WSU Master of Health Administration Leads Nation for Innovation, Cost
OGDEN, Utah – Fifty universities lead the nation with innovative Master of Health Administration programs, and Weber State University tops that list as most affordable program, according to a new survey by the online site Top Master’s in Healthcare Administration.
Departments were evaluated on a number of criteria, including national accreditation, variety of degrees, online and executive programs, active student and alumni groups, and faculty engaged in research.
Tuition for WSU’s on-campus MHA is $15,775. The average tuition price nationally is $44,850.44. The most expensive program, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., costs $93,480.
“Healthcare is not only the largest industry in the United States, it is also at the center of our nation’s policy debates,” said Carla Wiggins, WSU’s Master of Health Administration program director. “The MHA at Weber State University serves the community by developing skilled healthcare managers and leaders to provide guidance and organizational excellence in this crucial and dynamic industry.”
WSU’s program is designed for working healthcare professionals, specifically those who are early or mid-career and want to advance to executive-leadership positions. The program enhances management, interpersonal, technical and organizational abilities, and fosters self-development, critical thinking and lifelong learning.
Full-time, on-campus students can complete the program in four semesters over two academic years. All campus courses are offered as a combination of online and face-to-face instruction in an eight-week format on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at WSU Davis in Layton. WSU’s first MHA class graduated in spring 2008.
Of the 2014 graduating class, 85 percent had jobs when they completed their degree. A 2014 alumni survey found that 81.82 percent of alumni believe their Weber State MHA helped them obtain a job, a raise or an advanced position.
“Our typical students are already established in a healthcare career and our program offers them an opportunity to advance to the next level,” said Yasmen Simonian, dean of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions. “We, also, were selected because of our dual-degree option where a student can earn an MHA/MBA joint degree.”
In addition, in fall 2015, Weber State will offer a new Executive MHA program designed for professionals who cannot attend courses on campus regularly.
The program begins each 15-week semester with one-and-a-half days of face-to-face instruction with the rest taught online.
The tuition for the online Executive MHA (eMHA) is $35,000 for students in or out of state. The price is all inclusive and not only includes credits and courses, but also books, course materials — even lunches and snacks when students are on campus. In-state and out-of-state students pay the same tuition. The eMHA courses will be held at a new WSU location in Station Park in Farmington, Utah, which is easy and inexpensive to reach from the Salt Lake City airport by light rail.
Both the traditional and executive versions of the MHA will enroll approximately 25-30 students each year.
The Master of Health Administration is housed in the Dumke College of Health Professions. Each of the college’s eight departments is nationally accredited and nationally involved.
For more information about the Top Master’s in Healthcare Administration ranking, visit topmastersinhealthcare.com/innovative-university-healthcare-administration-departments. For more information about Weber State’s MHA, visit weber.edu/mha.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
- Allison Barlow Hess, Director of Public Relations
801-626-7948 • ahess@weber.edu - Contact:
- Carla Wiggins, Master of Health Administration program director
801-626-7008 • carlawiggins@weber.edu