A Diverse Degree Option for Health Professionals
One of the country’s largest and most complex industries, health care is an integrated system of patient care provision, research, technology, health administration, policy, advocacy and education. The future of health care in the U.S. is dependent on educating the next generation of health professionals. Graduate education is essential to preparing tomorrow’s leaders to meet the demands and challenges of a rapidly changing and growing industry.
As a very broad area of graduate study, health science enables prospective health care professionals, working administrators and practicing clinicians to expand their skill sets in specialized areas of study, ranging from health policy to environmental health, community health to integrative health and wellness. This guide provides a high-level overview of master’s degree options in health sciences, areas of study, specific curriculum and career opportunities, as well as an interview with a professor in a Master of Health Science degree program.
The best master’s in health science programs offer rigorous academics, advanced training in new technologies and a full staff of dedicated professionals to help students achieve their dreams of a master’s degree. The schools listed here have been ranked as having the very best master’s in health sciences programs in the country, using a variety of stringent specifications – like class size and graduation rate – so that those on the search for the right program have a solid place to start. Discover which school’s master’s in health science program might be the right fit for your needs.
For details on the methodology for this ranking, please visit our methodology page.
The Master of Health Science (MHS) is one of the most commonly pursued graduate degree paths for both current health science and health care professionals and students transitioning from a bachelor’s degree to master’s degree program of study. Inherently flexible, the MHS can help current working professionals enhance their existing skill sets, while also preparing students for new careers in a range of health care arenas. The sections below dive deeper into details of the MHS, including its value, curriculum structure, areas of specialization and outcomes.
Before enrolling in a master’s of health sciences program, prospective students should get an understanding of the total cost, which is more than just financial resources. Whether the student is a practicing nurse looking to move into administration or a recent psychology graduate who wants to pursue a career in community health policy, the question is the same: “Is an MHS degree worth it?” Below are some important factors to consider:
Most MHS and MSHS programs require students to complete between 30 and 36 credit hours of study to graduate. Roughly, that comprises two years of full-time study. Can the working professional commit that much time to complete the degree? Can they sacrifice time at work or with their family?
The master’s degree in health science is, by nature, a broad degree program, which means it actually may not be the right degree for some health professionals. Students should determine if the philosophy and principles of the MHS program align with the type of professional training they are seeking. Depending on their area of practice or interest, students may find a Master of Public Health, Master of Nursing or Master of Health Administration to be a more appropriate graduate degree program.
On the financial cost front, the average in-state graduate tuition for general MHS programs was $14,695 in 2013, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. However, calculating the cost of attending graduate school goes beyond tuition, books and fees. There’s a soft opportunity cost associated with completing a master’s degree. Students should also consider how their commitment to their graduate studies may affect their work and family situations.
On the other hand, completing a master’s degree in health sciences can impact employment opportunities and potential career earnings. According to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), approximately 31 percent of individuals in health-related fields earn a graduate degree at some point in their career, and experience an average earnings increase of 50 percent.
In a recent 2015 study, CEW also found that graduate degree holders in health-related fields had some of the lowest unemployment rates, a mere 2.0% nationally. Additionally, health care and health-related occupations have some of the best career prospects nationally, according to employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For example, below is a list of five health-related occupations projected to grow by at least 15% nationally between 2012 and 2022.
health-related fields | unemployment rates | |
---|---|---|
Community health workers | 25% | |
Healthcare administrators | 23% | |
Health educators | 19% | |
Registered nurses | 19% | |
Environmental scientists | 15% |
Of those in general medical and health services professions, 37% go on to earn a graduate degree, boosting their median earnings76% to $79,200
Because of their transformative natures, health care and health sciences both require patient care clinicians, administrators and researchers to have dynamic, adaptable skill sets. Although vigorous, the Master of Health Sciences is a highly customizable program that can be adjusted to meet the requirements of numerous professional health care specializations. The MHS builds upon a foundation of various areas of undergraduate study, such as psychology, nursing, biology, public health or education. In turn, the degree is a viable option for any number of individuals, such as working nurses pursuing leadership as a clinical department supervisor, recent bachelor’s degree graduates preparing for a career in health care management, or health educators desiring a director-level position.
