially making a profound impact on a community.
Master’s Degree in Health Administration Courses
The MSHA program incorporates a hands-on practicum at the end of the program to emphasize the conceptual, analytical and application skills required to manage in contemporary health organizations. Course topics you will explore while completing this program include:
- Contemporary healthcare delivery models
- Legal and ethical healthcare principles
- Healthcare policies
- Healthcare economics
- Research methods, analysis and utilization in healthcare
- Structure, dynamics and effectiveness of an organization
- Styles of leadership and leadership development
- Healthcare business analysis
All courses in the master’s in health administration program at GCU are taught by faculty who share their knowledge and experience. This 48-credit master’s program begins with an introduction course for all graduate students studying health professions. Students are also required to complete a 16-week practicum.
Through the topics covered, GCU also puts an emphasis on our Christian worldview, as well as the value of servant leadership. As a Christian university, we aim to inspire students to find their purpose by integrating a religious model of servant leadership into the MSHA curriculum.
Careers Paths With a Master of Science in Health Administration
Graduates with a health administration master’s can be prepared to manage employees in an effective and respectful manner. Graduates may go into administrative positions in a variety of work settings, such as:
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Outpatient facilities
- Physician office
- Mental health agencies
- Insurance companies
- Public health agencies
- Other health organizations
Specific job titles that these graduates may go on to hold include:
- Facilities manager
- Medical and health services manager
- Postsecondary teacher
Take Health Administration Courses From an Accredited University
GCU is an institutionally accredited university, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968. Completing your MSHA courses from an accredited, established university can help you gain knowledge from a curriculum that has been evaluated and approved. To learn more about GCU’s accreditation, visit our university accreditation page.
Master of Science in Health Administration FAQs
If you’re considering earning your health administration master’s degree, you may have more questions about this career path. Read through some of the most frequently asked questions to learn more about this degree and choosing this career.
The master’s in health administration program requires a total of 48 credits for completion. When completing courses in an online format, the majority of courses are each eight weeks in length, with the practicum being 16 weeks. To learn more about how long it may take you to complete your program and discuss modality options, fill out the form on this page to speak with a university counselor.
For many professionals who are looking to grow in the healthcare field, earning a master’s in healthcare administration may be worth the time and money investment. As a health services manager, you will perform many important tasks and responsibilities of running the business side of a healthcare facility. An MSHA can help prepare you to become knowledgeable in healthcare matters. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services managers have a median annual wage of $104,830 as of May 2022.1
Healthcare administrators have a job with many responsibilities, including handling finances, maintaining daily operations of the facility, hiring staff, managing personnel matters and staying up to date with government regulations. On the flip side, as a healthcare administrator, you have the privilege of making a difference in the lives of patients and healthcare providers. This career may be an excellent choice for visionaries who have a passion for quality healthcare and patient safety.
Healthcare administration-related careers may be growing at a faster-than-average rate across the U.S. throughout the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates job growth for medical and health services managers to increase by about 28% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 144,700 jobs in the field.2
If you consider yourself a visionary who wants to make improvements in the healthcare field, the role of a healthcare administrator may be the right path for you. Healthcare administrators are the behind-the-scenes professionals who prioritize the quality of patient care, delivery of care, patient services, community programs and the hiring of the best providers who can handle the needs of patients. The need for healthcare administrators and subsequent benefits can make this a lucrative career option for many.
Earning a MSHA can help open the doors to many career opportunities across the healthcare field. Common workplace settings for healthcare administrators may include hospitals, medical labs and physicians’ offices. Healthcare administration professionals may also be hired by insurance companies, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and outpatient care facilities.
If you’re interested in enrolling in a master’s in health administration online or on campus program at GCU, fill out the form on this page to learn more and get in contact with a university counselor.
