Master of Health Administration (MHA)
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Key Information
Campus location
New York, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 - 2 years
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
USD 45,214 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* This deadline is for the full-time MHA program. Part-time and Executive deadlines available at https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/become-student/how-apply/deadlines.
** Full-time tuition; anticipated 3% increase for flat rate and per point tuition. Estimated program fees of $6823. Part-time and Executive tuition available at https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/become-student/how-apply/financial-aid/tuition-fees.
Introduction
The Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) offers a specialized Master of Health Administration. These MHA degree paths integrate organizational leadership and management, health policy, and public health and health systems. It provides students with the management skills of a business school education but does so in a context that emphasizes the unique nature of the healthcare system.
Students can complete the coursework through the full-time program or part-time program. The curriculum in all of our programs offers ongoing professional development activities. Students also complete practicum fieldwork which offers valuable professional experience.
Core courses provide students with a solid understanding of the statistical tools and key concepts used by many public health practitioners. Management and policy courses emphasize the skills needed for careers in health service delivery.
Full-Time MHA Program
The full-time program is a two-year program that is ideal for students who are able to study in classes five days a week. In addition, there are required professional development curricula and Workshops to aid students in their development of real-world skills and practices.
Students are taught to work with the management skills of a business school education but do so in a context that emphasizes the unique nature of the healthcare system. The department places a strong emphasis on students developing competencies across a number of areas, including analytical thinking, collaboration, communication, financial analysis, organizational awareness, resource management and allocation, and strategic thinking. This competency-based curriculum prepares graduates for management positions in hospitals; clinics; non-profit organizations; local, state, and national government; other health-related organizations, as well as jobs in consulting and biopharma companies.
In addition to coursework, the FTM program has several unique components, including a required professional development curriculum that allows students to develop and hone their interpersonal skills, communication strategies, and career goals. In the Consulting Workshop course, students build skills in strategic thinking, teamwork, and effective communication while tackling a healthcare management challenge. Under the guidance of a faculty member, students collaborate as a team of consultants to develop a solution and present it to their client. Students also participate in a summer practicum designed to provide valuable fieldwork experience. The deadline for this program is February 16.
Part-Time Management Program
Are you looking for a Management MHA program that integrates the theory and practice needed to be successful in your career? Do you have at least one year of relevant healthcare experience? Are you currently working full-time in the healthcare industry?
The Part-Time Management (PTM) program is geared towards candidates currently working in healthcare who are looking to gain a broad understanding of the healthcare system and insight into the influences of policy decisions in the healthcare industry while developing management and leadership skills. Courses integrate the professional experience into the classroom. The program is completed in 28 months. Incoming students must have at least 2 years of experience in a health-related industry. The deadline for this program is June 1.
Admissions
Curriculum
Full-time MHA
FTM students typically take five classes per week. Electives are offered throughout students’ second year, and a culminating weekend HealthSquare Simulation experience occurs in the final semester.
Semester 1 (Summer)
- Computational Tools for HPM (online & orientation session)
Semester 2 (Fall)
- P6530 Issues & Approaches in HPM
- P6545 Analytics & Managerial Decision-Making I
- P6503 Health Economics
- P6529 Healthcare Accounting & Budgeting
- P8557 Managerial & Organizational Behavior
- P8571 PIVOT: Professional Strategic Communications
Semester 3 (Spring)
- P8529 Analytics & Managerial Decision-Making II
- P8533 Healthcare Finance
- P8558 Strategic Management
- P8555 Public Health Concepts
- P8515 Healthcare Marketing
- P8536 Health Innovation & Technology
- P8598 Understanding Healthcare Payment Systems
- PXXXX Changing the Narrative: Communicating in Diverse Settings
- P8572 Pivot: Professional Strategic Communications
Semester 4 (Summer)
- Practicum
Semester 5 (Fall)
- Selective: Choose 1/2 3
- P8517 Mgmt Challenges-Evolving HC & Insurance System
- P8518 Advanced Healthcare Finance
- P8514 Governance, Health Law & Ethics
- P8510 Strategic Issues in Healthcare Quality
- P8559 Comparative Strategic Analysis
- Electives
Semester 6 (Spring)
- P6513 Critical Issues in Hospital Management
- P8527 Managing Human Capital in Health Systems
- P8556 Health System Simulation
- Electives
*Electives taken outside of Mailman must be approved by Marni Selman to count towards the management curriculum. Students are required to take a total of 7.5 credits of electives toward their MHA degree.
Part-time MHA
Classes typically meet two nights per week between 5:30 and 8:20 p.m. During some semesters, students will take classes that meet three evenings per week. Additionally, some electives may be offered on weekends, and a culminating weekend Health System Simulation experience occurs in the final summer of the program. The cohort-based model leads to enriching classroom discussions and provides for an in-depth understanding of the interconnectedness of the healthcare profession. Students are immediately able to apply their coursework to their professions, advance their careers, and create tangible value for their employers.
