Master of Health Administration (Online)

Learn multi-disciplinary approaches in health administration

Healthcare administrators are senior-level management professionals who must be highly trained to plan, direct and oversee the daily operations of medical centers, hospitals and health organizations. Administrative responsibilities in these settings need to be managed by professionals who have the knowledge and understanding of the regulatory framework and the management complexities of the healthcare industry. Purdue’s Master of Health Administration (MHA) teaches students to develop their healthcare business acumen and gain strategic-planning abilities to keep organizations competitive in a changing market.


Healthcare administrators play a prominent role behind the scenes in directing medical facilities and making decisions that improve the health of the population they serve. Purdue’s MHA program is a leader in healthcare administration education, being top-ranked by onlinemastersdegree.com (2022) and edumed.org (2023).  

Who should enroll in the online MHA degree program?

This program is intended for early- and mid-career professionals looking to pursue administrative careers in health facilities. Classes focus on U.S. health systems and are relevant to a broad range of healthcare roles, including:

  • Health service managers
  • Nurses
  • Healthcare IT / informatics staff
  • Mental health workers
  • Clinical staff
  • Therapists
  • Insurance managers
  • Pharmacy staff
  • Assisted living staff
  • Quality assurance project managers
  • Risk management employees
  • Dental office employees
  • Ophthalmology specialists
  • Home health care workers
  • Radiology staff
  • Emergency medicine staff
  • Medical billers
  • Finance and business managers, and more

The curriculum also applies to government-run facilities like the Veteran Administration hospital system and other government-funded health organizations.

The learning objectives include:

  • Identify the main components and issues of organization, financing and delivery of health services and health systems in the United States.  
  • Demonstrate analytical and systems thinking to identify obstacles and opportunities in organizational processes and design.   
  • Demonstrate leadership skills by supporting individuals and teams through coaching and mentoring to improve human capital.  
  • Develop financial roadmaps by interpreting and communicating financial and accounting information, developing and evaluating program budgets, and strategically investing in long-term improvements.

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Graduate Certificates

Students can transfer credits from three supporting graduate certificate to the Master of Health Administration. These certificates make up the foundational curriculum of the program and include: Healthcare Leadership, Healthcare Operations, and Healthcare Quality Improvement.