Are There Any 1-Year MHA Programs Online?
A master’s in healthcare administration (MHA) can open new career doors, but tuition and busy schedules can make the journey difficult. If you’d like to earn an MHA as quickly and conveniently as possible, an online accelerated MHA can be a great option. Fast-track MHAs mean finishing in as little as one year, and online learning gives you even more flexibility and spares you the hassle of relocation. Learn more about accelerated online MHA programs and see if one might be right for you.
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Inside Online Accelerated MHA Programs
If you’re considering an accelerated MHA program online, you may have questions. How does online learning work? Will you ever need to go to campus? How fast does “accelerated” learning move? Answers to these questions vary from program to program, as many hybrid and online accelerated MHAs have different structures and expectations for their students. Below, hear from EduMed’s healthcare administration expert, and then walk through actual MHA programs with online learning elements to see if they have what you need.
Expert Insight
If you plan to enroll in an accelerated online MHA, I recommend carving out time in your schedule and treat it as a second job.
Ohio University
The Master of Health Administration program at Ohio University is intended for current healthcare professionals in the middle stages of their careers. MHA students learn a variety of business, leadership, and healthcare-oriented skills such as financial management, research, conflict management, and personnel development.
This online MHA program can be completed in one year as a full-time student or two years as a part-time student. Regardless of which path you choose, you’ll earn your degree 100% online. The curriculum consists of 11 core classes and one elective. The MHA online program is a candidate for accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
Duration: One year (full-time), two years (part-time)
Credits: 36
Mode: Online
Cost: $658/credit (residency dependent)
Best for: For students with enough experience under their belt to sufficiently absorb the material. Also for students who want a challenging program with a fast pace.
University of Southern Indiana
The College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) offers an accelerated online Master of Health Administration program. This program is intended for existing healthcare managers or medical professionals.
USI offers two MHA specializations. Post-acute care leadership focuses on teaching skills for improving the delivery of medical services to aging adults. The second specialization is healthcare leadership, which focuses on organization-wide leadership theories as they relate to finance, employee management, and the law.
USI also hosts an annual leadership conference and a study abroad program in Germany, both of which provide extensive networking opportunities. While the study abroad trip is optional, students must attend at least one leadership conference either virtually or in person.
Duration: One year
Mode: Online
Cost: $432/credit
Loyola University Chicago
The accelerated healthcare administration program at Loyola University Chicago is actually two degrees in one. If you are enrolled in their bachelor’s degree program in healthcare administration, you can enroll in their accelerated bachelor’s to MHA program, which allows you to combine bachelor’s and master’s courses to complete a BSHA and MHA together in only five years.
This is a competitive program, and you will need to apply separately from your bachelor’s studies. Further, students in this program are eligible for a 25% tuition discount through the Returning Ramblers scholarship program.
Duration: 5 Years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $54,530 per year
Florida Atlantic University
At Florida Atlantic University, students can enroll in the College of Business’s Online Master of Health Administration program. Unlike many other accelerated online MHA programs, Florida Atlantic University’s MHA has programmatic accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
As a student in this program, you’ll complete the accelerated online MHA program’s intensive curriculum as part of a group. While this does reduce the program’s flexibility, you can still self-pace your learning. You can complete your coursework asynchronously while benefiting from more student interactions and improved group learning. This accelerated online MHA program has start dates in summer, fall, and spring.
Duration: 15 months
Mode: Online
Cost: $900/credit
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Student Support: FAQs About Accelerated MHA Programs
How long does an accelerated online MHA program typically take?
As you can see in the profiles section above, online accelerated MHA programs are typically completed over a single year of full-time study. However, there are accelerated online MHA programs with part-time options for students, which may be a good option for those with other personal or professional responsibilities. Part-time accelerated programs combine accelerated coursework with fewer courses per term, allowing you to complete your degree over two years of study. This approach mixes the convenience of an accelerated online program with more flexibility and a less intensive timeline.
Expert Insight
Self-paced learning helps tremendously when you already have a full-time job and other responsibilities! It allows you to take time off and regroup or recharge between courses.
Can I specialize within my accelerated online MHA program?
