This joint academic program is designed to combine physical therapy education with key health administration competencies, enhancing the ability to provide high quality patient care while supporting informed organizational decision making. Graduates gain the advanced knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to excel as leaders in collaborative patient care and healthcare management, driving success in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

The joint degree in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) requires 149-151 credits, and is comprised of the following:

• 118-120 total Doctor of Physical Therapy program credit hours
• 31 MHA credits + 9 DPT transfer credits Master of Health Administration program credit hours
  • 12 core Master of Health Administration course credit hours
  • 9 Doctor of Physical Therapy transfer credit hours
  • 15 elective Master of Health Administration course credit hours
  • 4 capstone Master of Health Administration course credit hours

To be eligible for the joint DPT/MHA program, applicants must be admitted to both the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the Master of Health Administration program. Admission to the DPT program is a prerequisite for applying to the MHA program; students must be in good academic standing in the DPT program and have earned a bachelor's degree prior to enrolling in the MHA program. Students must meet the admission, enrollment, and graduation requirements of both programs and enroll in the MHA program prior to graduating from the DPT program. Admission decisions for the two programs are made independently, and acceptance into one program does not guarantee acceptance into the other. 

Plan C (course work) will be used at the final assessment within the MHA capstone course. A four-credit capstone course will be required for MHA degree-seeking students. Within this course, there are three comprehensive assessments accompanied by course instruction. Students will perform a case study of a defined health organization and present their findings and recommendations within a written and verbal assignment. Second, students will engage in a group eLearning module making weekly decisions which impact the organization. Based on the weekly results, team members will adjust their decision for subsequent weeks. They will be competing against other teams within the course and a computerized model. Lastly, students will develop an organizational strategic plan drawing on learning outcomes from the program’s core courses.