Looking for a healthcare career that can help you improve the delivery of care and patient health on a larger scale? If so, you may be a good fit for a field like public health or health administration.

In both of these career paths, rather than working directly with patients on an individual basis, you play a critical role in supporting the systems that patients use to access quality care – whether that’s through a healthcare system of hospitals and outpatient centers, a public health department, or health-focused research institute.

If you’re thinking of pursuing this type of career, it’s important to do your research to understand which field of study and professional path makes the most sense for your goals. To aid you in the process, we’re providing a breakdown of the difference between an MPA and an MHA (a Master of Public Health and a Master of Health Administration).

Keep reading to learn how public health and health administration differ and what to expect in their respective master’s programs.

Public Health vs. Health Administration: What’s the Difference?

What is public health?

Public health is a science-based, evidence-backed field that is focused on creating a healthier and safer world. Public health professionals work toward identifying and resolving issues that affect the health of entire communities and populations. This is done through observation, research, and investigation. Public health professionals also help allocate and deliver health resources, raise awareness about health-related issues, and provide education to healthcare consumers, all of which can have a positive impact on communities at large. According to the American Public Health Association, a few examples of include:

• Tracking disease outbreaks and helping to educate the public about vaccines
• Establishing occupational safety standards
• Creating school nutrition programs
• Advocating for laws that help to keep people safe
• Addressing the impact of climate change on people’s health

What types of public health jobs are available?

The types of roles available in public health span far and wide. Here are a few examples:

• Biostatistician
• Epidemiologist
• Environmental scientist or researcher
• Occupational health and safety professional
• Community health worker
• Community planners
• Nutritionists
• Policymakers

What is health administration?

Health administration refers to management and leadership activities performed within , such as hospitals, healthcare systems, outpatient centers, government-run healthcare facilities, nursing homes, or any other facilities where patients can receive healthcare services.

Healthcare administrators may be managers or executives who are tasked with overseeing business operations, managing staff, and helping to ensure the smooth delivery of care for patients.

What types of health administration jobs are available?

There are various that can fall under the area of health administration, including but not limited to:

• Hospital administrator
• Nursing home administrator
• Medical/health services manager
• Clinical manager
• Health information technologist

MPH vs. MHA: How Do These Degrees Compare?

There is some overlap between the fields of public health and health administration. As a result, many public health programs offer a specialization in health administration and vice versa. However, these fields of study and career paths have many distinctions.

An MPH is a science-based degree with education with heavy focus on topics such as epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, and health policy whereas an MHA program is similar to an MBA program (Master of Business Administration) but with a focus on the healthcare industry. To help provide some clarity on how a Master of Public Health compares to a Master of Health Administration, we offer some insights about what each of these programs cover at WCU.

To help provide some clarity on how a Master of Public Health compares to a Master of Health Administration, we offer some insights about what each of these programs cover at WCU.

MPH Program Overview at WCU

Focus: The Master of Public Health program at ¹ú²úÖ÷²¥ teaches students about the science and practice of health promotion and disease prevention, with a focus on community-based solutions.

Coursework: Students in this program complete coursework on the following topics:

• Foundations of public health
• Health research methods
• Health promotion
• Social and behavioral health sciences
• Cultural diversity and health disparities in public health
• Leadership principles and policies in public health
• Legal and ethical issues in healthcare management
• Environmental and occupational health
• Global family health
• Managerial epidemiology
• Infectious diseases
• Biostatistics

MPH students at WCU are also required to complete a capstone project that integrates the material they learned throughout the program.

Program Duration: WCU’s Master of Public Health program can be completed on these two timelines:

• Accelerated Pace: 16 month
• Working Professional Pace: 28 months

Instruction Method: Online

Learn more about WCU’s Master of Public Health program.

Both the public health and health administration sectors offer exciting opportunities to impact healthcare consumers on a larger scale. Whether you’re looking to improve the quality of and access to care within an organization or an entire community, the right education can give you the tools to do so.

If you have any questions about our MPH or MHA programs (or any other programs we offer), fill out the form on this page to speak with a member of our team at WCU

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WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.