7 Best MHA Programs in North Carolina – 2024
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
Interested in employment at the executive level in North Carolina’s burgeoning healthcare industry? MHA programs in North Carolina groom you for a range of leadership roles in hospitals, medical centers, ambulatory care clinics, doctors’ offices, and community agencies throughout the Tar Heel State. Individuals with Master’s of Health Administration degrees can earn $125,220 a year in North Carolina. An MHA is a popular choice for clinicians like RNs looking for a new career direction. Get started today by reading up on the 7 best MHA programs in North Carolina for 2024.
FOLLOWING ARE THE 7 BEST MHA PROGRAMS IN NORTH CAROLINA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2024
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, we have ranked the 7 best campus-based and online MHA programs in North Carolina.)
1. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill
About the School: If you are seeking to enroll in one of the best MHA programs in North Carolina, then the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can be a great place to start. With excellence in healthcare administration education, the college’s MHA program is among the top in the nation as per the U.S. News & World Report.
Offered through the school of public health, this MHA program has consistently produced leaders in healthcare administration who work towards health equity and health improvement at local, national, and global levels. Here, depending on where you are in your professional journey, you can enroll in the residential or executive MHA program.
Program Details: The college offers two MHA programs, a residential MHA and an executive MHA program. While the residential program is offered on-campus, the executive coursework can be completed entirely through online classes.
The residential MHA program is meant for students keen on launching their careers in healthcare administration. The curriculum combines a fine blend of classroom lectures and experiential learning. Graduation requires the completion of 60-credit coursework. Included in the coursework are 12 credits of elective courses that can be tailored based on your interests and career goals. The required core courses mainly educate you on issues in healthcare, healthcare financial accounting, health law, health economics for policy & administration, and healthcare finance.
On the other hand, the executive track is designed for experienced professionals with more than three years of managerial experience. To graduate, you require completing 49 credits. This MHA program in North Carolina is delivered through online synchronous classes, held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The coursework takes your managerial career to the next level by training you in vital topics, including leadership & workforce management, operations research, healthcare informatics, and statistical methods for healthcare management.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for either of these two MHA programs in North Carolina, you must foremost have an accredited bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. For the executive MHA program, you must have at least three years of work experience either in public health or healthcare.
Key Highlights
• The MHA training at this school comes at an affordable cost. In addition, the college offers several scholarships and funding opportunities to further reduce tuition costs. Most MHA students receive some sort of financial aid in their first year, and in the second year, many of them apply for a teaching assistantship.• The college boasts of an excellent placement rate, with most students securing full-time employment within three months of graduation.
2. University of North Carolina at Charlotte - Charlotte
About the School: A career in healthcare administration is not only remunerative but is also one of the fastest-growing healthcare positions. If you’ve decided to kick start your career in this in-demand healthcare field, then you must begin by applying to one of the best MHA programs in North Carolina. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one such great option you may want to consider to complete your MHA training.
This MHA school is committed to reducing disparities and enhancing well-being in today’s global environment. Here, you will be prepared to excel in clinical as well as community health settings. The college offers two options to MHA students, an early-entry MHA, and a traditional MHA.
Program Details: Whether you are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree or already graduated from one, at UNC Charlotte, you can enroll in the early entry MHA or the traditional MHA, depending on where you are in your educational journey.
The early entry MHA is a great option for promising students who desire to take graduate-level courses while completing their undergraduate education. While the program is open to students currently in any bachelor’s program, students enrolled in a healthcare administration-related bachelor's program are preferred. If you enroll in the early entry MHA, you will be able to complete 12-credits of graduate-level coursework in your undergraduate degree, which helps you graduate with an MHA much sooner. So, after earning your bachelor’s, you will continue to complete the remaining 39 credits of MHA courses.
