WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
BSHA vs. MHA
Ready to Level Up In Your Healthcare Career?
Get started on a healthcare administration program from WGU.
Ready to Get a Healthcare Administration Degree?
If you’re ready to move forward in a career in healthcare administration, earning a degree is the first step. A bachelor’s or master’s degree can increase your career options and earning potential, creating more opportunities for advancement. But which degree is right for your skill level?
This guide will explain the different healthcare administration degrees offered at WGU so you can decide if a bachelor’s or master’s degree is a better fit for your experience and interests.
Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
WGU's Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BSHA) is a comprehensive program offered through the College of Business. With a strong emphasis on the business side of healthcare, this degree program is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to excel in leadership and administrative roles within the healthcare industry.
To be admitted to this online healthcare administration degree program, you’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent. The first steps to admission are filling out an enrollment form, submitting official transcripts, and applying for FAFSA/financial aid. There are no additional admission requirements beyond WGU’s general admission requirements.
What are the Courses in the BSHA Program?
In addition to general education classes, the BSHA degree program includes a wide range of healthcare management, business management, and core business classes, including:
- Financial Resource Management in Healthcare
- Healthcare Delivery Systems, Regulation, and Compliance
- Healthcare Values and Ethics
- Healthcare Quality Improvement and Risk Management
- Healthcare Operations Management
- Healthcare Management and Strategy
- Technology Applications in Healthcare
- Healthcare Research and Statistics
- Business Simulation
- Business Environment Applications I: Business Structures and Legal Environment
- Emotional and Cultural Intelligence
- Innovative and Strategic Thinking
- Finance Skills for Managers
- Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting
- Principles of Economics
- Fundamentals for Success in Business
- Principles of Management
- Concepts in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Contact
- Managing in a Global Business Environment
- Values-Based Leadership
- Operations and Supply Chain Management
- Quantitative Analysis for Business
- Change Management
- Project Management
- Organizational Behavior
- Business Communication
Master of Science in Healthcare Administration
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, some experience in healthcare, and want to advance in your career, a healthcare administration master's degree from WGU can prepare you to become a leader in the industry. This accredited, online, advanced degree program through the Leavitt School of Health will help you progress in your career in a variety of healthcare management and leadership positions.
The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) is an advanced program with rigorous coursework. For this reason, you’ll need to meet specific qualifications to ensure you’re set up for success.
To be considered for enrollment in WGU’s Master of Healthcare Administration, you must be able to demonstrate healthcare experience through one of the following methods:
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and experience in healthcare or healthcare-related industry.
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and obtain MHA program chair approval.
What are the Courses in the MHA Program?
This MHA program consists of 12 courses, including a capstone project where you will work in collaboration with leaders in the healthcare industry:
- Analytical Methods of Healthcare Leaders
- Innovative Solutions in Healthcare Leadership
- Collaborative Leadership
- Healthcare Models and Systems
- Challenges in Community Healthcare
- Healthcare Information Technology
- Healthcare Financial Management
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Integrated Healthcare Leadership and Administration
- Healthcare Leadership and Administration Capstone
"Absolutely the best school I have ever attended. I love this school so much I decided to go back for a second Masters degree. All the online information is easy to access and the professors are readily available."
—Jennifer Michael
M.S. Nursing - Leadership and Management (BSN-MSN)
Healthcare Administration Programs at a Glance
Business
Healthcare Administration – B.S.
You can become a healthcare industry leader:...
You can become a healthcare industry leader:
Compare with B.S. Health Information Management
- Time: 63% of graduates finish within 17 months
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Management
- Communication
- Team Leadership
- Operations
- Scheduling
- Strategic Planning
The online courses in this career-focused business degree program will prepare you with management-level skills and an up-to-date understanding of our healthcare delivery system.
Health & Nursing
Master of Healthcare Administration
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly...
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly in line with innovations in health and healthcare.
- Time: 60% of grads finish within 21 months.
- Tuition: $4,995 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 12 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Collaborative Leadership
- Healthcare Models and Systems
- Healthcare Financial Management
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Healthcare Information Technology
Your rich experience in a health-related field can mean more when you bring a master's level of understanding to the problems that organizations need to solve.
Compare degrees
This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
What Career Opportunities Are Available for BSHA Graduates?
A healthcare administration degree is crucial in helping you gain the skills you need to be an effective leader in healthcare. You’ll learn accounting, communications, regulation, financial resource management, and more—knowledge and skills that will make you stand out from the crowd for entry-level roles in the healthcare industry.
If you are just starting your healthcare career, a BSHA will prepare you for entry-level admin roles in healthcare. Our graduates are employed in healthcare admin positions at:
- Skilled nursing and residential care facilities
- Large hospitals
- Medical clinics
- Insurance companies
- Community health organizations
- Case management organizations
- Financial services in the healthcare industry
- Government agencies
What Career Opportunities Are Available for MHA Graduates?
A master’s degree in healthcare administration is ideal for professionals who already hold a bachelor's degree and have relevant work experience in healthcare or business. An MHA paves the way for advanced career opportunities such as:
- Provider network executive
- Ambulatory services executive
- Behavioral health director
- Managed care analyst
- Healthcare facility CEO
- Health department director
- Patient experience manager
- Clinical director
WGU grads work for private companies, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, government, and universities. Major employers like Kaiser Permanente, ARUP Laboratories, Humana, Healthcare Corp. of America, and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs employ WGU graduates.
What Are the Differences Between these Programs?
The primary difference between WGU's Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BSHA) and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) programs is whether or not you already hold a degree. If you are just starting your healthcare career or have limited experience, a BSHA will provide a solid foundation to prepare you for entry-level admin or management roles in healthcare. An MHA, on the other hand, is for professionals who already hold a bachelor's degree. It should be noted that the BSHA is earned through WGU’s College of Business, while the MHA is earned through the Leavitt School of Health. Wherever you are in your education journey, both are great options for progressing your healthcare career.
Why WGU?
Be Career Ready
Designed with input from healthcare leaders, our accredited programs give you the skills and credentials today’s employers need. That’s why 97% of employers said they’d hire another WGU grad.1
1: 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU grads.
Get and Keep the Job You Want to Have
85% of WGU graduates are employed in their degree fields—and 87% are employed full-time.2
2: 2023 Harris Poll of 1,655 WGU grads.
Save Money
With flat-rate tuition that is 47% lower than the national average3 and generous need-based scholarships, our degrees are an excellent investment that you can afford.
3: National rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System in 2022. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Prelicensure program.
Work as You Need While Going to School
At WGU, you can complete courses, take tests, and graduate on your schedule. In fact, many of our healthcare students work full-time while earning their life-changing bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
