Health Systems Management, MHA

MHA Student & Alumni Spotlight

See how MHA students and alumni are leading change in health care management and policy across sectors.

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Contact Info

Dr. Brenda Sheingold headshot

Dr. Brenda Helen Sheingold
Division Director, Health Administration Programs
Associate Professor
bsheingo@gmu.edu
703-993-9733

Dr. Maria Uriyo headshot

Dr. Maria Uriyo
MHA Program Coordinator, HAP
Assistant Professor
muriyo@gmu.edu
703-993-1929

Master of Health Administration

Prepare for executive leadership roles in health care through George Mason’s CAHME-accredited MHA in Health Systems Management. This program equips students with strategic, business, analytic, quality improvement, and decision-making skills needed to lead in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. 

Graduates are prepared to advance in a wide range of roles across hospitals, health systems, consulting firms, medical group practices, and local, state, or federal agencies. Whether in the public or private sector, MHA alumni help drive solutions that improve care delivery, operational efficiency, and health outcomes. 

Nationally Ranked for Excellence

Ranked #33 out of 96 accredited programs by the 2025 U.S. News & World Report, Mason’s Master of Health Administration stands among the top graduate degrees in healthcare management.  

Networking & Career Opportunities

MHA students build strong professional networks through hands-on experience and connections with leading organizations such as Inova, the Department of Veterans Affairs, NCQA, and professional associations like ACHE and NCHE.

Capstone Practicum Experience 

Students apply their skills in real-world settings—partnering with health systems, federal agencies, consulting firms, or nonprofits. Each practicum leads to a non-thesis project developed in collaboration with an industry preceptor. 

Monica Perkins, MHA, PMP | Class of 2023 
Fellow, Emory Healthcare
Intern, White House Council on Environmental Quality

Through the MHA program, Monica gained the skills to support federal health policy as a White House intern and to advance her leadership through a prestigious administrative fellowship at Emory Healthcare.

Professional Competencies

The MHA in health systems management curriculum is driven by a set of professional competencies, organized into five domain clusters. At the completion of the program, students are expected to achieve targeted proficiency in each of the competencies associated with the following domains.

  1. Knowledge of the Healthcare System and Healthcare Management
  2. Communications and Interpersonal Effectiveness
  3. Critical Thinking, Analysis and Problem Solving
  4. Management and Leadership
  5. Professionalism and Ethics

FAQ

If you’re new to the health administration field or George Mason, you may have a lot of questions. From our admissions requirements to career opportunities, learn more about this program and the industry in our frequently asked questions.

Practicum Experience

The Capstone Practicum is completed as a culminating experience at the end of the program. Students work as a member of a health system, hospital, consulting firm, health care agency, or other organizational entity and complete a non-thesis project assigned by their preceptor.

Dedicated Faculty

George Mason's Department of Health Administration and Policy faculty are not only skilled educators dedicated to their students’ success, they are also industry-expert professionals who make impactful contributions to their field.

Executive in Residence

MHA students benefit from direct access to a senior healthcare executive who serves as a mentor and strategic advisor. Through personalized guidance, guest lectures, and professional insight, the Executive in Residence helps students connect classroom learning with real-world leadership in health care.

Meet the Executive in Residence

Accreditation Information

Comission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education logo

The Master of Health Administration, Health Systems Management program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The Council on Higher Education Accreditation granted formal recognition to CAHME as the only organization to accredit master's level health care management programs in the United States and Canada.