The MHA traditional track, on the other hand, is meant for students already holding a bachelor’s degree. This MHA program in North Carolina comprises 51 credits in core courses, elective courses, and an internship. Based on your convenience, you can enroll either part-time or full-time. The core courses mainly teach you about health and disease, health economics, marketing in healthcare, health policy development, health law & ethics, and strategic management of health services organizations. The elective courses can be taken from a wide range of options, based on your interests and career goals. Finally, the internship will be the culminating experience where you’ll apply your theoretical knowledge to practice.
Admission Requirements: For admission into the early entry MHA program, you must complete 90 undergraduate credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.5. On the other hand, admission into the traditional MHA requires a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0. In addition, both these programs require you to submit three letters of recommendation, transcripts, a personal goals statement, and a resume.
Key Highlights
• The college’s MHA program ranks among the top in the nation as per the U.S. News & World Report, indicating top-notch quality education and an overall positive learning experience.• The college reports a promising placement rate, having more than 80% of its MHA graduates find a suitable job within three months of graduation.
• Depending on your convenience, you can opt from the 2, 3, and 4-year study plans that the college offers its MHA students. The flexibility works in helping students reach their individual academic as well as career goals.
3. Appalachian State University - Boone (Online)
About the School: Out of all the MHA programs in North Carolina, Appalachian State University’s MHA training stands out for offering students two concentration options. Whether you aspire to become a healthcare leader or are driven by data, here you can choose to specialize either in healthcare leadership or in health information systems.
Regardless of the path you choose to specialize in, you will be equipped with robust skills in healthcare administration. Understandably, the college’s faculty offers exceptional mentorship to aspiring healthcare administrators who come from varied healthcare fields.
Program Details: This master of healthcare administration program in North Carolina, regardless of whether you choose healthcare leadership or health information systems, requires the completion of 46 credits. The coursework is offered online with part-time and full-time enrollment. You can complete this program within two to three years.
The healthcare leadership track prepares you for various leadership positions, including, healthcare manager, healthcare administrator, chief medical officer, and clinical practice specialist. Whereas, the information systems track leads to a career as a healthcare IT professional.
No matter the track, the program starts with 40 credits of core courses. You strengthen your knowledge in vital concepts of organizational development, financial management, health economics, healthcare informatics, health law & policy, and strategic healthcare management. Thereafter, you complete six credits in the concentration-specific courses.
The healthcare leadership track focuses on marketing and healthcare leadership, while the track in information systems emphasizes data analytics in healthcare and health information project management.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for this MHA program in North Carolina, regardless of the track, you must have an accredited bachelor’s degree and must be currently employed within a healthcare setting. Additionally, you must be prepared to submit a resume, official transcripts, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation.
Key Highlights
• Because the college offers classes in the asynchronous format, you can easily juggle a full-time job while pursuing your MHA education.• The college offers several scholarships to MHA students. It encourages students to check with the program coordinator for financial aid opportunities.
4. Winston-Salem State University - Winston-Salem (Online)
Program Details: This MHA program emphasizes health equity. To graduate, you are required to complete 40 credits. Out of the total 13 courses required for graduation, twelve courses are in the MHA core while one course is an elective worth three credits.
Here, your MHA education centers around health law, healthcare finance, healthcare informatics, health communication, strategic planning & marketing, and healthcare leadership. The full-time track takes two years to complete, however, if you choose the part-time track, you can complete the program within a maximum of six years.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for this master of healthcare administration program in North Carolina, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Also, you must be ready to submit your transcripts, resume, personal goals statement, and three letters of recommendation.
Key Highlights
• The school is one of the distinguished HBCU universities that produces the state’s largest number of black healthcare professionals.• Besides, it is also a military-friendly school. So, if you are from a defense background, you can expect solid support in terms of student services and funding opportunities.
• The full-time track follows a cohort model, where you progress through the program as part of a cohort, following a prescribed plan of study. This model allows for the forging of meaningful connections with peers and faculty.
