Find out more about DHA - Health Care Leadership

Program Details

Increase your ability to lead health care organizations through an era of reform and heightened expectations. Skilled leaders are needed to break new ground and integrate health care research into the workplace to prepare a rapidly changing workforce.

Capella University's online Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) in Health Care Leadership program prepares you to improve health systems. This program focuses on contemporary leadership roles, strategic vision and planning, and evidence-based leadership in health care, in addition to core courses covering advanced health administration concepts and practices.

The nationally recognized NCHL Health Leadership Competency Model — which is integrated into Capella's DHA in Healthcare Leadership program — features a real-world, action-oriented approach: evidence-based case studies, simulation exercises, consulting projects, presentations, and more. With our interprofessional approach, you learn about, from, and with other health care professions, gaining leadership skills to partner across professions to achieve common goals.

• Direct Path: Complete your DHA in Health Care Leadership in as few as three years if you have an MHA, or three and a half years when you have another master’s degree*. For those with an MHA, you can directly transfer 12 quarter credits, saving you six months and more than $8,000. If you have additional applicable doctoral coursework, you may be able to transfer six additional credits for up to 18 transfer credits in total.
• Professionally Aligned: Our competency-based curriculum allows you to gain the relevant competencies that employers require.
• Credible: Capella is a participant in the American College of Healthcare Executives Higher Education Network.
• Real-World Experience: Practice real-life leadership scenarios in a fail-safe, virtual health care environment during your specialization courses—then use those skills in your integrated capstone and practicum course that could help you lead at the top of your field.
• Distinguished Faculty: Provide comprehensive feedback on your work, encourage different ways of thinking, and provide insight into how well you’re demonstrating competencies.
• Online Learning: 24-hour access to courses through Capella’s virtual courseroom.

With your DHA in Health Care Leadership from Capella, you'll lead organizational transformation, by creating an organizational climate that promotes personal and professional growth. You'll also design strategies to optimize organizational effectiveness, and promote research to improve health care systems.

Common jobs with a DHA in Health Care Leadership include chief executive/financial/operations officer, health information manager/director, hospital business manager, nurse manager, nursing director, practice manager/director or program manager/director. Potential workplaces include: ambulatory health care service, community care facility for the elderly, health clinic, hospital, insurance company, medical and diagnostic laboratory, nursing or residential care facility, or outpatient care center.