The importance of partnership between public health and clinical medicine is undoubtedly critical when it comes to managing global, national and local crises and human health needs. With such, there’s a growing demand for highly-skilled professionals to work in healthcare administration and public health in different branches of health-related offices, facilities and organizations.
Healthcare in the modern era includes an unimaginably large amount of digitized information that requires trained healthcare administrators and public health professionals to record, maintain, track, manage and disseminate it. Statistical literacy is now deemed necessary to accurately interpret health-related findings that ultimately inform clinical practice outcomes.
Knowing that both career fields are on the rise, it’s important to discuss the skills, experience and education needed to get there. Serving at a management or leadership level most often requires or prefers a master’s degree, but how do you choose? Among the most popular programs are Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degrees. However, it’s important to know which is going to lead you toward your career goals as a difference-maker in healthcare. This is your handy guide to help you decide which healthcare master’s degree is for you.
Understanding MPH vs. MHA
Both MPH and MHA programs, specifically those offered at American College of Education, equip graduates for leadership roles in healthcare, but there are key differences between them like variances in curricula, duration and cost.
| MHA | MPH | |
| Duration | Approximately 18 months1 | Approximately 16 months1 |
| Cost | $10,050 | $9,225 |
| Curricula | Health policy evaluation and development Quality management Project management Financial analysis Strategy development Information systems Legal and ethical decision making | Health promotion Disease prevention Public health informatics Public health communication Financial management in public health Epidemiology and statistics Ethics and legal issues |
What Is an MHA?
An MHA is a graduate-level degree that prepares students for leadership and management roles in healthcare administration. Healthcare administrators are skilled in areas of financial management, health informatics and organizational management. They play a critical role in assuring healthcare organizations operate smoothly. MHA programs emphasize these competencies by focusing on developing skills and knowledge in areas like strategic planning, ethics and healthcare finance to prepare graduates to hold leadership positions in healthcare organizations.
What Is an MPH?
An MPH is a graduate-level degree that aims to prepare graduates for leadership and management roles in public health organizations or programs. Public health focuses on the wellness of populations and communities through collecting, analyzing and distributing data and healthcare education resources. Though the research public health professionals conduct may serve clinical practices, public health is not to be confused with clinical medicine. MPH programs offer courses designed to teach graduates how to run data analyses on health information, draft health policy changes or develop health promotion initiatives for communities.
Career Opportunities With an MHA vs. an MPH
An MPH degree is designed for those aspiring to lead or manage in public health roles such as disease prevention, health policy formation, public health research and community health project planning and implementation. Graduates of MPH programs are equipped to understand diseases, illnesses and overall wellness to promote population and community health.
An MHA degree equips those interested in taking on leadership positions in a variety of healthcare organizations. Graduates of MHA programs are prepared to manage and lead healthcare organizations through the application of business, leadership and project management skills. Here’s a quick comparison of where each degree can lead.
| MHA | MPH | |
| Roles | Healthcare consultant Health services manager Policy analyst Healthcare executive Healthcare administrator Chief nursing officer Clinical director Corporate health manager | Epidemiologist Biostatistician Public health analyst Health educator Health policy advisor Medical writer Radiation safety officer Medical director |
| Work Environments | Hospitals Healthcare facilities Outpatient clinics Medical departments Insurance agencies Medical departments Government agencies Nursing homes Nonprofit healthcare organizations | Community outreach programs Hospitals Health departments Laboratories Federal agencies Research facilities Universities Nonprofit healthcare organizations |
The two programs may seem similar, but they’re actually quite different because they prepare you for different lines of work. Healthcare administration and public health sometimes have the opportunity to intertwine, but they operate independently in most circumstances. Let’s dive into the details of each.
MHA vs. MPH: Which Should You Choose?
Your choice in programs depends on your interests and long-term career goals because each leads you to a different path. Earning an MPH is for those whose career goals stem from an interest in policymaking, public health research and community health initiatives. Earning an MHA, on the other hand, is for those who have career goals of leadership positions in healthcare organizations like hospitals or other healthcare facilities.
FAQs
What is the difference between an MHA and MPH?
An MHA prepares students with the skills needed to lead and manage healthcare organizations from a business and operational perspective. An MPH prepares students for work that improves the health of defined populations and communities.
What kind of jobs can you get with an MPH?
An MPH degree can lead to public health positions such as an epidemiologist, biostatistician, health educator, public health advisor or environmental health specialist.
Which degree is better for healthcare management: MHA or MPH?
An MHA is typically better for healthcare management because it offers the tools and competencies needed for leadership and administration roles at healthcare organizations.
Is an MPH or MHA more suitable for working in public health?
An MPH is more suitable for working in public health because its curriculum offers training in how to conduct epidemiological studies, implement health promotion plans and run biostatistical analyses on large sets of health data to find trends in health and disease.
Advance your healthcare career with the flexible, affordable and high-quality MPH or MHA programs at American College of Education.
1This is an estimated time to completion. Actual completion time may vary depending on the number of transfer credits applied, availability of courses, a satisfactory pace, successful course completion and meeting program milestones as required.
