Overview

The residential in-person Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

CAHME Accredited

CAHME Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
PO Box 911
Spring House, PA
19477

Visit our Program at CAHME's website: MHA Residential

The 48-credit-hour curriculum for the accredited in-person MHA program is application-based. Courses include an exploration of both theories and concepts and how these can be practically applied in health services organizations. This interactive learning approach, as well as other practical experiences, enables students to have a framework and context for managing and leading in their current organizations, as well as in their professional career.

 

The applied-based curriculum is provided through:

  • A classroom experience where most courses are taught by health services practitioners and leaders who work or have worked in the health services field;
  • Higher level learning within the classroom;
  • Networking and learning opportunities within the classroom; student program organizations; program, department, and school sponsored conferences and events;
  • Professional organizations and community events;
  • Interactions with peers and health services leaders in multiple professional settings;
  • Applied learning within the community through practical internships and other experiences.

Course scheduling options with working professionals in mind:

  • Students work with an assigned faculty advisor to align course scheduling in the best way possible with their individual needs.
  • Students may complete the program in two academic years.
  • The program is offered in a part-time and full-time format and students may switch between the two options.
  • A full-time course load is three classes.
  • Students who work full-time are able to complete the program as full-time students.
  • Classes occur Monday-Fridays during the evening and on Saturday mornings.
  • Classes meet once a week during the fall and spring semesters.
  • Classes are offered in the fall, spring, summer, and winter semesters.

Mission, Vision, and Values

The mission of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) at Hofstra University is to prepare a community of powerful, practice-ready health care leaders through the provision and application of a health services knowledge base, communication skills, and leadership development.

Through collaboration with community stakeholders, MHA faculty, consisting of health services researchers and industry professionals, prepare students to apply evidence-based practices and become culturally competent, innovative administrators and health services leaders who advocate for health and health care equity. The program fosters leadership and communication skills through an integrative, educational experience that incorporates practical and essential health services knowledge with field-based applications and interactions with local, state, and national health services organizations and leaders. The program’s applied nature provides an educational curriculum that promotes leadership and critical thinking skills of all students from early to mid-careerists in health services administration and clinicians interested in leadership and management positions to those who are seeking a career change or have just graduated from an undergraduate program. All graduates will be able to contribute to health services organizations upon graduation and become successful leaders and advocates for patients, communities, and health services organizations.

The vision of the MHA program at Hofstra University is to become nationally recognized in the health services industry for its applied-based curriculum that fosters the development of innovative leaders, knowledgeable administrators, and effective communicators.

The MHA program will graduate students who have the knowledge and competencies expected by health services employers to provide high-quality health and health care services to diverse populations; who lead teams and organizations through a dynamic health services environment; and who are active community members contributing to the development of future health care leaders within and outside of their organizations.

Lifelong learning: We value learning and the continued pursuit of knowledge and improvement for all in our community. Gandhi tells us we should learn as if we will live forever. The educational curriculum will be reflective of this value to promote lifelong learning. We foster involvement of our students internally within the classroom, program, and University. We encourage student involvement in professional associations, community and health/healthcare-related professional programs, and services. And we continuously seek to employ and develop opportunities for our faculty to nurture the learning of students.

Scholarship: We value the process of scholarship. We strive to help students learn how to inextricably link their scholarly work with the decisions they make as health services leaders. Students will learn how to effectively communicate utilizing both oral and written channels. They will learn to utilize critical thinking and analytic skills, supported by scholarly research to achieve communication effectiveness in the competitive health services environment. Faculty are likewise expected to continue in their pursuit of lifetime learning and to conduct meaningful, scholarly research.

Application in learning and scholarship: We value applied experiences and believe that interacting with and learning from professionals in the health services field as well as engaging in practical experiences are central in developing the knowledge and skills required to be effective, efficient, and culturally component administrators and leaders.

Accountability: We believe leadership requires an openness to admit fallibility and acknowledging our dependence on others and that these traits are realized through accountability.

Respect: We value respect for oneself and others and believe that the ideas of all should be considered and valued. We believe trust and integrity are built upon respect.

Diversity and humanism: We value and celebrate the individuality of all people and believe that all should be treated with respect. The program seeks to instill in students the attributes of compassion, tolerance, respect, and empathy for others. We believe that all people should have equal opportunities. Emphasis is placed on understanding how biases and unequal opportunities have negatively affected underserved populations, with an exploration of creating equity in both health services and outcomes in these populations.

