Students who have already completed an undergraduate degree in public health or health administration are understandably skeptical when it comes to obtaining a graduate degree in the field. After all, healthcare occupations are growing at a record pace in virtually all sectors, even for those who only have a two-year or four-year degree from an accredited institution. With statistics like that, it can be hard to view a graduate-level program like the online MHA degree as worth the time, money, and overall level of hard work that will be required.
MHA Graduates Have Specialized Talents
An undergraduate program in health administration or public health professions is generally quite broad, and that’s actually by design. These programs are designed to prepare students for the broadest possible number of career options when handling health matters and public health concerns. To that end, they do succeed. The problem, of course, is that a jack-of-all-trades is often a master of none. Many people in the health professions soon find that they have a specific interest, and many of them want to learn more about how they can pursue further opportunities in that field.
That’s where the online MGA degree comes in. The degree allows for specialized education and employment that can guide graduates toward more fulfilling careers overall Administration courses for public outreach, nonprofit work, hospital management, or efficiency-minded careers in healthcare are all available based on a graduate’s particular interests. Best of all, this type of specialization bodes very well for occupational mobility or simply finding a job at any level after graduation.
The Program is Flexible
The great thing about an online MHA program is that it removes a great deal of stress from the program. Before the advent of online classes, students had to fit actual classroom attendance into a full-time healthcare job. Because many of those jobs are on call throughout the day, it was nearly impossible for some professionals to seek the higher education that they had always wanted.
Online programs allow students to work on weekends, during the evening, or all day long if they’re not working a day shift. That means it’s easier to get the work done, with great grades and a high level of understanding, than ever before. This alone might make the online MHA worth it.
Things to Keep in Mind
An online MHA degree is only worth it if the degree comes from a recognized, accredited school with a strong healthcare program. Degrees that come from so-called “diploma mills” online, which are often not accredited and occasional engage in defrauding students, should be avoided. The best approach is to look for programs offered by state universities and well-known public schools, avoiding no-name degrees or those that don’t seem entirely trustworthy.
A Great Degree with Lots of Promise
The Master’s in Health Administration is a great degree, driven by massive growth in the health professions and a great deal of demand for highly qualified administrators in a variety of settings. With careful research and flexible scheduling of online classes, professionals will find themselves better educated, more prone to advancement, and generally better compensated, after they finish the program.
