Online vs. On-Campus Healthcare Administration Programs: What Really Differs

Healthcare administration is one of the fields where online study is now common at every level, from bachelor's degrees to doctorates. But "online" on a program page can mean several different things, and the differences matter if you have a job, a family or a fixed location. This guide covers the three questions that separate programs more than the online/on-campus label: Will you have to travel? Where will your practical training happen? Is the program allowed to enroll you where you live?

"Online" covers more than one format

Read the format line on a program page carefully. Programs generally fall into one of these patterns:

• Fully online. Ohio State's online Executive MHA lists "100% online, asynchronous courses completed on your schedule." It offers optional in-person and virtual professional development, but attendance is not required.
• Online with required attendance. USC's online Executive MHA "combines engaging online coursework with intensive in-person residencies in Los Angeles." The coursework is online; the residencies are not optional.
• On campus, sometimes with online pieces. George Mason University's on-campus MHA notes that "most courses in the on-campus program are taught in the evening" at the Fairfax Campus, with some Saturday courses and a small percentage that can be taken online.

The practical lesson: online coursework does not mean no campus visits. Before you apply, find out how many visits are required, how long each one lasts, where they happen and whether dates are published in advance. Travel, lodging and time off work are real costs that tuition figures do not include.

Live sessions vs. self-paced work

Online programs also differ in timing. Asynchronous courses, like Ohio State's, let you complete work on your own schedule within course deadlines. Other programs hold live classes by video at set times each week. Neither is better in general, but live sessions are hard to fit around rotating shifts or time zones far from the university's. Ask for a sample weekly schedule.

On-campus programs have the opposite tradeoff: fixed class times, but easier access to faculty, classmates, campus recruiting events and local health systems.

Practical training is separate from where classes happen

Many healthcare administration programs require a practicum, internship or administrative residency at a health organization. This is practical training, and it is a different requirement from attending classes on campus. An online program can require it; an on-campus program can let you do it far from campus.

Online programs handle placements in different ways:

• George Mason's online MHA includes a 6- to 8-week capstone practicum that "engages students with a host organization."
• Wichita State's catalog says its MHA "is offered 100 percent online and includes a 3-credit-hour practicum that can be completed in the student's state of residency."
• The Medical University of South Carolina's online MHA lets students complete projects "within their current workplace or another approved health care setting, no travel or relocation required."
• Loma Linda University's catalog says online MHA students "with little-to-no Healthcare leadership experience will engage in an 800-hour practicum in a Healthcare setting."

Ask who finds the placement (you or the program), whether your current employer can serve as the site, how many hours are required, and whether experienced students can waive it. Our guide to administrative residencies and internships covers these options in more depth.

State authorization: can the program enroll you where you live?

A program offered online is not automatically available in every state. Ohio State explains that state authorization "refers to federal, state and professional licensing board regulations that impact online and on-ground education offered across state lines."

Many universities, including Ohio State and the University of North Florida, participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). Participation still leaves gaps, and individual programs can have their own limits:

• USC's online Executive MHA page states that "this program is not currently authorized for students residing in New Jersey, Mississippi, North Dakota and Puerto Rico."
• The University of North Florida notes that California does not participate in SARA, and explains how it serves California students anyway.
• UNF also collects each student's location at registration and when a student reports a move. If you relocate mid-program, your eligibility to continue can depend on where you move.
• Appalachian State publishes separate lists of states authorized for online education and for internships.

Look for a "state authorization" or "consumer information" page on the university's site and check your state before you pay an application fee. If you are aiming for a licensed role, such as nursing home administrator, remember that the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) notes that "each state has its own requirements" for that license, so also read the program's professional licensure disclosure and check with your state board. A healthcare administration degree is not itself a license.

Accreditation does not depend on format

Accreditation belongs to a specific program, not to a delivery mode. Some online programs hold CAHME accreditation, and some on-campus programs do not. Ohio State, for example, states that its online Executive MHA "has been approved for accreditation" by CAHME's Board of Directors. When a university offers the same degree online and on campus, confirm the status of the version you plan to enroll in; see how CAHME accreditation works.

A quick comparison checklist

Which format fits you

Online study tends to suit people who are working full time, live far from a suitable program, or need flexibility around shifts, and who can manage their own time. On-campus study tends to suit people who are early in their careers, want in-person recruiting and a structured placement, and can relocate or commute.

Many students end up in between: online coursework with a few residencies, or an evening on-campus program. Compare formats side by side in our online programs and online master's listings, or browse online bachelor's programs if you are starting with an undergraduate degree. If you already have years of experience, also read executive MHA vs. traditional MHA, since executive programs come in every format.