Innovation: We value innovation. As change occurs in health services, we value continuous evaluation of existing theories and models and encourage movement beyond the status quo to address challenges. We believe critical thinking is vital to innovation and strive to foster this skill among students, so that they are able to lead teams and organizations during times of change and transformation and create the innovations needed to address organizational challenges.

Teamwork: The success of the program is dependent on collaboration among the department, school, University, students, alumni, community stakeholders, local and regional health services partners, and providers. In the curriculum, collaboration is emphasized internally within an organization, and to entities in the external environment to achieve health care delivery system process and outcome goals and objectives.

Service: We believe that service to others inside and outside of the health services field is vital to personal and professional development and a key component of leadership. We value service to others, the professional community, and local communities. We are equally committed to instilling in students the need to provide service to and advocate for underserved communities and populations.

Program Outcomes

Program Outcomes

Master of Health Administration Program Competency Model

The mission of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program at Hofstra University is to prepare a community of powerful, practice-ready health care leaders through the provision and application of a health services knowledge base, communication skills, and leadership. The MHA competency model was developed from the healthcare leadership competencies identified by the American College of Health Care Executives and other professional organizations (National Center of Healthcare Leadership) to help ensure that the applied-based curriculum aligns with the mission.

The MHA competency model consists of five domains:

  • Health sector knowledge
  • Communication and interpersonal effectiveness;
  • Critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving;
  • Leadership and management;
  • Professionalism and ethics.

A complete list of the MHA program competencies and the courses where students encounter the competencies is available at this link. Upon graduation, students are expected to be able undertake the competencies at one of three competency levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced. The competency level students are expected to attain in each course are also illustrated on the competency map. These levels are defined as:

  • Beginner (coded as B in matrix): student is able to define and describe related concepts and course material. Student is able to explain the meaning of the related concepts and course material, but is not able to apply them in other than a defined setting. Student requires guidance to effectively utilize them.
  • Intermediate (coded as I in matrix): student comprehends the meaning of the related concepts and course material and can apply them to other concepts, settings and systems. Student still requires minimal guidance to exhibit effective proficiency.
  • Advanced (coded as A in matrix): student is able to evaluate concepts and course material. Student is able to utilize concepts and course material as a framework and context, effectively employing critical thinking skills, in discussions and written communications. Student is able to exhibit effective proficiency without additional guidance.

What to expect in the classroom: learning, evaluation, and grading

Practical learning is at the core of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program. Instead of leaving a concept at a textbook definition, MHA practitioner-based faculty and health services researchers aim to provide students with the practical knowledge and the competency levels needed to successfully apply and practice the material they encounter in the program within health services organizations.

Students have the opportunity to develop the competencies and skills required to successfully contribute to the health services field through a curriculum steeped in higher-level learning methods. For instance, students have the ability to apply classroom concepts at a health services organization during an approximately 300-hour field experience. Students can also expect higher-level learning experiences in the classroom such as of presentations, team-based activities, case study applications, and completing simulated or actual projects for health services organizations. Lower-level learning methods such as guest speakers, class discussions, and lectures are also used in the program. Within each respective syllabus, students are informed of teaching, learning and evaluation methods specific to each course.

Students may encounter multiple evaluation methods during the program (and within one course). The evaluation methods found in a course are largely dependent on the course’s material and learning methods. However, during the program students may evaluated through both lower-level evaluation methods (e.g., exams, papers) and higher-level evaluation methods such as journaling, case study evaluations, class participation, and project/field work commentary from faculty and/or field-based mentors.

Across all courses, students earn grades as determined by faculty. Possible grades (see Loading...Grades) students may earn in their classes are noted in the Graduate Bulletin as are how students’ cumulative grade point averages (see Loading...Cumulative Grade Point Average)are calculated and the qualification to graduate with distinction. Students are able to appeal a final grade as indicated in the School of Health Professions and Human Services' grade appeal process.

The division of higher-level and lower-level learning and evaluation methods found in each class and how grades are determined in each class (e.g., how points are allocated across the course curriculum) is included in program syllabi. Students should review syllabi for the courses in which they are enrolled for additional information or request the syllabi from the MHA program.

Important Links