Mission

The MHA program at the University of Georgia is dedicated to preparing early-career students to meet critical needs in healthcare. Our competency-based curriculum combines theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and experiential learning, giving students the foundations to advance to management and leadership positions in hospitals,consulting firms, healthcare delivery systems, and public health organizations.

Our mission is supported by:

1. Faculty, including experienced instructors from healthcare organizations, who equip graduates with skills in healthcare management,finance, strategic planning, and leadership;
2. The program’s cohort model and placement in the College of Public Health, which fosters critical thinking, teamwork,innovative problem-solving, and collaboration across health-related disciplines; and
3. Practical learning experiences where students build relationships with industry stakeholders.

Vision

The University of Georgia seeks to have a nationally recognized MHA program. We prepare graduates to excel as leaders who embrace a collaborative approach to leading effective health strategies and solutions to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for individuals and communities in Georgia and beyond.

Values

• Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
• Inclusive Excellence
• Integrity
• Leadership
• Professionalism

The MHA curriculum includes courses in the core discipline of health administration, as well as courses specific to public health. The MHA student experience is enriched with career development, events, faculty support, and hands-on learning where teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills are applied to real-life management scenarios. The program is 55 hours total, including an internship and capstone project.

Year One

FALL SEMESTER
HPAM 7150 – U.S. Healthcare Delivery System (3 hours)
HPAM 7350 – Introduction to Quantitative Analysis (3 hours)
HPAM 7700 – Leadership and Management of Public Health and NGOs (3 hours)
HPAM 7740 – Fundamentals of Health Care Accounting (3 hours)
HPAM 7910 – Professional Development Seminar in Health Administration I (1 hour)

SPRING SEMESTER
HPAM 7410 – Health Informatics (3 hours)
HPAM 7600 – Cases in Health Economics and Economic Evaluation (3 hours)
HPAM 7750 – Finance for Health Administration (3 hours)
HPAM 7760  – Public Health Law & Ethics (3 hours)
HPAM 7920 – Professional Development Seminar in Health Administration II (1 hour)

SUMMER SEMESTER
HPAM 7650 – Comparative Health Systems (3 hours)
HPAM 7900 – Internship in Health Administration (3 hours)

Year Two

FALL SEMESTER
HPAM 7250 – HR Management in Healthcare (3 hours)
HPAM 7400 – Policy Analysis in Public Health (3 hours)
HPAM 7500 – Organizational Behavior (3 hours)
HPAM 7550 – Quality Improvement in Health (3 hours)
HPAM 7930 – Professional Development Seminar in Health Administration III (1 hour)

SPRING SEMESTER
NEW – Emerging Topics in Healthcare and Leadership (3 hours)
NEW – Management and Leadership in Ambulatory Care (3 hours)
HPAM 7950 – Capstone Project in Health Administration (3 hours)
NEW – Professional Development Seminar in Health Administration IV (1 hour)

TOTAL: 55 credit hours

• Grace Bagwell Adams, Associate Professor, Health Policy & Management
• Cindy Carmean, Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management
• Mohammad Rifat Haider, Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management
• Maxwell Kagan, Part-Time Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management
• M. Mahmud Khan, Department Head & Professor, Health Policy & Management
• Jessica Smith, MHA Program Director & Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management
• Tyler Wallace, Part-Time Assistant Professor, Health Policy & Management

The UGA Master of Health Administration program plays an active role in helping its students identify and secure internships and fellowships, as well as postgraduate employment opportunities.

Internship opportunities are available with –

• Children’s hospitals ​
• Healthcare recruitment and staffing​
• Insurance companies​
• Large health systems
• Rural hospitals​
• University Health Systems​
• Locally owned health care facilities (e.g., assisted living, pediatric practices, primary care clinics)

Fellowship placements include –

• Geisinger
• USA Health
• Emory Healthcare
• Kaiser Permanente
• HOPCo
• Mount Sinai

Top employers include –

• Wellstar Health System
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Deloitte
• Emory Healthcare
• Northside Hospital
• Northeast Georgia Health System
• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Job titles include –

• Administrative Fellow
• Project Coordinator
• Compliance Analyst
• Program Manager
• Healthcare Consultant