Within that larger context, prospective students should gain an understanding of the degree itself. The section below offers a review of the different types of MHS programs, coursework, and how the degree can be applied to various career paths in the health sciences.
Health science master’s degrees can be divided into two graduate-level paths: a Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) and the Master of Health Science (MHS). Generally speaking, there are minimal differences between the two degree tracks. However, both the MHS and MSHS may offer academic- or professional-based curricula, designed to either prepare students to continue into doctoral programs of study or to advance their careers as public health practitioners.
Typically, the MSHS is a research-based graduate program of study that develops critical inquiry skills through research methods, quantitative data analysis and evidenced-based review of scientific literature. Students complete a broad set of core courses in the health sciences, such as health behavior, statistics for health sciences, research design, public health epidemiology and health service administration. Through electives, students can specialize their program of study in different public health specializations, including health care management, health care policy, disease management, public health, health education and others. Designed to accommodate students from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, the MSHS can serve as a starting point for future doctoral training.
The MHS degree is designed to prepare students to conduct research, advance their current careers or continue into doctoral training programs in specific public health disciplines. These degree programs offer a significant level of flexibility, allowing students to craft a plan of study that includes core course and electives that match their educational background and professional area of practice. Broadly, curriculum includes generalist coursework in areas such as research methods, health care ethics, health policy and management, biostatistics and trends in health care. Specialized coursework may include the study of risk management, public health, health services leadership, health policy, health education and more.
With its vast target audience, the master’s in health science degree can serve students from health care fields (such as nursing, medicine and allied health) as well as broader health-related areas, including community health, education and public health. It is a valuable degree because students from multiple educational and professional backgrounds can leverage a single graduate program of study.
The MHS offers numerous concentration areas that enable working professionals to develop specialized skills, while also preparing bachelor’s degree holders to pursue any number of health-related occupations. Below is a list of some common subject concentrations from campus-based MHS programs around the country.
An interdisciplinary track, health policy brings together the study of public administration, health science and economics. Students are introduced to theories of organizational management, health economics, health policy issues, public policy administration and more.
Career 1: Health Officer
Career 2: Health Policy Analyst
Designed to emphasize leadership qualities from each arena, the administration track exposes students to multiple academic disciplines, such as health science, economics and business management. Students receive extensive training in topics such as negotiation theory, health leadership, conflict intervention, strategic planning, health economics and more.
Career 1: Director, Patient Care Services
Career 2: Hospital Administrator
In this track, students study the underlying cultural, social and psychological factors that impact health-related behaviors and practices of individuals and communities. Students are introduced to major concepts in social action theory, biological and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, training and development, community organization and more.
Career 1: Community Education Specialist
Career 2: Director, Institute for Community Health
This track studies the connection between environmental and occupational issues and human health. In this dynamic program of study, students receive training in health research, public health biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental analysis and more.
Career 1: Environmental Health Specialist
Career 2: Solid Waste Specialist
In this educational track, students develop an understanding of the major concepts behind risk management and compliance in health care. Focused on patient safety, the coursework in this specialization covers subjects such as quality assurance, regulatory compliance in health care, health care management and more.
Career 1: Risk Management Specialist
Career 2: Health Risk Analyst
At its core, health science is concerned with the study of many different facets of human health and health care. Students are introduced to the intricacies of public health and its complex relationship to the health care system, the local community, patient care providers, and more. MHS programs are designed to introduce students to the conceptual framework of public policy, as well as statistical and research methods, teaching them how to integrate both into real-world applications in numerous health-related occupations. Below is a list of example coursework from various master’s in health science degree concentrations.
In this class, students will examine two major topics of study: risk management and quality assurance in the U.S. health care system. Students will study performance management, quality improvement, research methods and more.