5. Pfeiffer University - Misenheimer (Online)
Program Details: This MHA program in North Carolina requires the completion of thirty core credits and nine credits in electives. The core coursework focuses on organizational communication, contemporary health services, legal & ethical perspectives in healthcare administration, health economics, health services financial management, health administration research methods, and health services marketing. This program can be completed within 29 months. Upon graduation, you will be able to explore varied leadership roles in healthcare, including, insurance, public health, and long-term care.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for admission, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, it is preferred that you have relevant work experience of at least one year. Also, to fulfill the admission requirements, you must be prepared to submit your transcripts, a resume, a personal goals statement, and three letters of recommendation.
Key Highlights
• This MHA school offers students unique learning experiences through optional study-abroad courses. The 7 to 10 days trip to countries such as London, Austria, Germany, or any other country provides you with a global perspective in healthcare administration.• The MHA program is proudly one of the largest producers of healthcare administrators in NC who are playing leadership roles across healthcare organizations in the state.
• The college offers an MHA with a master of science in leadership, comprising 57 credits. This dual degree is an excellent choice if you aspire to leadership roles in healthcare administration.
6. Methodist University - Fayetteville (Online)
Program Details: This MHA program which is offered through asynchronous online classes takes 18 months to complete. Through the flexible coursework, you can take classes at your convenience. By completing the 36 credits required for graduation, you will prepare to explore various career opportunities, including that of a chief executive officer, chief operations officer, clinical manager or department director, or other mid-level or senior-level executive positions in healthcare. The curriculum trains you in vital topics of management & leadership, business statistics, business law & ethics, finance & economics, marketing management, organizational behavior, health care policy, and global health.
Admission Requirements: To be eligible for this MHA in North Carolina, you must have an accredited bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, you must submit two letters of recommendation, a personal goals statement, and your official transcripts. No GRE or GMAT is required for application.
Key Highlights
• This MHA school is military friendly, so students from a defense background can expect support in terms of academic & career counseling and also in terms of funding.• Not only does the college offer one of the affordable MHA programs in NC, but here, almost 95% of students receive some sort of financial aid, even further reducing the costs.
• The college includes two capstone courses as part of your MHA training. Students who are currently working can apply the newly acquired MHA knowledge and skills to a project at their current workplace. On the other hand, if you are without any work experience, then you are required to complete an internship to fulfill the capstone requirements.
7. Queens University of Charlotte - Charlotte (Online)
Program Details: This online asynchronous MHA program is offered thrice a year, so you can start when you are ready. Offered only on a full-time basis, you can complete this program within two years by taking one course per term which is eight weeks long. Comprising 12 courses, graduation requires the completion of 36 credits. You will learn about health services organizations & delivery, organizational behavior in healthcare organizations, financial management, and management of human resources. You also gain skills in healthcare quality improvement and managerial epidemiology. The program also educates you on healthcare economics & policy, healthcare information systems, and strategic planning & marketing for healthcare organizations.
Admission Requirements: To qualify for this MHA in North Carolina, you must have an accredited bachelors with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, the college requires that you have at least two years of professional work experience in healthcare. Suppose, if your GPA is 2.5 or below, then you must have at least five years of healthcare experience. Also, you must keep your official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a state of purpose, and a resume ready for submission.
Key Highlights
• Unlike other online master of healthcare administration programs in North Carolina, this MHA program does not have a residency or field requirement, so you can earn your degree, conveniently from anywhere.• The college allows a transfer of up to 12 credits from your previous coursework. To know if you are eligible for the transfer, you must contact the admissions advisor.
• This MHA school is a Yellow Ribbon school, which means service members and veterans attending the program can avail of financial benefits to make their education affordable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the Total Number of Accredited MHA programs in North Carolina?
As per the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), currently there are 2 accredited Master’s in Healthcare Administration programs in North Carolina.| Total MHA Programs in North Carolina |
| 2 |
MHA Programs in Other Cities & States