UCLA Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) offers an online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program that can be completed in two years. A capstone project and two required on-campus immersions provide hands-on experiences and networking opportunities. UCLA offers ten-week courses and multiple opportunities to start the program each year.
The UCLA mission focuses on preserving, distributing, and applying knowledge to improve and advance our society. The MHA is designed to help healthcare administrators maximize their impact. Students learn to manage healthcare organizations through effective, values-based healthcare strategies, guided by both data and compassion.
With a focus on leadership, business, and analytical skills, the MHA program includes a curriculum that draws from healthcare, finance, marketing, organizational behavior, and data analytics. Course delivery includes a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous course components, giving students opportunities for faculty/peer interaction and relationship-building.
MHA program outcomes focus on effective strategic marketing in healthcare, ethical and legal considerations, and improving the performance of healthcare organizations through management theory. Graduates can build effective teams, use statistics for data-driven decision-making, utilize microeconomic skills for greater efficiency, and apply public health and epidemiological concepts locally and globally.
Applicants to the UCLA online MHA must have at least three years of professional work experience in any field. Through the capstone project, students work with an approved healthcare organization to solve a real-life organizational or management problem in healthcare, concluding with a report and presentation. Graduates may secure advanced healthcare administration positions within healthcare systems, hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical companies, public health departments, and home-health organizations.
The University of California Los Angeles is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
What to Expect from the UCLA Online Master of Healthcare Administration
Admission Requirements: Prospective students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Three years of professional work experience is required in any field. No GMAT or GRE is required.
Application materials include an online application and fee, official transcripts, a statement of purpose, a personal statement, a professional resume, and three letters of recommendation. Proof of English language proficiency is required for international applicants.
Study Plan: The online MHA begins four times yearly in the summer, fall, winter, and spring. Courses run on a quarter system with four ten-week terms per year. The program can be completed in two years of full-time attendance, taking two courses per quarter.
Part-time students can take one course at a time and complete the program in four years. Students can also switch between part-time and full-time. Students take 42 credits of core MHA courses and six credits of practicum courses.
Curriculum: The University of California Los Angeles online MHA comprises 66 credits. Courses include healthcare organization and financing; fundamentals of public health; management and organizational behavior in health systems; microeconomic theory in the health sector; directed individual study or research; statistics for health management decision-making; healthcare operations management; healthcare information systems and technology; healthcare financial accounting; healthcare strategy; healthcare financial management; leadership and ethics; quality improvement and performance excellence; data analytics and visualization; and a capstone project.
The last two courses of the program are chosen from a set of four courses, including healthcare marketing; healthcare innovations and e-health; human resource management; and health reform: policy and implementation.
Online Experience: The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health offers online MHA courses through Bruin Learn, its learning management system (LMS) built on Canvas. Live, weekly, one-hour class sessions are combined with three hours of recorded lectures for most courses, plus asynchronous coursework such as readings and interactive assignments.
Online graduate students can access the Graduate Student Resource Center, the digital library, technical support, and the Graduate Writing Center. Faculty and advisors are also frequently available to answer questions and help students. Instructors and peers develop relationships through live class discussions, interactive assignments, discussion boards, and immersions.
On-Site Requirements: The program includes two 3½-day campus immersions at the UCLA campus in California and around Los Angeles. The first immersion focuses on professional development and project management and includes health center visits and time with faculty, peers, and MHA alumni. The second immersion prepares students for the capstone project. Immersions run from Wednesday afternoons through Saturday.
Paying for the UCLA Online MHA
UCLA MHA tuition numbers are listed in the tables below. Campus immersion travel costs are not included in tuition estimates. Applicants should verify current tuition and fees with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
UCLA offers financial aid and external scholarships to students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Other funding sources include employer tuition reimbursement programs, community and organizational grants and scholarships, and private loans. Prospective students should contact the UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships department for more information.
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
| Degree Level | Master's Degree |
| Program Start Dates | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
| Credits Needed to Graduate | 66 |
| Time to Complete? | Graduate in as few as two years. |
| 100% Online? | No, two on-campus immersions |
| Program Accreditation | CEPH |
| Level of Education Required? | Bachelors degree or higher |
| GRE or GMAT Required? | No GMAT/GRE required |
| Work Experience Required? | Three years of professional work experience in any industry |
| Credit Hours | 66 |
| Average Cost Per Credit | $925 |
| Estimated Program Tuition * | $61,050.00 |
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees, unless otherwise specified. Please check here for any tuition updates.