Yes, many accelerated online MHA programs have options to specialize. Specialization options vary from program to program, but popular options include healthcare leadership and health administration for care through the life cycle. Due to the accelerated timeline, specialization options are more likely to have a specific “track” to them. This means that rather than being completed through building a schedule of elective courses or performing independent research, your specialization will be included in your core curriculum.
Expert Insight
Specializations may help you stand out and give you an edge over other candidates, especially when applying for leadership roles.
Is there financial aid available for these programs?
Whether or not your school offers financial aid for online students in accelerated online MHA programs will vary from school to school and depend on the program’s accreditation status. One of the many reasons it’s important to choose an accredited program is that this will make you eligible for federal financial aid. Make sure to also fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time. You may also be eligible for private scholarships from charitable foundations or tuition assistance from an employer.
Can I work while I complete my online accelerated MHA?
Most online accelerated MHA programs are intended for mid-career healthcare professionals, so it’s understandable that you may want to work while you study. While it can be a serious challenge to balance your coursework with paid employment, it is possible, especially if you’re in a part-time role at your paid job while studying full-time, or the other way around. Check with your employer about studying and working simultaneously. Some employers may offer benefits for workers in degree programs, such as tuition assistance.
Expert Insight
Not only is it possible to work while you complete your studies, but you will be amazed how much of your learning is applied to your job and how much experience you will be able to share with others while completing your course work.
Will employers recognize my online accelerated MHA degree?
As online learning becomes increasingly popular, employers recognize high-quality online accelerated MHAs as equivalent to in-person degrees. To be “high-quality,” a degree should be from a reputable and accredited school and potentially have programmatic accreditation, as well. You should also check the course offerings in your program to make sure that they correspond with your future career goals, such as becoming a healthcare administrator, before enrolling in an accelerated online MHA program.
Fast-Track MHA Challenges and How to Solve Them
An accelerated online MHA program can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but students may face some unique challenges. Below, read some of the most common challenges these programs present, as well as how to overcome them.
Challenge: Keeping Up with the Pace
Accelerated online MHA programs, by their design, move quickly. Keeping up with all the new material you’re learning at such a fast pace can be tricky. However, you don’t want to fall behind in your studies.
Solution: It’s important to know your learning style and how you like to study before your program begins. This means building a study plan based on auditory, visual, or other types of learning, arranging to study at the times of day that work best for you, and other techniques tailored to your learning style. Once classes start, you will have tools in place to help prevent you from getting overwhelmed by your coursework.
Challenge: Less Time for Research
Many graduate students are interested in conducting or taking part in academic research in the field. If you’re taking an accelerated online program, you may find that your research opportunities are limited.
Solution: If you’re interested in research, you can seek it out even if your program doesn’t provide you with explicit opportunities to do so. Reach out to professors whose work you admire and check with your school to see if they offer opportunities for graduate students to work part-time as research assistants during their studies.
Challenge: Balancing Work With Study
If you’re working at a paid job during your accelerated online MHA, your work schedule and study needs can collide. Balancing professional work with academic courses can put a strain on any student.
Solution: You may need to speak to your employer about your studies, ideally before they begin. Many employers can offer flexible scheduling, fewer hours, or other options. If this is not financially feasible for you, speak to your school’s financial aid office to see if they have grants, funding, or other allowances for working students to help keep you on track and ensure that you stay in the program while you work.
Challenge: Technical Difficulties
When something goes wrong with technology, it is often frustrating. This is especially true in an online program. An internet outage or your computer breaking can cut you off from your classes entirely.
Solution: Expect the unexpected. One of the most frustrating things about technical difficulties is that you can’t predict them. That means you should prepare for things to go wrong. You can prepare tools like having a backup way to access the internet, such as a personal hotspot. In the event of a power outage, you can explore using facilities with technical services, such as your school library. You can even build up an “emergency fund” to replace any technical equipment that fails.
Expert Insight
Most of my online instructors would set their expectations the first week of the course and would have some flexibility if there were technical (or even personal) issues submitting work. Regardless, I recommend getting in the habit of completing work early and saving on a cloud drive instead of a personal drive on your computer. This way, it can be accessed anywhere that has internet access if technology fails you.