CAHME Announces the Initial Accreditation of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Master of Health Administration (MHA).
SPRING HOUSE, PA, UNITED STATES, April 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) Board of Directors approved the initial accreditation of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Applied Health Sciences’ Master of Health Administration for a four-year term.
The accreditation affirms that the Illinois MHA program meets CAHME’s high standards for healthcare management education and demonstrates a strong commitment to academic excellence, professional preparation and continuous improvement.
“We are pleased to have the recognition of the premier accrediting body for master’s degrees in health administration,” said Lynne Barnes, clinical professor and director of the MHA program and a longtime healthcare administrator. “The requirements are rigorous and further strengthen the quality of education and number of opportunities that we are providing for our students. This distinction will allow us to continue to attract top students from across the country and internationally.”
The four-year term of accreditation marks a significant milestone for the Illinois MHA program and reinforces its commitment to educating the next generation of healthcare leaders. An online MHA degree program will launch in 2026, along with several graduate certificates that will enhance specialized training in the field.
Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences—where the MHA program is housed in the Department of Health and Kinesiology—emphasized the significance of the milestone for the university and its students.
“This accreditation reflects the dedication and collaboration of our faculty and staff in building a curriculum that prepares graduates to become highly effective healthcare management professionals,” Hanley-Maxwell said. “Our mission is to equip students with the leadership skills, analytical expertise, and ethical foundation necessary to improve healthcare delivery systems and advance health outcomes in Illinois and beyond.”
CAHME accreditation is widely recognized as the benchmark of quality in graduate healthcare management education. Programs that earn accreditation undergo an extensive self-study process and peer review to ensure alignment with standards designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in healthcare organizations.
“CAHME advances the quality of healthcare management education through accreditation that emphasizes rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement. Through evaluation by experts in both academia and healthcare practice, accredited programs demonstrate that their curriculum and competency models are aligned to industry needs and designed to prepare graduates for meaningful impact in the field,” said Maureen C. Jones, Ph.D., RN, President & CEO, CAHME.
About CAHME
Since 1968, the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) has served the public interest by advancing the quality of healthcare management education globally. CAHME accredits 164 academic programs in management which has broadly been defined to include healthcare quality and safety, and population health.
CAHME works with leading academic programs and numerous healthcare practitioners to ensure that graduates entering the healthcare field have undergone an educational process meeting rigorous, measurable standards for effectiveness. The result is a formal academic education focusing on key competencies, plus practical experiences. This enables new graduates to quickly add value to an organization and grow into future leaders. CAHME is the only organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to grant accreditation to individual academic programs offering a graduate degree in healthcare management.
For more information, visit cahme.org.
About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University of Illinois system and was founded in 1867. The university serves the people of Illinois through a shared commitment to excellence in teaching, research, public engagement, economic development and health care. Faculty, staff and students share their knowledge, expertise and resources with residents in every corner of the state through public service and outreach programs.
The College of Applied Health Sciences: The mission of AHS is to promote culturally relevant individual and community health and well-being across the lifespan, facilitate optimal living with disability, and foster the development of livable communities in a diverse society through learning, discovery, and engagement. As of fall 2025, the College enrolls 2,359 undergraduates and 378 graduate students. Within AHS are the Center on Health, Aging, and Disability (CHAD); the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES); and the Chez Veterans Center, as well as three highly ranked academic departments: Recreation, Sport & Tourism; Speech & Hearing Science; Health and Kinesiology. Our College has documented strengths in the study of lifestyle behaviors such as exercise and nutrition, lifestyle interventions, microbiome, aging, human performance, falls and fall prevention, assistive technologies to improve communication, brain imaging, and community and organizational development.
Dana Alexander
CAHME
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