There are some high quality and well respected accredited healthcare administration degree programs in South Carolina. Both of the schools profiled below offer truly historic programs that are among some of the oldest such programs in the country. Each of the institutions has not rested on the accolades of the past, however. Each of them ranks highly on a national level and competes well with institutions in other parts of the country.

Medical University of South Carolina

College of Health Professions

Located in the near-coastal city of Charleston, the Medical College of South Carolina was founded by seven Charleston physicians in 1823. It took its first students in 1824 and graduated its first class in 1825. Charleston was the site of intense fighting during the Civil War and the school suspended operation temporarily. Other than that, it has operated continuously for all of its history, including the year it had only two students enrolled. The school opened an infirmary for teaching purposes in 1834, creating one of the first teaching hospitals in the country. The school became part of the public university system in 1913. Today's Medical University of South Carolina maintains a 725-bed teaching hospital and offers several nonmedical degrees. U.S. News and World Report reports that the school is ranked nationally in two pediatric specialties and is listed as high-performing in seven adult specialties.

Master in Health Administration

The Medical University of South Carolina offers two types of Master in Health Administration degrees and two options within one of those types. The first type is an executive program designed for professionals already working in health care. The school delivers nearly all of the program online and requires students' presence on campus only for one week the first year and for four days a year each year thereafter. Students can choose to complete the executive program in either two or three years. The difference lies in how many courses students take each semester. The executive program requires 54 credit hours and no internship. The other program is a residential program designed for students who choose to attend full time and who have little or no direct experience in health care. Classes are on campus. The program requires 62 hours including an internship between the first and second academic years. Applicants to either program should have a GPA of no less than 3.0. Applicants to the executive program must have at least one year of relevant work experience and those applying to the residential program will need to submit GRE scores.

Accreditation

  • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

Contact
151-A Rutledge Avenue, MSC 960
Charleston, SC 29425
Phone: (843) 792-3328, (843) 792-3326
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/mha/index.htm

University of South Carolina

Arnold School of Public Health

The forerunner of the University of South Carolina, South Carolina College, was founded in 1801 by an act of South Carolina's General Assembly. South Carolina College came to be known as a leading educational institution in the South. Today's University of South Carolina retains that reputation. Located in the state capital of Columbia, the University of South Carolina is the flagship institution of the University of South Carolina public university system. U.S. News and World Report ranks the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health at number 23 in the country.

Master of Health Administration

The University of South Carolina's Master of Health Administration (MHA) program prepares students for management positions in both public and private organizations. The program requires 58 credit hours that students can complete on either a full- or part-time basis. The program provides training in management, finance, accounting, quantitative methods, information technology and leadership, as well as evaluation and planning, all of which focus on the special problems of health care organizations and health administration. The part-time program's classes meet at late afternoon and evening hours to accommodate working students.

Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health program focuses on managing the health agencies and health services operating in the public sector. As is the case with the Master of Health Administration above, this 48-hour program also addresses management, finance, accounting, quantitative methods, information technology, leadership, evaluation and planning but from the perspective of the public sector. Students in this program are expected to be full time, on campus students, though part-time study is possible. Full time students can expect to finish the program in three semesters.

Accreditation

  • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
  • Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH) (Master of Health Administration)

Contact
Arnold School of Public Health University of South Carolina
915 Greene Street
Columbia, SC 29208
Phone: (803) 777-1627
Email: [email protected]
Websites: Master of Health Administration: http://www.sph.sc.edu/hspm/mha.htm
Master of Public Health: http://www.sph.sc.edu/hspm/mph.htm

These three programs are able to directly compete with larger and better known programs in other areas of the country. The programs listed above represent some of the best of the accredited healthcare administration degree programs in South Carolina.