The University of Kentucky’s (UK) Master of Health Administration (MHA) program at the College of Public Health (CPH) is more than just a degree, it’s a unique opportunity to train students while they learn and be ready to lead when they graduate.
“MHA degrees are perfectly designed for someone who wants to take the lead in healthcare,” says Dr. Maureen Jones, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies of the UK MHA program.
“The UK MHA helps candidates assume leadership positions in a variety of health services organizations and provide students early in their careers with competencies that support their success in managerial and leadership positions in complex healthcare organizations — providing our graduates with a solid foundation for their career development.”
Career Preparation and Outcomes
Full-time MHA students work alongside leaders at UK HealthCare. They apply their coursework and case studies to projects every week. Students receive real-time feedback from their preceptors and are constantly gaining and enhancing their competencies.
“Our students don’t leave here with just a degree. They leave here with a set of relevant leadership skills they can apply right away,” adds Dr. Jones.
All the courses such as finance, strategy, organizational development, human resources, project management and more, target healthcare business skills and develop leadership acumen.
Graduates of the UK MHA are accepting positions at reputable healthcare organizations all over the country, including Kentucky.
“Our students accept positions across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the country at Cleveland Clinic, Norton Healthcare, HCA, Ascension, Duke, the Veteran’s Administration, UC Health, Rush University Medical Center, Vanderbilt, Mayo Clinic, and more," says. Dr. Jones. "They are placed at impressive organizations but more importantly they are making differences in their communities."
Value-added experiences and engagement
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), the UK MHA programs sets itself apart through several value-added experiences and engagement opportunities, professional and leadership development, and career preparation.
First, the cohort model allows students to engage with and learn from a diverse group of students and grow in the program together, building relationships that last a lifetime. Smaller cohort sizes also allow for more interactive and individualized instruction and advising.
Full-time students also have the opportunity work in healthcare each semester while enrolled in the program through the administrative practicum experience. They receive coaching from healthcare leaders and get to apply what they are learning in the classroom in real-time.
“Lexington, Kentucky is home to leading healthcare systems,” says Dr. Jones. “UK Healthcare is steps away from our classrooms and we also have CHI Saint Joseph Health, Baptist Health Lexington, and the VA Lexington Healthcare right down the street. This gives our students access to leading health systems and leaders right in our backyard.”
In addition, the case competition program places teams of students into an intense case analysis where they develop deliverables and present their solutions. They compete around the country against some of best and brightest students in the country.
“Prior to the competitions, our MHA students receive professional development mentoring that includes presentation/platform skills, decision-making, case analysis, communication skills, and data visualization,” says Dr. Jones. “Last year, we placed third at the Ohio State Case Competition.”
The UK MHA program also offers offer engagement and networking opportunities including the UK MHA Student Association, a dedicated Alumni Council, Board of Advisors, along with access to an alumni base of healthcare professionals working in a myriad of sectors in the industry.
Partnerships and Connections
The partnership with UK Healthcare has recently resulted in 30 new, paid administrative practicum positions for full-time UK MHA students enrolled in the program. Learn more about this partnership here.
Faculty-practitioner partnerships provide UK MHA students with direct access and the opportunity to learn from professionals working in the industry. The program receives immediate input from leading industry experts in the field to assure that we are targeting the skills employers prioritize.
In addition, the Executive Seminar Series brings industry experts from across the country right to our students.
“These honored guests speak on a variety of current healthcare topics,” says Dr. Jones. “In our executive-student huddles, the UK MHA students receive exclusive access to these leaders where they can ask more in-depth questions and build relationships.”
Through the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education, UK MHA students get the unique opportunity to engage with colleagues from all six healthcare colleges at UK in a collaborative environment where they develop communication and collaboration skills that keep patients and families at the center of all we do.
Working with UK colleagues from Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, and more, the teams consider how collaborative practice can positively influence patient outcomes and through retreats, workshops, service, and mentoring relationships they enhance interprofessional leadership skills and professionalism.
Faculty and Department Expertise
“Our MHA faculty represent a diverse breadth of experience, education, and research,” says Dr. Jones. “Faculty members include respected experts on health systems governance and ethics, clinical management, health law, long-term care administration, health economics, process improvement, human resources, organization development, electronic health records, and more.”
The MHA program is part of the Health, Management, & Policy department at CPH. The full faculty staff profiles of this department, including the MHA, can be found here.
Admissions Process
The UK MHA program admits students annually each Fall and is still considering applications for the Fall 2023 until March 15th, 2023.
Admissions requirements can be found here or visit cph.uky.edu/MHA for more information. For any additional questions, or information, contact Dr. Maureen Jones or visit the contact us page.
To learn more about our programs, people, and passion for public health, visit cph.uky.edu.
The University of Kentucky College of Public Health is undergoing a review by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for re-accreditation. Part of this process includes the invitation to provide third-party comments. Anyone, including students, alumni, employers, community partners, etc., is allowed to share relevant information about the college directly with CEPH. If you would like to provide input to CEPH to inform their review, send your comments to submissions@ceph.org by May 4th, 2025.
