University of North Carolina, Wilmington Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
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.
The University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW), offers an accelerated, fully online MHA that can be completed in just 12 months. Two practicums offer the opportunity for real-world experience through a healthcare project or meaningful healthcare research that may require working with a healthcare organization. There are six start dates per year with each lasting seven weeks in length.
UNCWs online healthcare MHA prepares graduates to manage healthcare organizations with ethical, innovative leadership. Topics covered include human capital resources, operations management, quality assessment, population health management, healthcare informatics, patient experiences, strategic management, legal and ethical healthcare issues, quantitative methods, evidence-based decision-making, healthcare economics and change, and financial decision-making.
The online MHA program also explores long-term care administration, examining what health services are needed for current and future long-term care patients, and those in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. A healthcare capstone integrates the learned healthcare administration concepts and techniques and is designed to be a cumulative concluding course.
The UNC Wilmington MHA curriculum aligns with the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s Health Leadership Competency Model 3.0, which ensures the delivery of relevant, competency-based curricula, preparing graduates to become exceptional healthcare leaders.
MHA students begin with a personalized learning experience, submitting a gap analysis assessment that identifies personal strengths and areas of improvement. From this initial assessment, students track their progress throughout the program and continually reflect on their learning.
Those without a healthcare background have additional opportunities for learning, such as international travel, participation in faculty research, joining student organizations, case competitions, and practicum experiences. Those with one year of healthcare work experience and a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field may petition for practicum experience waivers.
Through the curriculum, students will analyze data on mortality, morbidity, and health disparities among various populations and regions, which impacts local, regional, and global population health and the healthcare organizations involved. They will also
- Create evidence-based decisions to improve healthcare costs, quality of care, and access
- Study the effects of social, economic, political, and cultural factors on strategic management
- Examine the impact of healthcare policy, ethics, and economics
- Practice various communication strategies to be used depending on the audience and subject
- Use industry best practices to design strategic planning initiatives, utilizing all areas of healthcare administration
Graduates may go on to advanced administrative positions with pharmaceutical companies, healthcare systems, hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory care centers, public health departments, and mental healthcare organizations.
The University of North Carolina, Wilmington, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and is located in Wilmington, North Carolina. UNCW is an affiliate of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Higher Education Network, which offers support to MHA programs and future healthcare leaders through mentoring and healthcare administration publications.
What to Expect from the UNCW Online MHA in Healthcare Administration
Admission Requirements: Applicants 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. No GMAT or GRE is required.
Students with a healthcare-related bachelor’s degree and at least one year of healthcare work experience may petition for a waiver of the two practicum courses, reducing the degree requirements to 42 credits. Application materials include electronically submitted official transcripts, a resume or CV, and any other documentation required in the application.
Study Plan: The UNCW online MHA program offers six start dates per year. Courses last seven weeks each, and the program can be completed in as few as 12 months. Students take 42 credits of core MHA courses and 6 credits of practicum courses. A healthcare administration capstone ends the program.
Curriculum: The University of North Carolina, Wilmington, online MHA comprises 48 credits and includes two practicum courses which may be waived for qualified applicants. MHA courses include introduction to healthcare management; managing human capital in healthcare; healthcare systems; operations management and quality assessment for healthcare organizations; healthcare informatics; legal and ethical issues for health professionals; strategic management and marketing for healthcare professionals; managerial epidemiology and population health; quantitative methods and evidence-based decision-making in healthcare; long-term care administration; financial analysis and decision-making in healthcare; healthcare economics and policy; finance for healthcare managers; healthcare administration practicum I-II; and healthcare administrative capstone.
Online Experience: The UNCW online MHA courses are convenient and accessible through laptops, PCs, tablets, and mobile devices. Online courses are designed to promote creativity, scientific and quantitative inquiry, and critical thinking. Online students can connect with other students, faculty, and alumni to engage in discussions and debates, share ideas and knowledge, and network for future careers and connections. UNC Wilmington utilizes Canvas as its online learning management system (LMS). Online student orientation resources, technical support, library services, and other student services are available to all UNCW online students.
On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements as the UNCW online MHA is 100 percent online. Students may need to participate in two practicum experiences that may include hours with a healthcare organization.
Paying for the UNC Wilmington Online MHA
The University of North Carolina, Wilmington Online MHA tuition numbers are listed in the tables below. North Carolina residents enjoy a signficantly reduced tuition relative to non-residents. Applicants should verify current tuition and fees with the UNCW College of Business.
Funding options may include unsubsidized graduate student loans secured through applying with the FAFSA, employer tuition reimbursement programs, private loans, and community and organizational grants and scholarships. Prospective students should contact the UNC Wilmington Office of Financial Aid for more information.
UNC Wilmington Master of Healthcare Administration
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.
- Learn about healthcare operations management, quality assessment, healthcare informatics, strategic management, quantitative methods, evidence-based decision-making, healthcare economics, and financial decision-making
- Take advantage of a curriculum that aligns with the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s Health Leadership Competency Model, ensuring the delivery of relevant, competency-based curricula
- Complete your degree in just 12 to 14 months with no campus visits or GRE required
| Degree Level | Master's Degree |
| Program Start Dates | 6 - Two each in the Fall, Spring, and Summer |
| Credits Needed to Graduate | 48 |
| Time to Complete? | Graduate in as few as 12 months. |
| 100% Online? | Yes |
| Program Accreditation | Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) |
| Level of Education Required? | Bachelors degree or higher |
| GRE or GMAT Required? | No GMAT/GRE required |
| Work Experience Required? | A healthcare related bachelors degree and one year of healthcare work experience may secure two practicum course waivers |
| Credit Hours | 48 |
| Average Cost Per Credit | $327.91/$1,221.57 |
| Estimated Program Tuition * | $15,739.68 (in-state) |
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.