Domain 1: Critical thinking, Analysis, and Problem-Solving

1. Data-driven decision-making: Demonstrate the ability to analyze, understand, and explain data to inform decision-making.
2. Financial management: Apply financial management and analysis principles using knowledge of accounting functions, insurance and reimbursement methods, and economic concepts.
3. Organizational performance: Recognize how to allocate organizational resources for performance improvement and the role of organizational strategy in decision-making.
4. Operations and business process management: Demonstrate understanding of essential operations management functions in healthcare and how to apply project management and quality management tools.
5. Quality improvement: Understand continuous quality improvement concepts and skills to improve work processes, patient safety, and organizational performance.
6. Risk management: Describe and understand sources of organizational liability and approaches to risk management for minimizing financial losses.
7. Economic analysis: Comprehend the application of economic concepts and techniques to understand stakeholder and market behaviors and inform decision making

Domain 2: Management and Leadership

1. Human resource management: Understand HR processes for recruitment, hiring, retention, and separation/severance and elements of HR development designed to maximize employee performance.
2. Information management: Knowledge of the role of IT infrastructure for health service
   delivery, quality improvement, business operations, and data management.
3. Leadership and governance: Demonstrate an understanding of organizational governance,
   proficient leadership, and management to effectively lead in healthcare systems and
   settings.
4. Strategic planning: Recognize how to apply system and strategic thinking tools for decisions making, planning, and problem-solving.
5. Organizational behavior: Demonstrate knowledge of how to apply organizational behavior
   theories and practices to cultivate an organization with high morale and satisfaction.
6. Innovation, change and creativity management: Able to identify innovation opportunities
   in healthcare organizations and methods to initiate organizational change.

Domain 3: Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness

1. Personal communication and presentation skills: Able to prepare and deliver effective written and oral business communications while demonstrating the ability to provide and receive constructive feedback.
2. Relationship management: Work successfully in teams to achieve a shared vision or goal while demonstrating cultural competence, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

Domain 4: Professionalism and Ethics

1. Ethical decision-making, compliance, and integrity: Identify how to integrate legal and regulatory frameworks and professional ethics considerations in decision-making.
2. Professionalism in interfacing with other professionals: Demonstrate ability to work effectively with other professionals, exemplifying responsibility and accountability.

Domain 5: Knowledge of the Healthcare System and Population Health

1. Health law, policy, regulation, and compliance: Demonstrate an understanding of the performance, structure, and environment of the healthcare system, including how the health system is managed, regulated, and governed.
2. Social determinants of health and strategies to advance community health: Demonstrate understanding of the roles of social determinants of health, health disparities,and social responsibility in resource allocation, management, and health system planning.

Step 1:  Apply to HAMPCAS

1. Online HAMPCAS application and fee. MHA degree program applicants should apply via the Health Administration, Management & Policy Centralized Application Service (HAMPCAS). For detailed information, please visit the HAMPCAS Help Center.
2. Official academic transcripts. These should be sent directly to HAMPCAS from the registrar or records offices at the institutions you attended.
3. A resume/CV and statement of purpose. The statement of purpose is your opportunity to communicate to us how this program fits with your career and educational goals. You should also highlight your relevant experience and preparation for this program.
4. Three letters of recommendation. List the names and contact information of at least three recommenders in your HAMPCAS application. Be sure to follow up with all your references/recommenders regularly to ensure that the recommendation process has been completed.

NOTE: Applications are not considered complete until all applicable fees are processed.

Step 2: UGA Graduate School Supplemental Application Fee

• Beginning Fall 2024, applicants are no longer required to submit a supplemental UGA Graduate School application. However, a supplemental application fee is still required. The fee can be processed at this link.

Application Deadlines and Updates:

• September 3: Applications open for enrollment in the following Fall Semester.
• January 5: Deadline to have a complete application submitted to be considered for available assistantships and other financial aid opportunities.
• May 1: Final application deadline to be considered for Fall Semester admissions.

Prerequisites:

All students must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution. There are no graduate credit hour requirements prior to admission to the program. Students who do not have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a public health discipline are required to take a public health foundations course (PBHL 7100) during their program of study.