MHA Programs with No GRE Requirement

Many grad schools offer Online MHA Programs No GRE Required. These programs may look at your grades. But you won't have to go back and take GRE or GMAT tests.

This can make applying simpler. Especially if you already work in health care and want to go back to school to jumpstart your career.

written by Rana Waxman

MBA vs MHA? Know Your Potential Program Options

There’s more than one way to earn a grad degree in healthcare administration. Either the MBA or MHA degree may help you build leadership skills.

Plus, you’ll learn to use the tools needed to plan, direct and coordinate medical and health services. But in the end, you need the courses to resonate with your goals.

What’s the difference between an MHA and an MBA in Health Care Management?

The main difference between an MBA in Healthcare Management and an MHA is the focus. Both offer a professional master's credential but may equip you for a career in distinct ways.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management

The focus of an MBA is to ‘master’ business administration. As such, MBA curricula expand on how to manage all the functional areas of business. No matter what the concentration. This means you'll take a wide range of core courses in areas like:

1. Statistics for Business
2. Accounting and Financial Analysis
3. Marketing and Strategy
4. Finance and Decision Making
5. Leadership and Strategy
6. Operations and Management

In studying these topics, you make pick up soft skills. Like how to be a good team player and communicator.

You’ll also take handful of courses in your concentration. By handful, this can translate into 12 credits in a 48-credit program.

In this case, you’ll study to understand the business side of health care management. Plus, how to make long and short run decisions as a leader.

Honing such skills can be a plus if you want to pursue a job in the health care industry. Yet still have some mobility because of your versatile business acumen.

8 Potential outcomes from an MBA Healthcare program:

1. Come up with your own business plan
2. Lead and operate cross functional teams
3. Understand what impacts global business
4. Make data driven decisions
5. Weave business laws and ethics into business practices
6. Create opportunities for your own ventures
7. Know how to divide resources in a health care setting
8. Achieve management goals within a health care setting

Master of Health Administration (MHA)

The focus of an MHA is to ‘master’ the managerial processes for the health care industry. As such, an MHA takes a deep dive into health care laws, policies and health systems technology.

It does this by devoting core classes to areas like:

1. Accounting for Health Care Managers
2. Health Economics
3. Financial Management of Health Systems
4. Marketing and Strategic Planning in Health Care
5. Global Health Care Administration and Management
6. Ethics and Leadership for Health Care Managers

One may also spend time learning how to research. This may make use of case analysis in national and global health care policies and practices.

Learning how to weave these insights into decisions is also a key component. If you are already at work in the industry, an MHA may be perfect.

It may help you gain the confidence to step into leadership. For instance, a mid to senior management role in a range of health care settings.

Sometimes for these reasons, an MHA attracts students from healthcare backgrounds. Let’s say a nurse who wants to switch from working with patients to an executive role. Like managing a nursing home. Or a medical professional who wants to manage a clinical department.

Some students also pursue their master’s degree in health care management with a focus on informatics. Health IT managers like other medical and health services managers generally need a grad degree.

8 Potential outcomes from an MHA program:

1. Set professional relationships with project team players
2. Check and apply models of care delivery and options for payment
3. Give tactical plans to clinicians and staff
4. Make changes that impact patient care in a positive way
5. Assess and put in place new models of optimal health
6. Check and manage financial risk of various healthcare payment arrangements
7. Manage patient safety and security risks in health information systems
8. Understand how to set and reach goals

Healthcare Management (HCM) vs Healthcare Administration (HCA)

Though related in title and growth rate (20% through 2026) the terms do not always mean the same thing.

• HCM roles may focus on making informed decisions for an entire enterprise. This often asks for an ability to make sense of data.

Plus, being able to craft a tactical plan, direct people and projects. It may also call for keeping pace with healthcare laws etc.

• HCA roles may focus on front-office skills. This often asks for personnel skills like scheduling and staffing.

Also, an ability to understand how to manage or budget for one department. Rather than an entire organization.

Know Your MHA Accreditations

Many grad schools with regional approval offer online MHA programs no GRE scores required. Accreditation for the institution is vital if you want to apply for federal aid. Or pursue post-degree certification.

It also ensures the school meets some of the standards set by the U.S. Department of Education. These speak to the quality of the entire school. It includes academics, administration, mission, finances and resources.

Within these schools, there's another indicator of quality. Called 'programmatic accreditation', it speaks to the MHA program itself.

Things such as the courses and their relevance to the industry. Also, that the curriculum responds and adapts to changes when they occur. For instance, when health care policy changes, you learn about it.

A few agencies in the U.S. accredit MHA and other healthcare management programs. If you want to do your homework about them, here are some tips to guide your search.

The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

The CAHME is the main accreditor for MHA degrees. It is the only body that grants MHA program-specific accreditation. So, many look at its rubber stamp as a sign of the highest standards.

