Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA)
Unlock your career opportunities with a Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) from VCU.
Our innovative online format, combined with six synchronous sessions per year, allows full-time healthcare professionals across the U.S. to earn their MSHA in just 22 months while maintaining their careers.
We'll begin accepting applications for Fall 2024 admission starting October 1, 2023.
Designed for You
Designed for clinicians, executive-level managers, and mid-career professionals with at least five years of experience in healthcare, our program attracts a diverse range of applicants with a passion for making a difference in the industry. Our program format is almost completely online, making attendance for a working professional convenient and flexible. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, including nursing, medicine, public health, and business, and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program.
As a graduate of our MSHA program, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to assume leadership positions in the healthcare industry. Our rigorous curriculum covers topics such as healthcare management, health policy and economics, healthcare quality, and patient safety, preparing you for the challenges of a rapidly evolving industry.
As a CAHME-accredited program, we are proud of our 99% 3-year graduation rate and 100% job placement rate for the last three years (2021-2023).
Your Professors
Our faculty is composed of experienced healthcare professionals who are dedicated to supporting your growth and success. Our program also provides opportunities for hands-on experience through in-class projects with leading healthcare organizations, giving you valuable real-world experience that will set you apart in the job market.
FAQ
Read through the various tabs on this page to learn more about the structure of the program!
Join us for a virtual info session to learn more about the MSHA and why this could be a great fit for you!
Fall 2024 Admission Info Sessions (all times are Eastern Time):
Additional dates may be posted soon! Please email Cameron Parkins at parkinsc@vcu.edu with any questions.
The VCU MSHA is a hybrid program. Most coursework takes place online in an asynchronous format. There are three synchronous sessions held over a long weekend each semester; two are managed over Zoom and the third is in person at the College of Health Professions (October and March).
Upcoming synchronous weekend session dates:
Spring 2024:
January 18-20 (via Zoom)
March 21-23 (in-person)
May 2-4 (via Zoom)
Fall 2024:
August 15-17 (via Zoom)
October 17-19 (in-person)
December 12-14 (via Zoom)
Spring 2025:
January 16-18 (via Zoom)
March 27-29* (in-person)
May 8-10 (via Zoom)
Fall 2025:
August 14-16 (via Zoom)
October 16-18 (in-person)
December 11-13 (via Zoom)
Spring 2026:
January 15-17 (via Zoom)
March 26-28* (in-person)
May 7-9 (via Zoom)
* March 2025 and 2026 dates may shift by one week, depending on the date of ACHE Congress each year, in order to provide MSHA students the ability to attend.
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a 2.75 GPA for all undergraduate work completed
- Transcripts and VCU application forms
- 3-5 years of professional/managerial/health care experience
- Resume
- Response to a DEI prompt
- Three letters of reference, including one from a past faculty member (if possible)
Apply online through the VCU Graduate School application. The Fall 2024 MSHA application opens October 1, 2023.
The GRE/GMAT requirement has been waived for 23-24 applications.
MSHA Program Mission Statement
Through experiential learning and reflective and inclusive practice, our renowned faculty, industry-leading executives, and engaged alumni community educate practicing and aspiring leaders to reimagine healthcare delivery across the nation and continuums of care.
MSHA Vision Statement
The vision of the MHA Program is to be the preeminent program developing diverse and inclusive leaders who will transform health care across the nation.
MSHA Values Statement
The MSHA program recognizes that the following core values and concepts are essential to the program’s success:
- Professionalism - We value collaboration, service to the community, personal development, and growth of students, faculty, and staff.
- Respect - We create a culture that respects individual differences, strengths, and talents.
- Integrity - We demonstrate ethical behavior, authenticity, and accountability to self and others.
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion - We value differences in backgrounds and perspectives, while striving to increase equity in our communities, through inclusive and diverse leadership.
- Excellence - We exceed expectations, focusing on continuous improvement, while demonstrating high personal and professional achievement.
Program Goals
The specific mission of the Master of Science in Health Administration program is to prepare early careerists for management and leadership positions within complex health care organizations. The program is nationally accredited and has been consistently ranked in the top five programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
The overall purpose of the Department of Health Administration in which the MSHA is housed is to provide top quality education, research and service related to the organization and administration of health care services. The department also has a major research program and is involved in a wide range of public service activities, including professional development programs for health services administrators and other health professionals.
