Health Systems Management (MHA)
Program Summary
100% Online
Duration: 30 months
Credits: 39 total
Cost Per Credit: $895
Degree: MHA
Accreditation: CAHME
College/School: College of Public Health
Next Start Date: 11/1/2026
Find Your Calling
Program Description
George Mason University’s online CAHME-accredited Master of Health Administration (MHA) in Health Systems Management is a premier degree program, dedicated to preparing future executives for leadership positions in health care organizations. Students develop contemporary strategic, business, analytic, and decision-making skills needed to successfully navigate the evolving health care industry in the post-pandemic era.
In recognition of its high academic rigor and success in preparing the next generation of health care administration professionals, George Mason’s MHA was awarded the 2025 CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award. This prestigious honor is awarded to one program each year for setting the standard in health administration education.
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Built on the Same High Standards as Our CAHME-Accredited On-Campus Program
Our online MHA program combines the flexibility of online learning with the same rigorous standards of our on-campus degree. Both programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which is recognized as the accrediting body for master’s level health care management programs by the U.S. Department of Education. In 2025, George Mason’s MHA received the CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award, which honors a program that sets the standard for academic rigor and preparation of the next generation of health care administration professionals.
Our expert faculty delivers a program driven by a set of professional competencies in each of the following domains:
- Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment
- Communications and Relationship Management
- Business Knowledge and Skills (And Critical Thinking)
- Leadership
- Professionalism (Ethics)
Most courses are offered in convenient online, asynchronous classes. A field-based capstone practicum is completed in the final semester of study, providing students with experience and the opportunity to demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills acquired from coursework.
Students must choose one concentration from the following:
Healthcare Quality
Addresses the growth of the health care industry to understand and evaluate the quality of care being delivered. Students will develop skills in quality methodologies, techniques, and patient safety law.
Executive Concentration
Prepares students for leadership positions in a wide variety of health care organizations by focusing on mastery of critical thinking needed for creative revenue cycle, business, and system management strategies.
Capstone Practicum
Spend 6 to 8 weeks with a health care organization, engaged in the analysis of a complex problem assigned by the host organization. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to key health care executives while conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to inform an executive decision regarding an important, real-life issue. Performance in this role can provide the student with a launchpad to pursue opportunities for future professional growth and development.
Application Details
Who should apply?
Working professionals will find a flexible fit to their busy schedules with George Mason’s online MHA degree’s asynchronous and synchronous courses. Students come from a variety of backgrounds, including health and allied health (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists), health care financial management and accounting, health insurance, business analysts and consulting, and quality and risk management.
A prior health-related bachelor’s degree or field experience is not required but is considered in the admissions process. Eligible students may transfer up to 12 semester hours from equivalent courses taken at another accredited college or university.
Application Deadline
The online MHA in Health Systems Management program accepts applications on a rolling basis and is currently accepting applications. Applicants for the online program should apply here.
What are the admissions recommendations?
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Minimum of a 3.0 GPA
- Official transcripts
- Resume/CV
- Statement of Purpose and objectives
- Two letters of recommendation
- Program specific application materials
In addition to the requirements listed above, international students must submit:
- All transcripts must be translated into English
- Work Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation of academic records*
- English proficiency test scores*
- CHHS International Graduate Students please review basic requirements and deadlines for international graduate student applications.
*Visit go.gmu.edu/CHHSinternational to see when this requirement applies
How do I apply?
All admission applications for the online MHA in Health Systems Management program are handled online.
Career Opportunities
Post graduate employment is a strength of the MHA program. Graduates are prepared to support and solve a range of health care situations. Alumni work for hospitals, medical groups, clinics, governmental and non-profit organizations, and more roles including:
- Medical records and health information manager
- Hospital administrator
- Population health care coordinator
- Consultant
- Clinical workforce administrator
- Health care policy consultant
- Underwriter at health care organization
- Program manager
- Community and social service specialists
- Administrative services and facilities manager
- Medical and health services manager
- Start-up entrepreneurs
- Risk management
- Quality improvement
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Courses
Required Courses
Core
- GCH 500 Foundations of Public Health
- HAP 602 Statistics in Health Services Management
- HAP 621 Leadership and Organizational Behavior
- HAP 698 Quality Measurement and Evaluation
- HAP 716 Health Economics and Policy
- HAP 740 Management of Health Information Systems
- HAP 750 Legal Issues in Health Administration
- HAP 789 Pre-Capstone Professional Development Seminar
- HAP 790 Capstone Practicum in Health Systems Management
Concentrations
Healthcare Quality
- HAP 652 Essentials of Health Insurance and Managed Care or HAP 764 Health Policy and Government Payment Systems for Healthcare Services
- HAP 697 The Healthcare Quality Environment
- HAP 699 Liability in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
- HAP 704 Contemporary Issues in Health Systems Management
- HAP 705 Strategic Management and Marketing in Healthcare
Executive Concentration
- HAP 652 Essentials of Health Insurance and Managed Care or HAP 764 Health Policy and Government Payment Systems for Healthcare Services
- HAP 704 Contemporary Issues in Health Systems Management
- HAP 705 Strategic Management and Marketing in Healthcare
- HAP 707 Human Resource Management in Healthcare
- HAP 722 Healthcare Finance
New to online learning? Visit our Online Learning Tips and Strategies page to learn more about what to expect and how to succeed in an online course at George Mason.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees (2025-2026)
Tuition is $895 per credit hour. An additional charge of $35 per credit hour applies for a Distance Learning fee.