Semester 1 (Fall)
- P6530 Issues & Approaches in HPM
- P8555 Public Health Concepts
Semester 2 (Spring)
- P6529 Healthcare Accounting & Budgeting
- P8557 Managerial & Organizational Behavior
- P8571 Pivot: Professional Strategic Communications
Semester 3 (Summer)
- P8533 Healthcare Finance
- P8536 Health Information Technology
- P8515 Healthcare Marketing
Semester 4 (Fall)
- P8510 Strategic Issues in Healthcare Quality
- P8558 Strategic Management
- Electives(s)*
Semester 5 (Spring)
- P6545 Analytics & Managerial Decision-Making I
- P6503 Health Economics
- Elective(s)*
Semester 6 (Summer)
- P8529 Analytics & Managerial Decision-Making II
- P8514 Governance, Health Law & Ethics
- P8556 Health System Simulation**
Semester 7 (Fall)
- Elective(s)
- P6513 Critical Issues in Hospital Management
- P8527 Human Capital Management
*Students need to complete a total of 4.5 elective credits in the 2022-2023 year; students can choose to complete these electives in either the fall ’22 or spring ’23 terms.
**The Thomas P. Ference Health System Simulation is an intense 2-day hospital simulation that requires students to work in teams and draw on the knowledge and skills gained over the course of their time in HPM.
*Students may not vary from the curriculum. Electives taken outside of Mailman need to be approved by Marni Selman to count towards the management curriculum.
Scholarships and Funding
The Financial Aid Office is dedicated to identifying the best sources of financial support for Mailman School students. Financial aid packages can include a combination of institutional funds, loans, and student employment opportunities.
Awards are based on the expected student contribution and the standard student budget, which is created each academic year to account for variable costs. Students should evaluate the standard budget when planning for the upcoming academic year.
When calculating the student budget, special accommodations may be made for students with additional expenses like child care or a computer purchase. Students should set up a meeting with a Financial Aid Officer to discuss this. Note: It is very uncommon for financial aid to make accommodations for anything other than rent expenses, a one-time purchase of a computer, or child care.
Develop a Budget
There are five steps involved in developing your in-school budget:
- Identify your financial goals (i.e., what you need vs. what you want)
- Calculate your non-loan financial resources (i.e., grants, jobs)
- Estimate your education expenses (i.e., tuition/fees, books, supplies, etc.)
- Estimate your living expenses (renting vs. housing)
- Do the math. A deficit, if any, represents the amount you may need to borrow.
For any related questions or information on waiving your health insurance fee, please contact Student Health Services.
Savings
It is important that you build up some form of liquid savings that can be used prior to arriving on campus. This will help you cover initial costs such as the first month's rent, security deposits, moving expenses, etc., while waiting for your financial aid to deposit into your student account.
All students who enroll in a degree program must arrive in New York City with at least one month of living expenses (preferably two), as the federal loan disbursement process does not take place until two weeks into the start of every semester.
Funding Options
The Mailman School offers students and families a single, simple approach to meeting the cost of attendance. The plan is a combination of federal, institutional, and private sources of funds that provide options for part-time, full-time, and international students and families.
The following types of assistance may be available to students:
Student Loans
Columbia University students have a wide range of financial assistance options from federal, state, institutional, and private sources. The rates for both the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan for 2020-2021 are 4.30% and 5.30%, respectively. The Department of Education determines new annual rates after July 1st of the new fiscal year. To learn more about obtaining a loan, including a detailed description of each of these funding sources, please see the University's overview on Graduate Financial Aid.
Students applying for the Graduate Plus Loan should log in to complete the required forms and manage their accounts.
Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants
Scholarships, fellowships, and grants are awarded based on need or merit. Amounts and availability vary by school.
Student Employment Opportunities
Mailman School students can access school-related employment through one or more of the following:
- Work-Study: Students certified by the Financial Aid Office as eligible for federally funded work-study can choose from a variety of part-time employment positions. Jobs are available in many offices throughout the University. Learn more.
- Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA): Departments offer these positions in which students gain valuable experience working part-time on faculty-run research projects and receive a stipend and/or tuition assistance on a limited basis. These positions are not available to first year Master's students.
- Teaching Assistantship (TA): Some departments have limited teaching assistantship positions available to students with substantial preparation in their area of study. TAs provide part-time assistance to faculty members in instruction, grading, and course administration and receive a stipend and/or tuition assistance. These positions are specifically offered to Doctoral students and second-year Master's students.
Institutional and Supplemental Aid
Note: Almost every state has at least one grant or scholarship available to residents, and many have a long list of student aid programs. Eligibility is usually restricted to state residents attending a college in-state.
International Students
Funding options are available for international students.
Stipends