This course covers concepts such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). Students learn about creating effective compliance programs, discuss the role of health care compliance and explore ethical case studies.
Students are introduced to various techniques and approaches to environmental hazard identification, reduction and compliance. Topics of study include environmental hazard assessment, air and water sampling, living systems and more.
This course covers various biostatistical methods and topics such as probability theory, statistics and more. In addition to developing inferential analysis skill building, students also learn to use statistical software packages, such as SAS.
In this course, students become acquainted with the major cultural issues and trends in health care, and how they impact the delivery of health services, patient care, and organization of the health care system.
Through this course, students examine ethical issues facing patients, patient care providers and the community. Topics of study include resource allocation, informed consent, right to life and more.
Students explore the history of health care policy in the United States at the local, state and federal levels. There is an emphasis on analyzing health policy process, from creation to implementation, impact to analysis.
The instruction in this course examines different management principles and how they relate to modern health care professionals in different settings. Subjects of study include organizational management, conflict resolution, resource management and more.
Graduate degrees are designed to develop a student’s expertise in their field and to bolster their professional reputations. Finding the right match between student and school is paramount to ensuring an optimal result.
Students should pursue universities and specific departments that graduate respected professionals in their area of practice. If the department or faculty are not committed to student success or are not graduating students into leadership positions within health-related fields, the program may not be a good fit. Below is a list of four additional factors that prospective MHS students may want to consider when reviewing potential programs.
Students should ask about the program’s and faculty’s relationship to the community. Does the program have a positive relationship with the local health care system, such as hospitals, physicians and nurses? Are graduates landing positions with those organizations? Does the program offer internship or residency options for students in the MHS program?
Many students tend to overlook faculty during the review process, but it’s important to understand who is teaching the courses. What is the educational and professional background of faculty members? Do faculty in the desired concentration area have solid experience in that field?
Not all MHA programs offer an array of concentration options. Students should seek out departments that allow them to create a tailored program of study and that have concentrations available in their desired field of study.
Depending on the specific program, students may be asked to complete a thesis or capstone project prior to graduation. This factor is a personal preference, based on the student’s desire to complete a comprehensive writing or project-focused assignment.
After becoming acquainted with the program’s concentrations, curriculum and coursework, students should develop some expectations as to the actual graduate school experience. Students should expect to spend at least two years completing 30 to 36 credit hours of study in their MHS program. The hypothetical timeline below describes a two-year MHS program in community health.
Step 1: Prior to Application
Step 2: Collect Materials & Prepare Application
Although specific items vary by program, below is a list of materials and requirements students may need in order to apply to an MHS program.
Samantha H. is an RN with nine years of experience in a family medicine private practice. By customizing a program of study in community health, she can develop a suite of skills and knowledge that complement her longstanding nursing experience, potentially leading to a director position in a community health agency setting.
Mark R. is a health care risk analyst with a bachelor’s degree in business and five years of field experience. Seeking advancement to risk manager, he can use the MHS degree to enhance his existing experience and gain exposure to advanced topics of study in risk management, preparing him for post-graduation certifications and credentials.
I am an Assistant Professor within the Master of Health Sciences – Management Concentration at Western Carolina University. My teaching load includes graduate-level courses with a few health care management related undergraduate courses (e.g. health care law, management and health care systems).
I graduated with a baccalaureate in Emergency Medical Care in 1992 from Western Carolina University. I then went to work full-time as a street paramedic and taught certification courses part-time. After five years, a fellow graduate and friend contacted me and asked if I would ever consider teaching for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Emergency Medical Sciences at a NC Community College and I took the position.
I continued to work part-time as a street paramedic. Eventually, I ended up becoming the Program Director. In 2001, the friend that asked me to come teach decided that he wanted to get his MBA in Health Care Management. So I, too, enrolled in the MBA – Health Care Management program through the University of Phoenix. I loved the online environment and the program and ended up being one of the founding faculty to push for online education at the Community College where I was teaching.
