The USF College of Public Health Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has received accreditation for a seven-year term through the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

“This accreditation represents the collaborative excellence and dedication of our team in the MHA program at the University of South Florida, College of Public Health, to create a curriculum to prepare graduates to become professional managers and leaders in the health care industry,” said Dr. Donna Petersen, dean of the College of Public Health. “Our goal is to develop students’ skills in contemporary management methods and policy decision-making while integrating a population health perspective.”  

Students enrolled in the MHA program develop an understanding of organizational models and management principles applied to health settings. They also receive training in health care financial management and economics; quality and performance improvement; health policy and policy analysis; strategic planning and marketing; and health law and ethics.

“The accreditation process ensures that graduates entering the health care field have undergone an educational process meeting rigorous, measurable effectiveness standards,” Dr. Victor Weeden, director of the MHA program, said. “The result is a formal education focusing on key competencies, plus practical experiences.”

The CAHME is recognized as an independent global leader in determining quality in health care management education. It works to assess the quality of health care management education and contributes to the effective delivery of health care management education. CAHME accreditation helps ensure that students are well prepared to lead in health care management.

To receive accreditation, Weeden said, a program must go through a multi-step process. Some of those steps include a self-study program based on CAHME accreditation criteria, having a CAHME site visit and reviewing the subsequent report listing recommendations from the site visit team.

The MHA program received reaccreditation for the maximum period—seven years.

“Programs initiate CAHME accreditation to provide a basis for self-evaluation and collaborative review,” Weeden said. “The USF MHA program uses a continuous improvement methodology to enhance education quality and ensure graduates are prepared for health services related leadership and management roles.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health