Online Healthcare Administration Graduate Certificate Programs
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“[These programs are] specifically designed for individuals seeking to advance their knowledge in healthcare administration—offering focused courses on key topics such as health services administration, finance and budgeting, healthcare marketing, quality and safety, and healthcare economics and policy.”
Christina Kim, Graduate Certificate Recipient and MPH Candidate, University of Arizona
As a result of an active and aging population, increases in the number and length of chronic conditions, expanding regulatory demand, and rising need for evidence-based accountability, the healthcare system is expanding and becoming more complex. As the system grows, more healthcare administrators will be needed to keep the healthcare system running, to keep care accessible to patients, and to ensure high quality of care at the most reasonable price point possible.
This systemic need is going to be so great that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) predicts a 29 percent growth in jobs in medical and health services management between 2022 and 2032. This will produce 160,600 new positions nationally, for 723,300 jobs in the field. With a growth rate nearly six times higher than the average, medical professionals looking to grow in the medical industry have huge opportunities.
Medical administrators are non-clinical professionals who may be responsible for everything outside of patient care that keeps a healthcare organization running. Some medical administrators run entire hospitals, while others may be responsible for small clinics or departments within a larger institution. At any scale, medical administrators may be responsible for tasks like budgeting, hiring, scheduling, compliance, development, managing insurance contracts, streamlining operations, and more.
For professionals currently working in the healthcare field, online graduate certificates can be a quick, affordable, and flexible way to shift into healthcare leadership. Online graduate certificates in healthcare management allow students to learn at their own pace and generally require 18 months of commitment or less.
Graduate certificates are ideal for professionals who want to test out a school’s program before committing to a full master’s degree. Most graduate certificate programs allow for any courses completed toward the certificate to be used toward completion of a master’s in health administration (MHA).
Keep reading to learn more about graduate certificate programs in healthcare administration.
| Featured Graduate Certificates in Healthcare Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| The University of Scranton | Executive Certificate in Health Administration | View Full Profile |
| Boston University | Visual & Digital Health Communication (Grad Certificate) | View Full Profile |
| Arizona State University | Health Care Innovation (Graduate Certificate) | View Full Profile |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Online Healthcare Administration Graduate Certificate | View Full Profile |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Online Healthcare Analytics Graduate Certificate | View Full Profile |
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details. |
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Meet the Expert: Christina Kim
Christina Kim is pursuing a master of public health (MPH) with a concentration in health services administration at the University of Arizona. She began her advanced studies in 2020 through a graduate certificate program and progressed to her MPH in 2023. Recently, she completed a health administration internship with UCI Health and is now actively seeking an administrative fellowship.
Initially drawn to nursing, Kim’s brief experience in the field shifted her focus toward improving healthcare processes, enhancing patient outcomes, and creating better work environments for clinicians. Her diverse background spans retail, healthcare, and education, with experiences that have taken her from the Chicagoland area to Arizona, South Korea, and California. She aspires to become a healthcare leader dedicated to transforming patient care, optimizing clinical workflows, and driving organizational efficiency.
MHAOnline.com: What is something you wish the public understood about healthcare administration graduate certificate programs?
Kim: I wish the public understood that while healthcare administration graduate certificate programs are not equivalent to a master’s degree, they are highly valuable for professionals pursuing careers in this specialized field. This program is specifically designed for individuals seeking to advance their knowledge in healthcare administration—offering focused courses on key topics such as health services administration, finance and budgeting, healthcare marketing, quality and safety, and healthcare economics and policy.
Through this program, graduate students gain both academic and practical knowledge in areas within healthcare administration, allowing them to explore different aspects of this field. The healthcare administration graduate certificate program is an excellent start for individuals interested in pursuing a postgraduate education, as these credits will count towards a master’s degree in the future.
MHAOnline.com: What advice would you give to aspiring healthcare administration graduate certificate program students?
Kimy: I would advise aspiring healthcare administration graduate certificate program students to create, build, and maintain rapport with their professors and graduate staff. My professors and graduate advisor have played significant roles throughout my graduate studies, guiding me through challenges, writing letters of recommendation, and providing the best support system. These relationships have helped me alongside every step of my graduate endeavors, and truthfully, they have become significant people in my life.
Featured Graduate Certificates in Healthcare Administration
The School of Professional and Extended Studies at American University offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare management. The program is designed to help professionals in the healthcare industry understand and implement a values-based financial model of healthcare and to improve processes and care delivery through technology integration.
The graduate certificate requires participants to complete 12 credits over the following four courses: data-driven decision-making, standards and systems in U.S. healthcare, principles of health information technology and innovation, and evaluating new models of care payment and delivery. While on-campus participation is not required, American University’s certificate program students can participate in an optional on-campus immersion for the data-driven decision-making course.
Those enrolled in the graduate certificate program can apply for credits from the certificate program to American University’s fully online master of science program in healthcare management, should they choose. Applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to apply, and while no work experience is required to apply, the program is designed for experienced professionals. GMAT or GRE scores are not required for admission.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Nine to 15 months
The executive certificate in health administration is an online Jesuit health leadership program offered through the Panuska College of Professional Studies at the University of Scranton. This graduate certificate is best suited to experienced professionals interested in making an immediate impact in healthcare by learning leadership and decision-making skills through an American College of Healthcare Executives-aligned curriculum.