The mission of the Department of Health Administration is to prepare, support and connect exceptional leaders who shape the health care industry. This is accomplished through:
- Educating the next generation of health administrators and enhancing the skills of the present generation
- Preparing a new generation of health services researchers and educators
- Creating and disseminating basic and applied knowledge about the management, organization, financing, function and performance of the health care system
- Serving people in the public and private sectors of the health care system
These activities, when mutually reinforced among all key people — faculty, staff, students, alumni — elevate the department to a premier status in the United States.
The curriculum consists of 14 courses listed below that must be completed by all degree candidates. All courses are three credits unless otherwise noted.
Course sequences based on full- or part-time schedules:
The competency model utilized by the VCU MSHA Program is operationalized in curricular offerings in the development of learning objectives for individual courses. MSHA graduates exhibit 25 essential leadership competencies. These competencies, developed in and out of the classroom throughout the students' tenure in the program, cut across five domains: communication and relationship management, leadership, professionalism, knowledge of the healthcare environment, and business and analytical skills.
Communication and Relationship Management
1. Interpersonal Communication (Build collaborative relationships and develop negotiation skills)
2. Writing Skills (Prepare effective business communications)
3. Presentation Skills (Demonstrate effective oral communication and presentation skills)
Leadership:
4. Leading and Managing Others (Hold self and others accountable for organizational goal attainment)
5. Change Management (Promote and manage change)
6. Ability for Honest Self-assessment (Demonstrate reflection through self-assessment)
7. Systems Thinking (Be able to assess the potential impacts and consequences of decisions in a broad variety of situations)
8. Problem-solving and Decision-making (Apply evidence-based decision making techniques to healthcare questions)
Professionalism:
9. Personal and Professional Ethics (Adhere to ethical business principles and exhibit ethical behaviors; fulfill one’s commitments)
10. Professional & Community Contribution (Participate in community service; balance professional and personal pursuits)
11. Working in Teams (Create, participate on, and lead teams, including inter-professionalism)
Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment
12. Healthcare Issues and Trends (Explain and discuss important issues in healthcare, including circumstances causing major changes and reform in U.S. health care delivery)
13. Healthcare Legal Principles (Discuss and critically analyze health-related legal principles including standards, regulation, and risk management)
14. Health Policy (Articulate the impact of health policies on the delivery of health services)
15. Population Health and Status Assessment (Understand and explain the major factors in population health status)
Business and Analytical Skills
16. Financial Management (Ability to compile and analyze financial data)
17. Human Resources (Apply methods and techniques related to the management of health care organizations, employees and professional staff)
18. Organizational Dynamics and Governance (Articulate and explain the roles, responsibilities, structures, and influence governing bodies hold in health care organizations)
19. Strategic Planning (Ability to perform environmental analysis and develop strategic alternatives; discern competitive strategy; formulate business strategy based on evidence)
20. Marketing (Analyze and assess markets, market segmentation, strategy, change and innovation)
21. Information Management/Understanding and Using Technology Skills (Apply techniques and methods to plan, design, implement and assess information management and communication)
22. Quality Improvement/Performance Improvement (Identify relevant problems and apply concepts of process improvement and patient safety)
23. Quantitative Skills (Analyze data and interpret quantitative information)
24. Planning and Managing Projects (Design, plan, implement and assess projects and develop appropriate time lines related to performance, structure and outcomes)
25. Economic Analysis and Application (Analyze and apply economic theory and concepts and decision making)
A PC or laptop with a web camera and microphone, and processing power to use Zoom. Textbook needs will be shared prior to the start of each semester; most materials are available for free via VCU Libraries.
Many MSHA students are eligible for tuition assistance through their employers. For additional financial support, students should complete the FAFSA and list VCU (code: 003735).
Based on current tuition and fee rates, in-state tuition is approximately $42,000 and non-resident/out-of-state tuition is approximately $78,000.
Have questions?
Contact Cameron Parkins at parkinsc@vcu.edu.