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The Benefits of Enrolling in a CAHME-Accredited MHA Program

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If you are thinking about enrolling in a Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA) program, accreditation is one of the most important things to consider. While there is more than one accrediting authority, the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is the only organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to grant accreditation to individual graduate-level academic programs in healthcare management.

Graduate-level healthcare management programs are offered at many U.S. universities, but fewer than 90 are CAHME accredited; of these, only a fraction also offer an online MHA.1 If you wish to enroll in an accredited online MHA program of the highest caliber, you should consider a CAHME accredited program.

An Indication of Excellence

As an accrediting body, CAHME sets, measures, and certifies the quality of graduate healthcare management education programs throughout the U.S. and Canada. Master’s programs must meet competitive standards to become CAHME accredited, such as:2

  • Promoting excellence in education
  • Embracing diversity within the healthcare management industry
  • Providing both practical and theoretical learning opportunities throughout the program
  • Requiring that certain competencies are met while supporting multiple learning models
  • Advocating the use of documented best practices and innovation by faculty, staff, and students
  • Catering to the needs of students and employers in a variety of healthcare sectors

Graduating from a CAHME accredited MHA program may also make you a more competitive candidate in the job market. It may provide potential employers with evidence that you have the knowledge and experience to handle a healthcare leadership role in addition to skills that meet all industry standards.3 According to CAHME, over 90% of graduates from CAHME accredited programs find employment in the healthcare management field within three months of graduation.4

Additional Benefits

In addition to being a reliable indication of an MHA program’s merit, CAHME accreditation shows that a university is invested in continuous quality improvement.5 It can provide you with the assurance that the program you choose maintains appropriate and up-to-date content. It may also give you:

  • Access to a wide network of professional colleagues beyond the school and program from which you graduate
  • The ability to qualify and apply for a variety of federal financial aid programs that are only open to select participants
  • A better chance of getting into other advanced degree programs in a related field

Additionally, the CAHME accreditation ensures the following for Scranton’s online MHA students:

  • Educational experiences that offer high-quality content and engaged faculty who utilize innovative practices in teaching/educating;
  • Access to premier internships and residencies, which prepare students for the marketplace;
  • Membership in a network of professional colleagues that transcends above and beyond institutional and professional association affiliations;
  • Commitment to addressing the broad scope of career opportunities in this thriving field.

“Our MHA program team has worked hard to build one of the best programs in the nation. Being among the first to earn CAHME’s highest accreditation for the online Master of Health Administration program indicates that Scranton’s world-class faculty is developing and graduating future health care leaders that are prepared for the changing marketplace,” said Michael Costello, Assistant Program Director of the Graduate MHA Online program

If you’re looking for a master’s program that offers a flexible schedule, the online option may be the most realistic choice. The University of Scranton is one of the first fully online MHA programs to receive CAHME accreditation. In addition to a rigorous online curriculum, it’s one of the few programs with an expert practitioner faculty. The University of Scranton’s online MHA program is designed to be completed in 30 months (two-and-a-half years), however, students have flexibility in scheduling and up six years to complete the program. To learn more or speak with a Program Manager, call 866-373-9547.

Sources

  1. “Frequently asked questions.” CAHME.org. https://cahme.org/healthcare-management-education-accreditation/students/faq/ (accessed November 11, 2017).
  2. “Why CAHME accreditation is important.” CAHME.org. https://cahme.org/healthcare-management-education-accreditation/university-programs/accreditation-information/ (accessed November 11, 2017).
  3. “Why CAHME accreditation is important.” CAHME.org. https://cahme.org/healthcare-management-education-accreditation/university-programs/accreditation-information/ (accessed November 11, 2017).
  4. “Frequently asked questions.” CAHME.org. https://cahme.org/healthcare-management-education-accreditation/students/faq/ (accessed November 11, 2017).
  5. “Why CAHME accreditation is important.” CAHME.org. https://cahme.org/healthcare-management-education-accreditation/university-programs/accreditation-information/ (accessed November 11, 2017).

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