DHA Degree
Academic title: Health Administration, DHA
63 Credits
to graduate
August 30
Next start date
*Apply by the April 15 application deadline
Earn your DHA degree online
Prepare for executive leadership in healthcare with a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA). Designed for experienced professionals, this program will help strengthen your leadership skills, expand your industry knowledge and prepare you to tackle today's healthcare challenges.
The DHA degree program consists of:
- 15 online courses
- Six intensive face-to-face, two-and-a-half-day seminars
- A general comprehensive examination
- An applied research dissertation and defense
You can choose a three-year degree plan, taking two courses per term, or a five-year degree plan, taking one course per term, to best fit your lifestyle and goals. American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) fellows may receive up to six certification-to-credit graduate credit hours in this program (documentation required).
Our DHA degree is delivered in a cohort format. You'll study, research and collaborate with a close-knit group of senior-level managers from various disciplines and organizations. Along the way, you'll also have an assigned academic and dissertation advisor to help guide your studies and research.
After you graduate, you'll be prepared for executive and senior leadership roles where you can shape the future of healthcare.
Doctor of Health Administration program overview
| Core credits | 63 |
|---|---|
| Concentration credits | 0 |
| Total credits to graduate | 63 |
How much does a DHA degree cost?
The cost shown is based on this tuition and fee estimate. Your actual cost of attendance for financial aid purposes may vary based on your assigned tuition rate, the number of credits you're enrolled in and the length of your enrollment period. If you're enrolled in a single module instead of a full semester, your housing and food, transportation and personal expenses will be adjusted based on the number of weeks you're enrolled (for example, 12-week or 8-week modules). If you're enrolled less than half-time, your cost of attendance will not include housing and food, personal expenses or loan fees.
- Military tuition benefits: Active duty, veterans and military-affiliated students may qualify for reduced tuition, waived fees and need-based awards.
What does a DHA degree prepare you to do?
A DHA degree can prepare you for senior leadership roles across the healthcare industry, including positions like director, manager and supervisor. You'll build expertise in healthcare delivery, economics, policy and organizational leadership while building practical research skills you can apply on the job. You'll graduate ready to lead organizations and help improve patient care.
| Career | Projected Salary |
|---|---|
| Director of Case Management | $110,680 |
| Director of Surgical Service | $117,960 |
| Clinical Documentation Specialist | $50,250 |
| Clinical Supervisor/Manager | $61,890 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $117,960 |
| Hospital CFO | $105,350 |
| Professor of Healthcare Administration | $110,303 |
| Hospital Administrator | $117,960 |
All data and statistics in this section are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Admission requirements
Application Deadline: April 15 (Fall)
The minimum requirements and standards for applicant admission to the program include the following criteria:
- An earned regionally accredited master’s degree in an appropriate area of study (e.g., health administration, business administration, nursing management, public health, public administration) or a professional degree (e.g., M.D., D.O ., D.D.S.). Other areas of graduate study at the master’s degree level will be considered by petition to the faculty. GPA will be considered in the admissions process.
- Satisfactory completion of graduate coursework or equivalent must be provided as evidence in the areas of statistics and research methods.
- Demonstration of at least three (3) years of responsible experience at the mid to senior level in health administration, management, clinical leadership and/or health or public health policy. While it is not necessary to be a manager, you must demonstrate that you have significant influence in decision making, planning, clinical programming, policy or other aspects of health beyond being in a staff role or supervisory role. The determination of what is considered significant, mid to senior level experience is made by the program director.
- Oral and written English language proficiency. If your native language is not English, you will be required to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores or another test of English equivalency (such as the ECFMG for physicians who were foreign medical students). This requirement may be waived if prior academic experience and success in other United States colleges/universities or employment settings can be satisfactorily demonstrated.
- Submission of a career goal statement and a current curriculum vitae or résumé. The personal statement must include the following information: the applicant’s reason for seeking a doctoral degree, including how you believe you will be able to use the degree as a leader in the field; personal or professional background that adds to the desire in seeking a doctoral degree; a brief description of the your background in quantitative reasoning, especially preparation to do statistics and research for the applied doctoral dissertation; what areas of interest you might have a doctoral research dissertation (what are you passionate about in the field?); and anything else that you want the committee to know.
- Successful completion of an admission interview with the program faculty.
If you are admitted to the program, you are required to attend the on-campus new DHA student orientation normally held in mid-August. If you cannot attend the orientation, you will need to defer to the following year.