Financial Aid
For information on loans and scholarships, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid. For information regarding grants, tuition waivers and other merit aid, please inquire with your graduate department.
Study at the First and Only College of Public Health in Virginia
The College of Public Health at George Mason University is the first and only College of Public Health in Virginia and a national leader in inclusive, interprofessional, public health research, education, and practice. The College's transdisciplinary research seeks to understand the many factors that influence the public's health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
With more than 500 partners, the College serves the community through research, practice, and clinical care with a focus on the social determinants of health and health equity. Our graduates are uniquely prepared to thrive in an increasingly multi-cultural multidisciplinary, community-focused public health landscape.
- CAHME honored the MHA program with a 2025 award for excellence in innovative health care administration education.
- Our online program is CAHME-accredited and mirrors the on-campus MHA program in Health Systems Management.
- The MHA program is the 2023 recipient of the CAHME/Canon Solutions America Award for Sustainability in Healthcare Management Education and Practice.
- Students can complete the online degree program in 30 months.
- The same experienced, industry-shaping faculty experts teach in both the online and on-campus MHA programs.
- Financial aid programs and lifetime access to George Mason’s career services
- The program includes a virtual opportunity to interact with health care policy making that takes place in Washington, D.C.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the online MHA cost, and what financial aid is available?
Tuition for the MHA is $895 per credit hour across 39 total credits, plus a $35-per-credit distance learning fee. George Mason’s Office of Student Financial Aid provides information on loans and scholarships.
Which MHA concentration should I choose: Executive or Healthcare Quality?
At George Mason University, the Executive Concentration prepares you for leadership positions in health care organizations by focusing on revenue cycle management, financial strategy, and business/systems management, a strong fit if your goal is a director or C-suite-track role.
The Healthcare Quality Concentration focuses on quality methodologies, patient safety law, and evaluating the quality of care delivered, better suited if you’re aiming for quality improvement, patient safety, or clinical operations leadership.
Both share the same core curriculum and capstone practicum, so an engagement specialist can help you weigh your target job titles against each concentration course list.
How long does it take to complete the program?
The 39-credit hour program takes 30 months for most students, taking one course per semester. Students have up to six years to complete the degree if needed.
What is the format for the capstone practicum?
The 6- to 8-week capstone practicum engages students with a host organization where they will participate in the analysis of a complex problem assigned by the host. Performance in this role can provide the student with real-world experience in conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, and synthesizing information.
Can I transfer credits from another university?
Graduate students may transfer up to 12 semester hours of approved, equivalent coursework from an accredited college or university. Transfer credit policies are outlined in the University Catalog.
What are the practicum requirements and eligibility?
All coursework must be completed before enrolling in the capstone, with exceptions requiring advisor and faculty approval. The program cannot guarantee practicum placement for students who don’t pass a background check. While George Mason itself doesn’t require one, many host health care organizations do.
When are classes offered, and what is the format like?
Most courses are asynchronous online, letting you complete work on your own schedule, though the capstone practicum requires some synchronous meetings and in-field engagement with a host organization.
What career paths does this program prepare me for?
This program prepares professionals for careers as executives and managers in acute and ambulatory care and senior housing/assisted living organizations, as well as specialists in health informatics, healthcare risk management, and health policy.
Virtual Open House
The George Mason University faculty dedicates time throughout the year to hold interactive sessions online for those who want to learn more about the programs we offer. If you would like to find out more about what you can expect from an online Master of Health Administration in Health Systems Management, visit our pre-recorded Virtual Open House and watch at your convenience. For information on upcoming sessions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Learn More
Accreditation
George Mason University on-campus and online MHA program in the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
Contact
If you are unable to find the answers to your questions, submit a Request Information form or contact our admissions representative via the contact information below.
Phone: 703-348-5006
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