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Health Services Policy and Management, M.H.A.

Arnold School of Public Health

Learn how to lead organizations involved in the management and delivery of health and health care services.

A health care management career offers opportunities for growth and advancement in settings like hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, long-term care, insurance organizations, government agencies and consulting firms. When you're ready to assume or progress to a leadership position, two formats are available to meet your scheduling needs.

Program Highlights

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    Assistance Available

    Earn while you learn with graduate assistantships for both program years in the traditional track.

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    Nationally Accredited

    Study in a full-time program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

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    Keep Working

    Choose an executive track with weekend courses if you are an experienced health care professional without an MHA degree.

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    Expansive Network

    Take advantage of opportunities for leadership experience and networking with other health care professionals.

What You’ll Study

Courses include critical thinking and problem-solving in health services organizations. Gain management and leadership competencies, plus understand professionalism and ethics. Study accounting, law, policy and principles, as well as community perspectives and physician practice management. Traditional students will work as graduate assistants in a health care setting.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

  • Management

    Directing and overseeing the activities and resources to achieve specific goals

    Networking

    Building relationships and making connections with others to advance personal or professional goals

    Critical Thinking

    Analyzing and evaluating information to make informed decisions or judgments

  • Communication

    Exchanging information and ideas through speaking, writing or other means of expression

    Teamwork

    Working collaboratively with others to achieve a shared goal or objective

    Administration

    Overseeing operations, managing resources and implementing policies for efficient and effective organizational functioning

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Learn how alumni use degrees with outcome data from Gamecock GradStats, a service of the University of South Carolina Career Center.

Potential Careers

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • President
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Director
  • Administrator

Job Titles of Alumni

  • Director of Operations
  • Senior Consultant
  • Executive Director
  • Project Manager

Average Alumni Salary

Five to 10 years after graduation without additional education $109,192

Workplace Settings

  • Health Systems
  • Medical Practice
  • Insurance
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Nonprofit

Employers of Alumni

  • Prisma Health
  • Lexington Medical Center
  • Atrium Health
  • Bon Secours
  • Medical University of South Carolina
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Advanced Degrees

Advance your career or options with post-graduate education.

I found a true passion in understanding health promotion from a systems-perspective and decided that I wanted to work in health care administration. After attending my bachelor’s program here, I felt connected to this community and knew that it was only right for me to stay here for graduate school.

Abby Edwards
Portrait of Abby Edwards

Is USC Right For You?

There are many reasons we could be your ideal university. There's the award-winning academics, the globally modeled student life, and abundance of study abroad and experiential learning options. Take a closer look at what USC could mean for you.

Degree content is provided for informational purposes only. The Academic Bulletin is the source of record for all degree information.
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