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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.

Do you want to acquire an online doctorate in healthcare administration, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best online doctorate in healthcare administration programs.

What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

1. A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, MO

This privately-run institution also has a doctorate in healthcare administration online for seasoned healthcare professionals looking to advance their careers. The degree program comprises 42 credits, which normally take three years of full-time study to finish.

Recognizing that many individuals select to work while enrolled, ATSU offers maximum flexibility by ensuring learners never need to visit the campus to earn a degree. Class concepts consist of quality improvement and performance excellence, healthcare economics, and financial management; strategic alter management for healthcare organizations, and healthcare organization informatics and governance. Learners finish all classwork requirements during their first two years of study. The final year includes researching and writing an extensive dissertation on an endorsed topic.

Upon graduating, ATSU alumni may go on to roles as chief financial officers, health insurance administrators, medical directors, directors of patient safety, and healthcare consultants. Others might decide to pursue academic and/or research posts.

2. Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI

Central Michigan University’s Global Campus has a doctoral degree in healthcare administration online for professionals already working in the field who want to expand their knowledge in leadership, policy, economics, delivery systems, communication, alter management, and research methods. The degree program comprises 63 credits and takes four to five years to finish.

CMU has classwork in a blended format, meaning learners finish 51 credits via online methods but must come to the Mount Pleasant campus for six in-person seminars. Seminars last 2.5 days and focus on specific subject areas taught by qualified faculty. Learners must also visit campus to finish the holistic exam at the end of the degree program. This choice exists as a cohort, meaning learners enter the degree program with a set group of peers and progress through classwork with the same people until degree graduation.

If an applicant is not accepted initially, the department maintains a one-year waiting list and notifies individuals when they can begin with the next cohort. Topics consist of leadership strategies for healthcare policy and organizations, quantitative analysis in health organizations, health systems thinking and practice, and fiscal responsibility and accountability in healthcare.

3. Franklin University, Columbus, OH

Franklin University has a doctorate in healthcare administration online. This fully online degree program enables distance learners to finish two years of classwork before spending their third and final year writing a holistic dissertation. Students who have already finished some credits at another school can transfer a maximum of 24 credits of endorsed classwork, making it easy to finish their education at Franklin.

All classes take place in an asynchronous format, allowing professionals to continue working while enrolled. The school also prizes individuality, allowing degree seekers to personalize their degree with an array of electives. Enrolled learners finish 58 credits that comprise 16 credits of research, 20 credits of major classes, 10 credits of dissertation requirements, and 12 credits of electives.

Core concepts consist of advanced health information governance, advanced quantitative/qualitative research and design, advanced clinical workflow and applications, and advanced healthcare analytics.  Irrespective of their location, all learners pay the same tuition rate. To obtain their degree, learners must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA across the degree program.

4. University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

Although the University of Mississippi hosts its primary campus in Oxford, distance learners enrolled in the doctoral degree in healthcare administration online finish their studies via the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Degree seekers can finish this immersive degree program mostly online, with minimal mandatory campus-based meetings.

The coursework requires three years to move from matriculation to graduation, with summer classes required each year. Core classes cover concepts like communications in health organizations, fundamentals of applied research, current trends in accreditation and licensure, and leadership strategies in health entities. Learners use the fall semester of their third year to develop a doctoral project proposal and the final spring semester to finish all requirements. Students move through classwork as a cohort.

While enrolled, distance learners must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing. They must also possess a master’s degree in a health-related field with a 3.0 GPA to apply. Alternatively, learners can apply with an unrelated master’s degree but must possess at least five years of experience in a health-related profession. All candidates must provide GRE scores.  Irrespective of where they live, all online learners pay the same tuition rate.

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

As the leading campus for the 17-member UNC system, UNC-Chapel Hill serves nearly 30,000 on-campus and distance learners annually, including those seeking a doctorate in healthcare administration online. The Gillings School of Global Public Health hosts the executive doctoral degree program in health leadership for learners near and far.

Completing 45 credits, most online degree seekers move through all requirements in three years. Candidates to this degree program must possess at least five years of substantial leadership experience in mid- to senior-level healthcare positions. The degree program maintains an enrollment of 1,600 learners at any given time, with 72% identifying as female and 16.3% identifying as underrepresented minority learners.

While the most of the classwork takes place in an online format, learners must visit campus during the fall, spring, and summer semesters of their first two years of study. These visits normally last three to four days.

Prospective learners should provide evidence of a graduate degree and work experience, proof that all prerequisite requirements have been met, GRE/GMAT scores, transcripts from all institutions attended, and three professional letters of recommendation. A telephone interview is also required. UNC-Chapel Hill maintains accreditation via the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.