Health Administration, M.H.A. (Executive)

The Saint Louis University Master of Health Administration, Executive Track (EMHA) is a 50-credit hour professional degree program designed for working health care professionals and clinicians interested in career advancement across a broad range of industry subsectors – from hospitals and clinics, long-term and rehabilitation services, and managed care organizations to Big Pharma, health tech and consulting.

Health care is among the fastest-growing industries in the United States, with excellent opportunities for executives with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Graduates of SLU's EMHA program are prepared to begin or accelerate senior management and leadership roles in top health care organizations that not only fulfill their career objectives but also drive better population health outcomes and strengthen the connection between providers, payers and the communities they serve.

Program Highlights

• All EMHA courses are offered entirely online in a flexible, asynchronous format, allowing students to study at their own pace and work around busy personal and professional schedules.
• Opportunities for real-time interactions with faculty and fellow students, tailored to meet the learning needs for each course
• Executive experience weekends that are engaging, interactive sessions that include skill-building workshops, guest lectures from local and national industry experts, "field trips" to local health care facilities, and team-building experiences
• Access to robust professional development resources and seminars
• Ability to pursue a certificate program in performance excellence and other high-demand areas within the college
• Flexible start dates in fall or spring semesters
• Short time to degree completion
• Ability to leverage the reputation of a top-ranked graduate health care management program 

Curriculum Overview

SLU's EMHA program is administered by the Department of Health Management and Policy in the College for Public Health and Social Justice. In addition to the university-level accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the college is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), and the M.H.A. program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

First established in 1947, SLU's nationally recognized M.H.A. program consistently ranks among the best in America and is currently ranked #13 by U.S. News & World Report. The program was also named Program of the Year in 2018 by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. 

A total of 50 credit hours (15 core and two elective courses) are required to earn the EMHA degree. The EMHA program offers a flexible, hybrid format that enables students to complete most degree requirements entirely online, in a semi-structured, asynchronous format. 

EMHA students enroll in one course at a time, with each course offered in an accelerated format over a four-week period and a one-week transition between courses. Students work through the weekly modules at their own pace, which is a convenient format for students who are busy with family and work obligations. In addition to the required coursework, students have the option to attend professional development sessions and interact with their instructors and classmates via online video conference software.

EMHA students also attend executive experience weekends that include approximately 20 contact hours per weekend twice during the program. The executive experience weekends are designed to be engaging, interactive sessions that include skill-building workshops, guest lectures from local and national industry experts, "field trips" to local health care facilities, and team-building experiences.

EMHA students may choose to pursue one of several high-demand certificate programs offered through the college, in addition to completing the required hours for the EMHA degree.

Careers

Graduates of the EMHA program are prepared to begin or accelerate senior management and leadership roles in organizations that include:

• Hospitals and integrated health systems
• Physicians’ offices and clinics
• Community health centers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs)
• Consulting
• Health technology
• Managed care and other health insurance payer organizations
• Nursing, residential and rehabilitation facilities
• Home health care agencies
• Pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies
• Public health departments
• Government agencies

Among EMHA graduates in the 2021 cohort, more than 50% were employed primarily in hospitals, integrated health systems and clinics.  However, consulting, health technology, and pharmacy were also among the subsectors represented in the EMHA cohorts. Many students were occupied in clinical roles (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians). EMHA students also held mid-level positions as administrators, unit directors, operations and project managers, customer service and sales representatives and business analysts.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students should be currently employed in health care, public health, or human services fields, with three or more years of experience and current or anticipated managerial or supervisory responsibilities.

Application Requirements

• Application form and fee (fee may be waived in certain circumstances)
• Transcript demonstrating attainment of bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (grade point average of 3.0 or higher is preferred)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Resume/curriculum vitae
• Interview
• Professional goal statement

The GRE is not required.

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Financial documents are required to complete an application for admission and be reviewed for admission and merit scholarships. 
• Proof of financial support that must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:
  • Courses taken and/or lectures attended
  • Practical laboratory work
  • The maximum and minimum grades attainable
  • The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations
  • Any honors or degrees received.

WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until classes are full.

Review Process

All applications are considered on an individual basis with a balanced approach. Candidates may be invited to an on-site interview.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The College for Public Health and Social Justice offers several ways to help finance graduate education.  Opportunities include a limited number of merit-based scholarships and graduate research assistantships.  Awards are made to applicants with the highest combinations of GPAs and test scores who complete their applications by the priority deadlines.

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://finaid.slu.edu.

Accreditation 

The College for Public Health and Social Justice is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). 

View a PDF of the Most Recent CEPH Self-Study (July 2016)  

The Master of Health Administration is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

Saint Louis University's Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) works to transform talented, service-motivated students into knowledgeable, ethical professionals prepared for a range of management careers across the U.S. health sector.

To achieve this goal the program relies on competency-based education (CBE). In fact, SLU's M.H.A. program has a long history of CBE. In 2002 the program developed one of the three nationally recognized competency models that has since been adopted and adapted by health management and health administration programs throughout the country.

