AHU and Stetson University are partnering to offer an innovative, dual-degree, online program leading students to both Master of Healthcare Administration in Strategy and Innovation (MHA-SI) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. This program is designed to be completed in as little as two years with a total of 54 credit hours, split between the two universities, with AHU conferring the MHA-SI, while Stetson confers the MBA.
The dual degree combines the best of business and healthcare administration skillsets, giving graduates an advantage over their peers in both sectors. Students with this degree can expect a wide range of job opportunities upon graduation.
Daryl Tol, CEO of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, said, “The preferred degree for healthcare leadership is usually a graduate degree like the MHA or an MBA. Students at AHU can now earn both in less time and for lower cost than taking them separately. AHU and Stetson crafted the new MHA/MBA dual degree to provide the best-in-class business education for aspiring healthcare leaders.”
“I am thrilled with the ways AHU and Stetson faculty worked together, to bring the strengths of both institutions into an original program specifically designed with busy, working professionals in mind,” said Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., Stetson University President.
The coursework is 100% online for both institutions, removing barriers to access for candidates across the nation. Additionally, the online format will allow students to maintain employment and their daily life schedule while advancing their education.
“Engaging in our Healthcare Administration education online marries the interdisciplinary strength of this degree with the opportunity for students to network and develop professional relationships from a distance – a skill needed in today’s digital age,” said Dr. Benita David, Healthcare Administration Department Chair at AHU.
“This program represents a high level of pedagogical collaboration between two outstanding institutions,” said Noel Painter, Ph.D., EVP and Provost at Stetson University. “It brings together a shared understanding of the needs of today’s students in a competitive environment with the distinctive points of academic excellence within both AHU and Stetson.”
In December 2018, the two institutions signed an agreement to provide “pathways” for Stetson University health and science students into the AHU Master of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs beginning this fall.
“AdventHealth University has been an invaluable partner as we have worked through the question of “pathways” for students in both institutions,” said Painter. “We continue to discuss ways to provide paths for AHU students into our graduate programs and Stetson students into AHU’s undergraduate health science degrees.”
