MHA Master of Health Administration

The mission of the University of Kentucky’s Master of Health Administration program is to cultivate a supportive learning environment that prepares students for early-career leadership positions through a competency-based curriculum model.

• Placement Targets: Any healthcare service organization across the country.

• Leadership positions.

• Healthcare administration fellowship or leadership position in a healthcare organization.

• Typical organization types include acute care facilities, ambulatory services, physician practices, long-term care, bio-medical, and more.

• Areas: Operations, strategy, performance improvement/quality, service line management, consulting, data analytics, human resources, department administration, practice management, program administrators, operations manager, and more.

• Early healthcare careerists. Students entering the program often have non-administrative experience with limited leadership opportunities. Most students seek healthcare leadership positions after graduation.

• Early and mid-careerists (those with minimal or no healthcare administration experience) seeking a highly engaged full-time program they complete in 20 months.

• UK HealthCare employees can apply to the program as part-time students through the Employee Education Program they complete in an average of 32 months.

• All geographic areas and majors are welcome to apply.

The MHA Program aims to achieve our mission by integrating expert faculty-practitioner instruction, experiential learning, and service; engaging alumni and other stakeholders in continuous program improvement; and supporting student connections with the healthcare leadership practice community.

The MHA program’s vision is to achieve national recognition by attracting, educating, and preparing highly qualified students with many backgrounds to become the next generation of effective healthcare industry leaders in Kentucky and beyond.

(The University of Kentucky values serve as the basis for the Program values)

• Integrity

• Excellence

• Mutual respect and human dignity

• A sense of community

• Civic engagement

• Social responsibility

• CAHME Mentorship Circle

• Access to scholarships and awards

• Foundation in continuous quality improvement

• CAHME Accredited Program provide student access to:

  • Modern Healthcare and MGMA (Medical Group Management Association)

Many of the courses in the program include instruction and input from industry experts. Leaders bring relevant experience and real-world examples to the courses, course concepts and gain valuable feedback.

Lexington is Home to Leading Healthcare Systems

• The University of Kentucky HealthCare is located on UK’s campus, just steps away from our classrooms

• CHI Saint Joseph Health

• Baptist Health Lexington

• VA Lexington Health Care

These are some of the care providers in Lexington.

• Four times a year the program brings highly qualified and experienced leaders right to the UK MHA students

• Main Event: Honored guests provide a one hour talk on current healthcare topics

• Small Group Session – the MHA students gain exclusive access to the leader during a small group session where they can ask more in-depth questions

• Learn more about the series here

• Leave the program knowing you can analyze real world problems, develop deliverables, present solutions, and interact with healthcare executives

• At the end of the Program students apply their coursework and practical experience by analyzing a case and presenting conclusions and recommendations to a panel of industry leaders

• The case, presentation, and question and answer provide an opportunity to assess student competency development and the skills a student has gained during the program

• The MHA program admits students in the fall only

• Students progress through the program together, in a cohort

• The cohort model allows students to engage with a large group of students and experience the program together, building relationships that last a lifetime

• Smaller cohort sizes facilitate interactive and individualized instruction and advising