If you are planning to enter into an advanced degree program to become a health administrator, you need to learn whether or not there are accredited online Master of Health Administration Programs.
Studying online offers students the benefit of flexible scheduling and in many cases convenience, but there are drawbacks to some of the less than reputable graduate programs out there. The only way to truly feel comfortable with the claims of any Master of Health Administration program is to verify that it is accredited.
Related: Top 10 Best Online Master of Health Administration Degree Programs (MHA)
Read on, and find out more about accreditation and how online MHA programs are evaluated and assessed.
What is a Programmatic Accreditation?
There is more than just a single type of accreditation for higher education institutions and programs. When you are attending a general degree program, you might be more focused on verifying that the school itself holds an active regional accreditation and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If, however, you are pursuing a professional or a technical degree, you will need to learn more about programmatic accreditation, especially when you are planning on working in the business industry.
A programmatic accreditation is one that is granted by an agency that only evaluates individual programs in a specific field. Some agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and some are not. The agencies only focus on setting standards within the field and will assess the program’s service, programs and faculty.
Is There an Agency that Specialized in Accrediting Online MHA Programs?
Health administration is a very broad field where you can hold a wide range of titles. Since there are so many different business skills that you need to possess to succeed as an administrator in a healthcare setting, it is important that you look for programs that are evaluated by a truly reputable agency.
Currently, the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education is the largest body that evaluates and grants accreditation to graduate healthcare management programs. Accreditation is available to both traditional programs and also to online programs.
What makes an CAHME-accredited Program Better?
There are CAHME-accredited programs and other Master of Health Administration programs that are not accredited. If you want assured quality, you will find peace of mind in knowing that any accredited program that you choose must pass an examination process before the credential can be awarded. The council will review the curriculum that is delivered, the whole student experience, and how successful graduates are after leaving school.
How to Find Accredited Programs with Online Instruction
If you are comfortable with studying for a graduate degree online, you might be interested in learning how to find online MHA programs with active accreditation. You can easily conduct a search through the official CAHME website to find MHA, MBA and MPA programs that have all met the strict standard. You can either review a list of all of the schools where programs are accredited or you can filter your results through the CAHME search tool.
The demand for healthcare administrators is on the rise. If you want to find an are where there is promise for post-grad growth, this could be the best choice for you. Be sure to search for accredited online Master of Health Administration programs and then you can enroll in the right one.