RN(with BSN) going back for my masters in health care admin(MHA)

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 7, 2010

will this mha degree work in my best interest by potentially opening up endless possibilities for me within the healthcare admin field? anyone out there feel as though a mba would be a better choice?

i am bias toward mbas because i already have one, but i have known health care providers such as nurses and physicians to do well with the mha. by the way, there is no such thing as a degree providing endless opportunities... you have to create opportunities or position yourself to accept opportunities. with that said, graduate school is tough!!! if you do not have the heart for a particular degree, do not bother because your peers will eat you alive (people drop out of graduate schools at a very high rate)! therefore, my answer is to go for the degree that is your passion; job opportunities arise from work experience, connections, and passion. education, such as a masters degree, will only solidify an employer's decisions in your favor if you made a good impression. gl! :)

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Dec 7, 2010

If you are aiming toward clinical leadership positions, you would be much better off with an MSN than a business degree or an MHA. MBA's are not well valued unless the degree has a specialization in health care finance OR the individual already has a strong background in healthcare management. The healthcare industry is just a different sort of animal that doesn't follow the usual rules of business - like supply & demand & I don't know of any other business that relies on accrual accounting.

The value of an MHA really depends upon where it is from. The top programs have excellent training programs and incredibly strong 'old boy' networks that ensure employment. The others..... meh. An important part of an MHA education is the internship/residency and the top school have the top locations pretty much sewed up. Many of the top programs also provide an option for distance education. Part of your investigation into a program should be asking for information about where their graduates are employed & talking to them about the program.

But as I said, clinical management requirements pretty much require an MSN today. It's the entry level for nurse management in most larger healthcare organizations these days.

guessdior · Dec 7, 2010

thank you...this was soooooooooooo helpful

caliotter3 · Dec 7, 2010

An MHA from a degree mill will not be as useful as one from an established school or an MBA, again, from an established school.

SAHMStudent · Dec 8, 2010

One of my best girlfriends hubby just finished his MHA- she says he is getting so many offers he feels like a hot girl at a bar! Employers that had previously not returned calls are now calling HIM. He loves the field of work, and had zero prior healthcare experience. She says that just having that MHA on his resume opened up doors previously not available to him. He is in the northeast, so don't know if that is a factor in the job market or not.

HTH.

elkpark · Dec 8, 2010

In my experience, nurses interested in a graduate degree and management usually go for (and are better served by) an MSN in management/administration rather than a generic MHA degree. The only healthcare people I've seen with MHA degrees have been non-nurses. I agree with HouTX that you'd be much better off with an MSN.

KDBSN,RN · Aug 4, 2014

Where did he get his degree from?

tara27687 · Nov 25, 2015

I will be starting my MHA from GWU Miliken Institute of Public Health in January (online). I am very anxious and would like to know what people think of this program. Is it competitive? Does everyone get in? I like the ease of taking a class online but..wanted some professional opinions from the nursing side of health admin.