1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Medical and Health Services Managers as of May 2022, retrieved on Sept. 7, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as medical and health services managers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country, or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers, retrieved on Sept. 7, 2023.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the health care professions. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
This course allows learners to develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary health care models from financial, economic, quality, access, and disparity perspectives, and to relate the ethical, cultural, political, and financial factors that drive and support them. It is from this broad, integrative, and comparative perspective that learners begin defining their role and perspective as administrators within the health care system. Learners begin to investigate their options and define their potential to serve as leaders of systematic improvement, within their health care discipline, based on changes in these driving factors.
Course Description
This course focuses on the recognition, analysis, and resolution of ethical dilemmas in health occupations. Students examine legal liabilities involved in health care administration, including workplace safety and a health care facility’s obligation to provide protection from injury for patients, their families, and staff.
Course Description
This course focuses on health care economics and policy. The core principles of health economics are studied, and students begin to explore practical financial-analysis skills that have immediate application within the health care industry. Students also study managerial decision-making processes based on cost, service, and other economic variables as well as how those decisions influence outcomes. Students will investigate health care policy and reform to understand the impact it makes on everyday practices of health care organizations.
Course Description
This course focuses on the critical analysis of health care research and its application to the administration and delivery of health care services. Emphasis is placed on strategies to access current and relevant data, synthesize the information, and translate new knowledge into practice. Learners are introduced to concepts of measurement, reliability, and validity, as well as ethical issues in the design and conduct of research through an evaluative process of health care initiatives and projects.
Course Description
This course focuses on the analysis of health care organizational structure and effectiveness. Topics include the distributive leadership model, decision making through collaboration and teamwork, and the integrative analysis of how change impacts other components of the system.
Course Description
This course explores the nature of business leadership models and theories, examines these models through a broad variety of insights and viewpoints, and provides a description and analysis of these approaches to leadership, giving special attention to how the models can improve leadership in real-world organizations.
Course Description
This course focuses on the critical analyses of health care business operations and performance. Topics include analysis of financial performance, operational process analysis, and quality of service evaluation.
Course Description
This course focuses on essential managerial communication skills. Human resource topics include conflict management, negotiation, mediation, and coaching, as well as change management principles and the types of communication required for paradigm modification. Interdepartmental, cross-discipline, and external partner marketing topics are included. Consumer communication and collaboration techniques are also discussed.
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students to meet the professional standards of practice related to their future discipline within the industry. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, utilization of resources, communication strategies, and goal setting. Students prepare a professional portfolio and resume. Students apply various networking techniques and practical interview skills to ensure professional readiness for their chosen health care careers.
Course Description
The focus of this course is to begin integrating all previous study and to identify the focus of students' final capstone project. Students evaluate and integrate the methodologies, considerations, and strategies for project or program design, planning, implementation, and evaluation that are relevant or specifically required by their specific health care discipline. Topics of investigation and consideration include (but are not limited to) financial and economic impact; resource allocation; competition; public and private educational requirements; availability of information technology; impact assessment of change; process improvement assessment; social, behavioral, and environmental impact; legal/ethical issues; and any other factors that impact the provision of care or subsequent outcomes within an organization and community. A collaborative group project approach is emphasized to enhance contribution and consideration from diverse experiences within the health care field. Prerequisite: HLT-610, HCA-610, or HIM-650.
Course Description
This capstone course provides an opportunity for learners to complete the development of a comprehensive evidence-based project, plan, or proposal that addresses a problem, issue, or concern in their professional practice and can be implemented upon completion of the program. Projects address a problem amenable to research-based intervention; include a relevant and comprehensive literature review; propose a solution; and include a fully developed program, project, or business plan. The project also contains all the necessary information to implement the proposed solution, evaluate its outcome(s), and disseminate the findings. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all courses in the program except HCA-670.
Course Description
This course promotes the synthesis and application of knowledge and skills from the Master of Health Administration (MS-HA) program. Learners identify a mentor and develop a relationship through which they examine the connection between theory and practice. Learners engage in leadership and administrative activities (e.g., committees, projects, staff education, and quality improvement) and, through reflection and writing, analyze and evaluate leadership behaviors and processes. Practicum/field experience hours: 150. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous coursework in the program.
- GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
- Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
- Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.