During the MBA program, I took a course in Organizational Behavior and fell in love with the topic. I found that the EMS world would really benefit from some of the OB constructs I was learning. In 2004, I graduated with an MBA in Health Care Management. I wanted to continue with the Organizational Behavior area, so I began my search for a PhD program. During the search, someone suggested looking into Psychology with a focus on Industrial and Organizational Psychology because I really found the motivation, job satisfaction and employer/employee relationship to be the most interesting aspects of OB.
I ended up choosing that route, as it also broadened my potential teaching areas to psychology. I enrolled in the PhD in Psychology with specialization in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program through Capella University, graduating in 2009. As I was finishing my dissertation, another friend called and asked if I would be interested in being the Program Director for a new baccalaureate program – Health Care Administration and Informatics – that Western Carolina University was attempting to start up. I interviewed and was offered the position. Due to budget issues in the North Carolina University System and the hiring of a new Chancellor and Provost for the University, the College of Health and Human Sciences at Western Carolina University decided to indefinitely table the proposal after a year of planning.
Because of my academic background, the College of Health Sciences asked me to stay on in the Emergency Medical Care program, teaching both medical courses in paramedicine and the management courses required for some of the other medical degree programs that use health administration courses. This lasted for about two years. In 2013, I was asked to move full-time into the Master of Health Sciences program and continue to do some undergraduate health care administration/management courses, which is where I am now.
The most significant piece of advice I can offer would be for a student to find a program with characteristics that best contribute to their success and enjoyment. Some programs are traditional seated programs, where the student attends a campus for classes, while others are partially or fully online. Some programs have faculty that are professionals and teach part-time, and some have full-time professors that have managerial work experience. There are programs with big class sizes that promote collaboration and networking, and some with smaller class sizes and more personal attention. With all the choices out there, it is important that each student researches aspects such as program delivery, courses offered/required and faculty experience/background to find the best fit.
Many of our students in the Master of Health Sciences program at Western Carolina University are already working professionals in a wide variety of health care areas. Most of these professionals are looking to move up into management within their current organization. The program also has some students who are looking to change organizations or geographic locations, and see a horizontal move into management as a logical step. Being that health care management programs are so highly competitive these days, it’s rare that we get a student at the master’s level looking to break into health care from another professional area. Positions that our students pursue run the gamut from shift supervisor to unit manager to top organizational administrator.
There is a wealth of educational options for potential master’s in health services students around the country. This diversity can make it challenging to identify the best program and assess the quality of its faculty and curriculum. We have reviewed institutions that offer master’s degree programs in health science and compiled a list of the schools that provide the highest caliber of training and graduate education opportunities.
Located in Boise, Idaho, Boise State University offers a Master of Health Science program through its College of Health Sciences. The MHS provides students with a comprehensive background in public health issues. It is designed for two audiences: 1) The bachelor’s degree holder desiring additional training prior to entering the profession and 2) The working professional seeking advanced training in their practice area. Students in the MHS program can select from one of four concentration areas of study:
Applicants are expected to have a background in health issues in their undergraduate programs of study, in subject areas including psychology, biology, nursing, public health, education or other health-related areas. Students can typically complete the 36-credit program degree in two years of full-time study.
Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University offers a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Leadership. This 42-credit program is designed to prepare health care professionals for leadership positions in the field. An interdisciplinary degree, the clinical leadership program is a joint effort between the School of Nursing, the Fuqua School of Business, the School of Law and the Terry Sanford Institute for Public Policy.
Combining theoretical coursework with application-based instruction, the MHS program develops skills in decision-making, collaboration, communication and teamwork. Through the two-year program of study, students take courses in economics, law, financial management, informatics, organizational behavior, strategic planning, health policy and more. Applicants must have at least an accredited bachelor’s degree in a clinical discipline; however, many applicants are practicing health care professionals who hold advanced degrees, including Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Master of Nursing.