Home Master's in Health Administration Degree Programs Master’s in Health Administration Texas

Master’s in Health Administration Texas

There is an urgent need for a new pool of healthcare administrators who are trained to address the far-reaching challenges of the healthcare industry today and tomorrow. The American health care system is being impacted by escalating costs, expanded demands from an aging population, rapid technological advances and extensive expansion of insured peoples as a result of the Affordable Care Act. The health care administrator must find solutions that encompass health insurance, health reforms and health systems, and must be well-educated to do so.

Take some time to review MHA programs in Texas listed on our site. There are a variety of different specialties you can choose from, based upon your background, experience and interests. Request information from the schools you’re interested in to get detailed program information.

If you have been employed in the healthcare system or have experience in a leadership position and can see an opportunity for yourself in management, you may be a great candidate for a master’s degree in healthcare management. A number of schools provide programs conducive for working professionals by offering evening classes and part-time arrangements.

Another great source of potential healthcare managers are undergraduates who want to go on to graduate study and who aspire toward high level decision-making positions you’re your undergraduate major was in the sciences, math, communications, social sciences or humanities you may be interested in branching out into healthcare administration, taking advantage of the need for talented and driven professionals in the field.

The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is the federally approved national organization that accredits graduate programs in healthcare management. It has accredited eight programs in Texas, which include programs at the following schools:

  • Army-Baylor University
  • Baylor University
  • Texas A&M University System
  • Texas State University-San Marcos
  • Texas Woman’s University
  • Trinity University
  • University of North Texas
  • University of the Incarnate Word

Enrolling in one of the healthcare administration programs in Texas these schools offer can help give you a leg up in the profession. However, there are other excellent programs in Texas colleges and universities that are accredited institutionally and which may have strong networks with hiring organizations. As a potential applicant, you should look carefully at your program options in health administration and inquire about graduate hires, matriculation rates and costs.

Some of the Texas healthcare administration schools are included in the list of U.S.News & Health Report top rated graduate schools of health care management. Request program information to learn more.

As you study the programs offered, you will see some with a public health or health systems perspective, others with a business administration approach, and programs highly infused with information technology. MHA programs in Texas emphasize the development of leadership skills and innovation in healthcare and nearly all programs provide courses covering these areas.

Some offer specialty tracks for graduate study in Texas. For instance, emergency services management is a focus at the Army-Baylor University using high reliability science. The emphasis is on creating a safety culture that aims at zero error and prevents catastrophes, which are areas of great need in the military and government agencies where graduates of this school are usually placed. Regardless of focus, you will receive the best training from programs that provide qualified, experienced faculty, courses featuring interaction among and between students and faculty, and a comprehensive externship program.

The courses you will be taking will include healthcare organization and policy, human resources management, budgeting and financial decision making, legal and ethical issues, information management, economic aspects of healthcare administration, data generation and analysis, health care strategic thinking and marketing, and leadership and conflict management. Full time on-campus programs generally require four semesters of courses plus a practicum or externship. Part time evening programs may take three years to complete but may not require a practicum depending on the work experience of the student.

Admission procedures to MHA programs in Texas usually require the GRE and three letters of reference from professionals plus a personal essay. The school will provide a list of scholarships for which you can apply as well as other financial aid. You may be called for an interview and asked to bring a current resume.

What you need to remember is that it is not only knowledge you need to acquire from this program, but the capacity to function in a high demand position dealing simultaneously with fiscal demands, government regulations, the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, medical services and healthcare professionals, and patient needs. How does the school select someone with this potential? As one healthcare executive explained, what she looks for in a resume is not what the applicant has accomplished, but “promise” shown by the way a variety of challenges have been undertaken and mastered.

Career Outlook for Graduates in Texas

Graduates of these programs have a high probability of employment in the Texas health care system. Texas employs 34,380 medical and health service managers, with the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area having the highest employment level at 10,010 professionals. The average annual salary is $110,870 in Texas.

Healthcare administration graduates can look for employment in a wide variety of facilities such as hospitals, clinics, physician practices, nursing homes, public health agencies, health insurance companies and healthcare consulting companies. The externship provides an important opportunity to network, and joining a professional organization will also open up career opportunities. It’s helpful always to hear what experienced top notch professionals have to say

Take some time to decide which graduate level health admin programs in Texas interest you most, then submit your request for program materials to the schools you see here.

 

2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Medical and Health Services Managers.

Job growth projections sourced from the Texas Workforce Commission and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2018-2028) database. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expressly refers users to this source for state-specific job market data. Salary figures and job market projections reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2021.

Health Administration Schools