Frequently Asked Questions

It’s a major decision for any new student wishing to start a career path. And if you’re returning to school to start a master degree that decision is often more complex as you may need to find a program that meets the time and financial requirements of a working professional.

To help with this decision we’ve asked our Program Directors and former students to contribute questions and in some cases answers to various questions potential students to CAHME Accredited Masters Programs may ask or wish they’d asked in advance. If there are questions that have not been addressed please call or email the specific CAHME Accredited Programs being considered and ask them. We suggest calling two or three programs!!

Do graduates from CAHME accredited programs get better jobs?
Using data from the US Department of Education Scorecard graduates of CAHME Accredited programs make an average of $10,000 more per year within the first year of graduating when compared to graduates of non-accredited programs. In addition, there is no statistical difference in student debt.

The same data source shows that 96.4% of CAHME graduates are employed which is statistically higher than graduates from non-CAHME accredited programs.

To learn more view “Inside the Boardroom: Does CAHME Accreditation Matter?”.

Why should I go into healthcare management? Are there many good jobs?
Healthcare management is a broad field serving one of the largest and most essential industry segments in the United States and Canada. Management is needed in the multiple aspects of the industry which include: hospitals, nursing homes, physician’s offices, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, consulting, government and public policy, and many more.

There are many jobs but more importantly a career in healthcare management gives a person the feeling of doing good for his/her fellow man. It may seem that physicians and nurses are doing the healing but they couldn’t do their job as well without trained executives and managers.

Why do I need a Master Degree?
Healthcare management as a profession was recognized more than fifty years ago. Even then the industry was complex. Leaders and administrators required a level of expertise and skills not normally attained at the undergraduate level. From the first CAHME Accredited Graduate Program founded in 1932 until now, the Masters degree is recognized as the essential first step toward an executive and managerial career in most healthcare organizations.

What makes a CAHME Accredited Masters Program better?
The student who enters a CAHME Accredited Masters Program is assured a level of academic quality that only comes from accreditation. In order for a graduate program in healthcare management to become accredited it must submit to a rigorous examination of its purpose, the curriculum, the student experience and the success of the graduates in the competitive job market. For the program to remain a CAHME Accredited Program, the program must submit to periodic self examination followed by review of an outside panel of experts to assure the public that the program is constantly seeking to improve itself.

How do I know which CAHME Accredited program is the correct one for my particular interest?
Programs are designed to meet certain goals and those goals do vary. There are more than 138 Accredited Programs  to select from. Check their mission; if a list of alumni is shown, look at the jobs they hold.

What are the degree options for a career in healthcare management?
The degree granted by the college or university often depends on the school where the CAHME Accredited Program is housed. The predominant degrees offered by CAHME Accredited Programs are Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA); Master of Public Health (MPH); Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Public Administration (MPA). There is an opportunity with some CAHME Accredited programs to pursue dual degrees. Examples include joint JD/MHA; MD/MBA; MBA/MPH and MHA/MBA to name just a few of the options. The individual and joint degrees offered by programs are listed under Accredited Programs .

Are there CAHME accredited programs designed for working professionals?
Many CAHME accredited programs have “Executive” programs with curriculum specifically designed to accommodate the work schedules of the individuals already involved in the healthcare and other industries. The design of these programs varies.  Other programs may offer courses in the evenings to accommodate the working professional.  Regardless of curriculum design the student is assured that the program receives the same rigorous review as does the traditional program. Going to the website of the program of interest is the best way to determine if a certain program has the appropriate design to meet the student’s needs.