In keeping with CBE, classes and the corresponding learning objectives are organized to meet 21 core competencies necessary for success in health administration across the broad health sector. Similar types of knowledge, skills and abilities are grouped into five competency domains (leadership, critical thinking/analysis, management, culture and community engagement, and communication). To remain at the forefront of health administration education, the SLU M.H.A. program regularly reevaluates the model with the input of alumni and other health industry professionals. 

Leadership (L)

• L1. Leadership Excellence: Demonstrate the abilities and behaviors that are characteristic of leadership excellence, which include establishing a vision and inspiring and supporting others to work towards that shared vision and related goals
• L2. Ethical Behavior: Demonstrate ethical behavior through words and actions, which include honesty, integrity and a concern for justice
• L3. Social Responsibility: Prioritize goals and policies that balance the mission, vision and values of organizational stakeholders with the values and needs of the community
• L4. Adapting to Change: Evaluate changing environments, listen to diverse viewpoints and propose effective responses that align with personal values and organizational mission

Critical Thinking And Analysis (CTA)

• CTA1. Data Analysis: Apply appropriate methods and technology to analyze data patterns, trends and relationships
• CTA2. Environmental Analysis: Evaluate political, economic, social, technological, workforce, legal and regulatory factors that impact systems, organizations, communities and individuals at multiple levels along the health care continuum
• CTA3. Translating Complexity: Translate the results of complex analyses into information that illustrates potential problems and opportunities in a persuasive, meaningful way
• CTA4. Evidence-Based Decision Making: Assemble and utilize reliable and valid information sources and data to support informed, evidence-based decision-making
• CTA5. Systems Thinking:  Apply appropriate models and methods to analyze issues from a systems perspective and to design creative, flexible solutions that advance organizational goals and effectiveness
• CTA6. Ethical Analysis: Identify ethical concerns in management and policy and analyze those concerns using appropriate frameworks and principles

Management (M) 

• M1. Management Functions: Apply management theories, approaches and core functions to routine operations and to current and emerging issues in the health care environment
• M2. Teamwork: Demonstrate the ability to lead and work with people and teams to accomplish planned goals and actions on time, with budgeted resources
• M3.  Essential Skills: Demonstrate essential management skills, which include efficient time and resource management; conflict negotiation and resolution; coaching and motivating others; facilitating discussion, cooperation and consensus-building; delegating authority
• M4. Adapting to Uncertainty: Under conditions of uncertainty, demonstrate the ability to produce high-quality work, make decisions, adapt to changing priorities and learn from mistakes
• M5. Systems Management: Demonstrate the ability to deploy organizational resources and enforce accountability to support the implementation of systems-based management approaches
• M6. Professionalism: Demonstrate conduct characteristic of health care professionals, which includes adhering to professional expectations, workplace norms and performance standards; engaging in professional and community service; and participating in professional development opportunities

Culture And Community Engagement (CCE)

• CCE1. Cultural Competence: Build cultural competence in personal standards and practices and within the performance standards and practices of organizations, systems and communities
• CCE2. Community Engagement: Apply evidence-based approaches to engage communities and multilevel partners in working together to improve modifiable determinants of health and health outcomes

Communication (C)

• C1. Create Information: Demonstrate the ability to promptly create and organize ideas and information that are effective and customized to fulfill the needs of the target audience
• C2. Convey Information: Demonstrate formal and informal communication using traditional and contemporary modalities to convey messages that are clear and cogent for the target audience
• C3. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Foster positive interpersonal relationships with internal and external stakeholders through use of bidirectional communication techniques, which include listening and responding appropriately to the ideas and opinions of others; giving and receiving feedback; and participating in crucial conversations

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Students Beginning in the Fall (August)

Students Beginning in the Spring (January)

Program Notes 

The executive M.H.A. curriculum requires completion of 50 credits of courses as specified above. Students, who complete all of their M.H.A. requirements by the end of year two, as scheduled, are eligible to be awarded their M.H.A. degree in fall of year two.

Any deviation from this plan will likely result in extending the time to degree completion. Students who self-register need to notify the School of Public Health registrar to confirm accuracy of course selection.

Core courses in the MHA curriculum are distributed across four areas, as follows: 

• Public Health (College for Public Health and Social Justice) Core (PUBH): includes one 2-credit PUBH core course (= 2 credits total) required of the College for all degree programs.
• Health Management and Policy (Department) Core (HMP): includes four 3-credit required HMP core courses HMP core courses (= 12 credits total).
• Health Management (M.H.A, degree) Core (HM): includes ten 3-credit required HM core courses (= 30 credits total)
• Elective course options (ELT): includes 6 credits of elective graduate courses, which can include any graduate course offered by the HMP department, another department or program in the SPH, or any other academic unit of the University that is not part of the M.H.A. required course curriculum.

You may apply through SOPHAS or HAMPCAS

Apply for Admission Through SOPHAS

Apply for Admission Through HAMPCAS

For additional admission questions please contact:
Bernie Backer
Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions 
bernard.backer@slu.edu 
314-977-8144