CAHME-accredited programs offer high-quality curricula. They usually have respected faculty in education and research. Plus, a solid network of professional colleagues and alumni.

They do this by upholding their mission. CAHME demands a program be super responsive to changes and always on track to improve. If you apply to a CAHME accredited program, you may be eligible for CAHME Scholarships too.

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)

The CAHIIM accredits programs in health informatics (HI) and health information management (HIM). These two fields relate to health care management. But are distinct areas. So, each comes with its own standards for accreditation purposes.

CAHIIM accredited programs meet quality standards that relate to electronic health record (EHR) settings. They help students gain the tactics, information and skills that employers seek.

Graduates of CAHIIM-accredited programs may be eligible to sit for AHIMA certification exams. These cover various skills related to informatics, data management, and electronic health records.

National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL)

The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) is a nonprofit organization. Its mission strives to ensure that high-quality, relevant, and accountable leadership is available. So, while not an accreditor, some schools (E.g. Walden) use these standards as guides.

The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)

AUPHA is a global network. It comprises colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and organizations. All share the goal of improving health and health care delivery. They uphold their mission by keeping standards for policy education and health management. While not an accreditor, over 400 people and schools are members. American University is one.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

The ACBSP accredits business programs like the MBA Healthcare. To do so, it uses the Baldrige model. This model focuses on a few things. Like teaching quality, student learning outcomes, and making sure programs improve over time.

Online MHA Programs with No GRE Requirements

You won't need GRE scores for some MHA programs. Or you may need them in cases where you lack work experience.

But schools usually have other ways of assessing each candidate. Here are a few common criteria from partner schools.

Official Transcripts. Expect to submit official transcripts. These verify you have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

In the case of an MBA Healthcare, this may suffice. But MHA programs may look for a specific background.

Like a bachelor's degree in healthcare or a healthcare-related field. For instance, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Or you may need a bachelor's degree and a clinical graduate degree (MD, Pharm.D, MSW, etc.). Again, this is up to each school to decide.

GPA. Each school has its own acceptable range for your Grade Point Average. On a 4.0 scale, 3.0 is the most common baseline. But some schools like Northern Illinois University accept a 2.75 – 3.0 range too. Grand Canyon looks at GRE or GMAT scores only if an applicant’s GPA is in the 2.8 to 3.0 range.

Resume or CV. This is a list of your work experience and any other awards, skills and activities.

Intake Interview. This can be a series of online multiple-choice questions. Or a final in-person interview that checks whether you and the program are a fit.

Letters of Recommendation. Most grad school application forms ask for references. These letters usually need to speak to your readiness to study at the graduate level.

Experience. Some universities look at any past and recent leadership experience. Some schools (Western Governors’ MBA is one) look for a certain level of experience. Like at least three years in business, industry, or at a nonprofit organization.

TOEFL or IELTS Scores. These may apply if your mother tongue is not English.

Featured Online MHA with No GRE Programs

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Typical Coursework to Expect in an Online MHA Program

An online MHA studies the business side of health care. The goal is to help students understand how to manage complex healthcare organizations. This involves making ethical decisions about resources, staff and patient care.

Most programs thus feature a mix of theory, analytics, case studies and research. Plus, courses in areas like finance, health care laws and policy analysis among others.

Many MHA programs take a fulltime student from 2 to 3 years. In some cases, it will stack a supervised practicum or capstone on top of classes. As a result, you'll find programs that entail from 30 to 48 credits or a similar range.

Here are 6 common courses that you may find in an online Master of Health Administration program.

1. Foundations of Healthcare Administration

This type of course sets up a context for what it looks like to succeed as a health care manager. It may touch on medical terms and basic concepts about health and disease. Also, things like how to communicate, set goals, manage time and be professional.

2. New Models of Care Delivery and Payment

This type of class may look at emerging models of care delivery and payment. Their impacts on healthcare providers and patients. Also, things like cost, quality, risk and outcomes. Students may learn how to guide change to value-based health care.

3. Healthcare Information Technology

This type of class may look at the IT systems used to gather data. It may hone the analytic skills that feed decisions. Students may also learn how to improve outcomes in a patient-centered care setting.

4. Healthcare Financial Management

This type of class may cover both finance concepts and data analytics. It may aim to hone decision skills as they apply to managing resources. Side topics may get into diverse and sustainable tactics. Ones that drive up value and are productive while still patient-centric.

5. Healthcare Analysis

This type of class often covers the methods used in quality research. Things like how to predict and forecast. It may also speak to the methods used to apply data into real time decisions in a health management setting.

6. Standards and Systems in the U.S. Healthcare

This type of class looks at the U.S. healthcare delivery system and its providers and payers. Also, the impact initiatives have on healthcare quality, cost and access. Students may learn about tiered services, preventative healthcare, trends and more.