Sacred Heart University

Programme overview

This dual-degree pathway lets students progress from a bachelor’s into a Master of Health Administration (MHA) with guaranteed admission to the graduate program so long as program-specific progression criteria are met. Two scheduling options are offered: an accelerated 3+2 track (three years undergraduate + two years graduate, finishing both degrees in five years) and a 4+2 track (four years undergraduate + two years graduate, finishing both degrees in six years). The accelerated track requires a health science major and completion of the BS in health science by the end of year three; sequencing may include summer coursework.

What you'll study

The curriculum adopts an interdisciplinary approach to health administration. Core topical areas explicitly include health care policy and its intersections with economics, finance, law, ethics, quality, leadership and strategic planning. The graduate portion emphasizes applied learning—students work on real case analyses and collaborate with faculty who bring clinical and administrative experience.

Entry requirements

• Successful completion of the bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• For 3+2 participants: successful completion of the BS in health science by the end of the third year.
• Successful completion of MHA 420 with a minimum grade of C.
• Submission of a personal statement describing interest in the MHA and any relevant experience.
• Letter of attestation from a Sacred Heart University faculty member demonstrating academic ability, interpersonal skills and potential for success in the MHA program.
• Letter of attestation from an employer demonstrating strong work ethic and interpersonal skills.
• Submission of a résumé.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for leadership positions across clinical and non-clinical settings. job titles explicitly associated with the degree include health services manager, billing manager, hospital CEO, hospital administrator, practice manager, operations manager, clinical supervisor and health care consultant. The programme materials note strong labour market demand for medical and health services managers and cite a high median salary reported by BLS for the occupation.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The dual-degree format can reduce overall tuition costs compared with completing separate undergraduate and graduate programs because degree pathways overlap; students also gain guaranteed graduate admission which eliminates late-stage application costs and stress. As undergraduates, students have academic advisers, faculty supports, counseling resources and industry-specific co-curricular opportunities to help maintain progress toward the graduate degree.