Students enrolled in the five-course, 15-credit certificate program take three core courses and can choose two electives from the full master’s in health administration program. Coursework includes healthcare organization and administration, healthcare financial management, health services and systems, hospital administration, and medical practice administration.
Students can choose to transfer completed coursework credits into the MHA program should they decide to transfer to the degree pathway. While no GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply, this certificate program is for experienced professionals. A minimum of three years of full-time professional or supervisory experience is required to apply.
- Location: Scranton, PA
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Expected Time to Completion: Ten months
The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare innovation designed to help graduates become change facilitators in the healthcare industry. The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation was ranked no.51 in the nation for master’s programs by the U.S. News and World Report.
Faculty teaching in the online program include Fullbright Senior Scholars and recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Leadership Award in Caregiving and the Ruth B. Freeman Award from the American Public Health Association.
Students enrolled in the 15-credit, five-course program complete four core courses and one capstone course. Coursework in the program includes innovation and the individual, systems thinking in a complex environment, outcomes evaluation, and innovation methods. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply, and there is no minimum work experience requirement. Applicants with an academic background in any health-related business, social science, hard science, healthcare practice, or technology field are encouraged to apply.
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
The graduate certificate in clinical research administration offered by the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences is designed for current professionals working in clinical research who wish to deepen their understanding of drug development, clinical trial practice and protocols, and the industry’s business side.
Students enrolled in the six-course, 18-credit program will complete five core courses and one elective of their choice. Coursework in the program includes critical analysis in clinical research, medicine development, partnerships with human subjects, the clinical research industry, and quality and risk management.
Enrolled students who elect to switch to the full master’s of science in health science (MSHS) in clinical research administration can apply completed graduate certificate credits to their degree. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply. While no minimum threshold of work experience is specifically delineated for acceptance into GW’s graduate certificate program, previous healthcare experience is preferred.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months
Combining coursework from the College of Allied Health Sciences and the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, the University of Cincinnati offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare administration designed to prepare participants for leadership in the healthcare organizations of tomorrow. In addition to being completely online, the certificate is taught by expert professors who have active roles in health administration.
The 12-credit graduate certificate requires participants to complete four courses: two core courses and two electives of their choosing. Core courses include health systems management: organization and delivery and healthcare marketplace: health economics. Examples of electives include health quality: evidence-based decision-making and global health systems. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply. While no work experience is required, applicants are encouraged to highlight experience in healthcare on their resume or CV.
Graduates will be ready for roles such as chief executive officers, chief operations officers, facilities managers, group practice administrators, hospital administrators, nurse managers, operations managers, and program managers.
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months or less
The graduate certificate in clinical operations and healthcare management offered through the School of Medicine & Health Sciences at George Washington University is designed to prepare graduates for various healthcare leadership positions. Students in this program gain the skills and knowledge required for hospital management and the expertise needed for effectively leading clinical operations and strategic development initiatives throughout the healthcare field. All credits earned in this program can be transferred toward the MSHS program in clinical operations and healthcare management.
The 18-credit program includes coursework in strategic communications, finance for healthcare operations, informatics for operational leadership and healthcare quality, healthcare systems operations, applications in clinical operations and healthcare management, and topics in healthcare leadership.
No GRE or GMAT is required to apply. While no minimum amount of work experience is required, some experience in healthcare settings is preferred.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
Methodist University offers an online graduate certificate in healthcare administration. Exploring topics in policy, finance, management, and more under the guidance of expert faculty members, students in this program will be provided with leadership and business skills through a healthcare lens.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited college or university, an overall GPA of 3.0, two letters of recommendation, and a one to two-page personal statement. GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission.
This certificate comprises 15 credits and encompasses finance and economics, organization and leadership topics, and policy issues. The curriculum includes courses such as management and leadership of healthcare organizations, healthcare policy issues, finance and economics of healthcare organizations, strategic management for healthcare leaders, and accounting for managers.
Upon completing the program, graduates can take up roles such as medical and health services managers, healthcare consultants, healthcare human resources managers, administrative managers, health informatics officers, nursing home managers, and medical office administrators.
- Location: Fayetteville, NC
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two terms
The credits earned in Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s online graduate certificate in healthcare administration can be applied toward several SMUMN’s graduate programs, including the master of arts program in health and human services, accredited by the Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators. Other options include the MS in project management, MA in organizational leadership, MA in human resource management, MS in business intelligence and data analytics, and master of business administration (MBA) program.
Graduates of this 12-credit program will develop the budgeting, strategic planning, leadership, and management skills they need to succeed. Coursework includes financial practices in the health and human services sector, health and human service systems, advanced health policy and ethics, and health and human service administration.
Designed to be completed in just one year, this graduate certificate does not require GRE/GMAT scores to apply. Admission requirements include an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.75, a written statement, two professional references, and a current resume.
Graduates can prepare for leadership and management roles in healthcare settings like pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, and long-term care facilities.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
