Online Doctoral Programs in Healthcare Management
For students who plan to work in healthcare management, pursuing a terminal degree may be a great way to expand career opportunities. There are a number of healthcare management terminal degree programs that are offered online. Schools offering Clinical Research Administration degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

A. T. Still University of Health Sciences
A.T. Still University offers a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) program online that consists of 62 credits. Academic areas of focus for the program include health information systems, health policy, financing of healthcare, and economics of healthcare, to name a few.
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
UNC Chapel Hill has an Executive Doctoral Program in Healthcare Leadership (DrPH) that teaches change management to mid and senior-level professionals in healthcare roles. The program offers distance learning for employees with full-time jobs and can be completed in three years.
Franklin University
Franklin University offers a Doctor of Healthcare Administration program that can be completed in three years. The program includes 10 hours of dissertation requirements and is comprised of coursework on such topics as advanced quantitative research, applied statistics, and scholarly writing.
Central Michigan University
The DHA program at Central Michigan University requires 63 credit hours and is designed for professionals who currently work in healthcare leadership roles. The curriculum includes 15 online courses and six on-campus seminars in topics such as healthcare policy leadership strategies, qualitative analysis, health services research, and population health.
Liberty University
Liberty University has an online Doctor of Business Administration in Healthcare Management program that allows students to complete 60 credit hours in about three years. The program requires an applied research project in addition to coursework on such topics as human resources, grant acquisition, and legal and ethical healthcare issues.
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University offers a Doctor of Public Health with a concentration in health policy and management. The curriculum is delivered primarily online, though students are asked to attend some in-person coursework and a couple of on-site institutes per year. Courses in this program focus on polity analysis, budget management, and leadership skills in healthcare.
University of Mississippi Medical Center
The Doctor of Health Administration program from the University of Mississippi Medical Center takes about three years to complete and includes both curriculum and dissertation phases. Much of the coursework is done online, but there are some on-campus components. Students can expect a curriculum that includes courses on health economics, foundations of health policy, and fiscal responsibility in addition to a doctoral project.
Medical University of South Carolina
At the Medical University of South Carolina, students can complete a Doctor of Health Administration in three years (and 54 credit hours). Like many programs of this type, there are on-campus elements, but much of the coursework is completed through asynchronous discussion and online seminars. Two tracks to admission are available: Health Administrator and Health Professions.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
MCPHS offers a Doctor of Health Sciences (DHS) that focuses on developing leadership skills in healthcare professionals through a scholar-practitioner model, with completion of the part-time program expected in about nine semesters. Courses include workplace ethics, health and wellness across the lifespan, and healthcare research models.
School Name | Programs Offered | Graduate Tuition (2018-2019)* |
---|---|---|
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences | DHA | $28,016 |
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill | DrPH in Health Leadership | In-state $10,243; out-of-state $27,454 |
Franklin University | DHA | $16,080 |
Central Michigan University | DHA | In-state $13,354; out-of-state $18,964 |
Liberty University | DBA in Healthcare Management | $7,904 |
Johns Hopkins University | DrPH in Health Policy and Management | $53,740 |
University of Mississippi Medical Center | DHA | $15,131 (2019-2020)** |
Medical University of South Carolina | DHA | In-state $16,333; out-of-state $22,564 |
MCPHS University | DHS | $21,510 |
Source: *NCES - National Center for Education Statistics, **UMMC website
Admissions Requirements for an Online Doctorate in Healthcare Management
Many schools require applicants to a healthcare management doctoral program to have a master's degree in a related field, though there are some schools that admit potential students who only have a bachelor's degree. Generally, degree transcripts will need to show a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, students could need anywhere from three to five years of management or leadership experience in a healthcare setting, with some schools also requiring applicants to be currently employed in the field. Other common admissions requirements include GRE or GMAT scores, a statement of goals, and professional references.
Online doctoral degrees in healthcare management provide students with a way to earn a terminal degree that fits into their lives. Programs generally take two to three years to complete and require applicants to have at least a bachelor's degree and related experience in the healthcare field.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below: