WVU Master of Health Administration program earns candidate status by national accrediting body

West Virginia University’s Master of Health Administration program has earned Candidate status from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education, making it the first and only CAHME Candidate program in West Virginia and positioning the program to pursue accreditation.

CAHME is the only organization recognized to grant accreditation to individual academic programs offering a professional master’s degree in healthcare management education by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. To earn CAHME accreditation, a program first must become eligible through candidacy, which involves a peer-reviewed application process and approval by the CAHME Candidacy Committee and Accreditation Council.

Candidate status recognizes a program’s commitment to self-evaluation and self-directed program improvement to keep pace with the changing demands for knowledge in the practice of the healthcare management profession.  

“We couldn’t be more pleased to earn this designation,” said Erik Carlton, interim dean of the School of Public Health, where the MHA program is housed. “Candidacy status is a crucial step for us as we continue shaping our students into well-rounded, public health leaders by providing them with the best possible education in health administration.

“I’m grateful to the team who led the way in bringing this to fruition: Dr. France Weaver; Dr. Heather Henderson; and Ms. Kara Forst. Without our team, these significant strides forward wouldn’t be possible.”  

MHA Program Director France Weaver, added, “Our MHA program and our CAHME accreditation pursuit emphasize ongoing quality improvement efforts for the benefits of our students, the health organizations that employ them, and the communities they both serve in West Virginia, Appalachia, and beyond.”     

Both MHA residential and MHA online tracks were reviewed and approved for CAHME Candidacy. 

Pictured above, left to right: France Weaver; Kara Forst; Heather Henderson; Erik Carlton (Submitted photo).

-WVU- 

CONTACT: Nikky Luna, Director of Marketing and Communications
WVU School of Public Health
304.293.1699; nikky.luna@hsc.wvu.edu