Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management
Lead Healthcare Organizations Into the Future
Healthcare is the largest industry in the country — and arguably one of the most complex. Health organizations must find ways to financially thrive, all while putting high-quality patient care at the center. It requires leaders with exceptional business skills and an in-depth understanding of healthcare systems. Clarkson University's Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management focuses on bold solutions for these unique challenges. Shape a better future by taking this next step in your career.
Why Earn an MBA in Healthcare Management?
For over 40 years, Clarkson University has been providing innovative education in healthcare management to ambitious professionals. Our program is one of only nine in the country to offer dual AACSB and CAHME accreditation. This distinction gives our graduates a competitive edge in the job market. The results are clear: 100 percent of our students find a position in their field within three months of graduation, with salaries as high as $200K for the Class of 2023.
The MBA in Healthcare Management attracts students with a wide variety of professional experiences. Our small class sizes mean you will also benefit from the expertise of your fellow students. Our faculty members have extensive experience in the healthcare industry, which they bring into the classroom. The tight-knit environment makes it easy to tailor your studies to your own goals.
The program is designed to be flexible to accommodate working professionals. You can complete the program in person or online, full time or part time.
Check out our excellent career outcomes from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
What You'll Learn
Our program is built on a competency model rigorously developed with input from healthcare managers, executives and practitioners. Students will achieve these competencies throughout the program and be well-prepared for the challenges of working in the healthcare industry.
Critical thinking
Disciplinary excellence
Ethics and social responsibility
Leadership
Teamwork
Written and verbal communication
The Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management consists of 16 courses for a total of 48 credit hours. There are 14 required courses and two electives.
You can complete the program in as little as one year as a full-time student or two to four years if enrolled part time. Courses are available online or in person at our Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, NY. Students are required to participate in two intensive weekend courses onsite at our Capital Region Campus.
All students must take and/or have waived the following required courses. You can have up to nine credit hours waived or transferred.
Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making
Healthcare Economics
Healthcare Finance
Health Informatics
Healthcare Leadership Proseminar*
Healthcare Marketing
Healthcare Operations
Health Policy Dynamics
Health Systems Management
Introduction to Health Systems
Legal Aspects of Healthcare
Managerial Epidemiology
Strategic Issues for Healthcare Organizations (Capstone)*
Boost your résumé and gain professional experience before graduation. The internship requirement is a chance to apply the knowledge you have learned in the classroom to a real-world setting. Former students have obtained high-quality paid internships at Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Albany Medical Center, Stratton Veterans Administration Medical Center and other organizations. The internship may be waived with professional managerial experience in healthcare.
For students seeking to boost their business and management background, Clarkson offers a combined degree program for the MS in Healthcare Data Analytics and the MBA in Healthcare Management. Students can work towards both degrees simultaneously, and courses can be completed online or through a mix of online and traditional onsite classes offered at Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus. Obtain both degrees by completing 21 courses and fulfilling an internship requirement.
For international applicants, an English proficiency test is required.
Minimum test score requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) or Duolingo English Test (115).
The English language-testing requirement is not waived based on language of instruction, nor do we accept university certificates. English testing is waived if an applicant has a degree from a country where English is the Native Language. Click here to see the list of these countries.
Automatic admission: If you satisfy one of the below criteria, you are eligible for automatic admission into our graduate business programs:
An undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or higher from a regionally accredited college.
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher AND a GMAT score of 500 or higher.
A master's degree or above from a regionally accredited college.
These criteria are for admissions purposes only. To be considered for scholarships, students should complete an application. Automatic admission applies only to candidates who have earned degrees from regionally accredited institutions in the United States. All other applicants will follow the prescribed requirements.
You are automatically considered for a merit-based scholarship when applying for a graduate degree program at the Reh School of Business. You do not need to fill out a separate scholarship application. Scholarships are given based on academic achievement (GPA), standardized tests (GMAT or equivalent), work experience and other notable accomplishments.
Additionally, we also offer the following opportunity for students in the MBA in Healthcare Management program:
Early Decision Award for Residential Business Programs: Receive an additional award when you commit to the residential program. This award is added to any existing merit scholarship. Awards vary based upon the level of merit award given. There are set commitment deadlines for the award as well, determined by your start date.
MBA Healthcare Alumni Invent Award-Winning Sepsis Screening Tool
Former Clarkson Healthcare MBA students Devneet Singh and Shayhaan Shaikh were recently honored with the Home Care Association’s (HCA) 2022 Quality and Innovation Award for their pediatric sepsis screening and intervention tool.
A week does not go by where I am not referencing something that I learned during my MBA and I ... will surely utilize a significant amount of the information I learned as I navigate medical school and opening my own practice. The information alone that I gained has been incredibly helpful in my journey, but also the relationships you develop with your classmates and the faculty provide lifelong resources. I enjoyed the fact that I could complete the MBA at my own pace in as little as a year as well, as that the program allowed me to be taught by professionals in the field who have real-world practical experience addressing the issues that we learned in class.
Eric Lovett Jr. '19MBA in Healthcare Management
Career Possibilities
Graduates of the MBA in Healthcare Management have found successful careers in hospitals, health systems, health insurance companies, medical practices, technology and consulting firms, pharmaceuticals, medical device companies and more. Healthcare Management 2023 graduates had an average starting salary of over $100K, with some as high as $200K.
Possible job titles include:
Healthcare administrator
Healthcare director
Health information manager
Policy analyst
Senior financial planner
Senior project manager
Employers
Our MBA in Healthcare Management students have secured positions in these organizations, among many others:
Hear from our Professor Emeritus and Former Program Director John Huppertz, as well as alumni, about the benefits and special features of our MBA in Healthcare Management program.
Certificate Pathway to the Healthcare Management MBA
Clarkson University's certificate in healthcare management offers a strong foundation in essential business concepts within healthcare. It also offers an alternative pathway to admission into the MBA in Healthcare Management for students who are still weighing their options or would prefer admission be based on other criteria than the traditional application process.
This pathway might be right for you if:
You want to get started right away.
You want to be considered for admission into the Healthcare MBA program based on your performance in core courses.
You're not sure if you want to obtain a Healthcare MBA but would like to learn core business principles in a short amount of time and still be able to apply the coursework toward the Healthcare MBA program.
You want to try out the Healthcare MBA program by taking courses that you can use for a valuable and recognized credential, even if you decide not to obtain the degree.
Clarkson's Reh School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Known worldwide, AACSB International challenges educators to pursue excellence and continuous improvement throughout their business programs.
Why I Chose to Get an MBA
Learn from a Clarkson alumni on why she selected the healthcare management program and how it has helped her career.