Degree Programs
Master of Health Administration
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has a long and distinguished history of preparing students for leadership positions in healthcare organizations. Recognized for its exceptional faculty, groundbreaking research, study abroad opportunities, amazing network of alumni and mentors, and networking opportunities with visiting experts, the program is located minutes from the top five health systems in Indiana.
Our Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree has a long and distinguished history of preparing students for management and leadership positions in healthcare organizations.
For over 50 years, Indiana University Indianapolis has led the way in educating healthcare leaders in Indiana and beyond. Our program has been fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) since 1983.
Our graduates go on to build successful careers in health systems, hospitals, physician practices, health maintenance organizations, long-term care facilities, and health insurance organizations. Many CEOs of Indiana-based health organizations are graduates of the Fairbanks School of Public Health MHA program.
As an MHA student, you will develop business knowledge, skills and abilities that equip you to compete in a dynamic health care environment.
Degree requirements (42 credit hours)
Students are considered full-time when taking at least nine graduate credits per semester. Part-time students must complete at least six credit hours each semester to remain in good standing. All students must complete the program's academic requirements within five calendar years of program initiation.
Master of Health Administration required courses
Take all 14 courses for a total of 42 credits
- PBHL-H 507 Human Resources and Organizational Behavior in Health Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 508 Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision-Making (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 509 Financial Management Principles of Healthcare (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 612 Marketing Health Services Delivery (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 624 Developing Strategic Capability (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 645 Leadership in Healthcare Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 531 Population Health Management and Value-Based Care (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 506 Public Health and Community-Focused Leadership (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 702 Internship in Health Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 623 Capstone in Health Administration (3 credits)
For students who started the MHA spring 2024 or earlier (51 credits)
- PBHL-H 507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 508 Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision-Making (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 509 Financial Management Principles of Healthcare (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 612 Marketing Health Services Delivery (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 624 Developing Strategic Capability (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 645 Leadership in Healthcare Administration (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 646 Operations Management for Healthcare Organizations (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 506 Population and Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 623 Healthcare Applications of Strategic Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 523 Health Services Human Resources Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 610 Lean Principles for Healthcare (3 credits)
Master of Health Administration competencies
Leadership
MHA 1. Develop leadership approaches that are effective for communicating a vision, motivating stakeholders, building consensus, and leading organizational change.
MHA 2. Work cooperatively with others; create, contribute to, and lead teams.
Professional and Social Responsibility
MHA 3. Demonstrate professional values and ethics including sensitivity to the importance of workforce diversity and cultural competency in the delivery of healthcare.
MHA 4. Establish a commitment to continuous learning, self-assessment, and self-improvement.
MHA 5. Contribute to the profession through coaching, advising, and mentoring.
Communications and Relationship Management
MHA 6. Write in a clear logical manner for effective business communications.
MHA 7. Demonstrate effective oral communication and presentation skills.
MHA 8. Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to develop and maintain positive professional relationships.
Health and Healthcare Environment
MHA 9. Understand how decisions are made within the private, nonprofit, and government sectors.
MHA 10. Explain important issues in healthcare including the need for reform, major changes that have occurred, and proposals being considered for the U.S. healthcare delivery system.
Business and Analytical Skills
MHA 11. Use quantitative information for effective organizational decision-making.
MHA 12. Use financial skills for effective stewardship of resources.
MHA 13. Understand and appropriately use information technology to support business and clinical functions.
MHA 14. Apply appropriate business strategies in the development of business plans and effective project management.
Admissions
All applicants to the Master of Health Administration must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college, show evidence of satisfactory preparation in math and computer skills, and have an acceptable academic record.
Applicants should submit only one application for the program format they wish to pursue: in-person/hybrid via SOPHAS or HAMPCAS, or 100% online via IU Online. Both formats offer the same curriculum and faculty, and the admission criteria is identical for both the in-person/hybrid and the 100% online degree.
Students may switch their program format after accepting admission or once after matriculating into their program.
Application reviews begin the first week of October. In order to be considered for first-round interviews in November, applications must be completed by mid-September. Beginning in January, interviews are held monthly, until the class is filled. In order to be considered for scholarships, applicants should submit their application by February 15.
MHA program admission criteria
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college with an expected grade point average of 3.0 (official transcript).
- Personal statement
- Résumé or CV
- Three letters of recommendation
- Required prerequisites
- Competent written and oral communication skills.
Students meeting these requirements are not guaranteed admission.
Eligible applicants may be invited to campus for an interview in person. Due to limited interview spots, it is important that you submit your application early, in order to secure an interview spot. Applicants who are unable to travel to Indianapolis may request a virtual interview.
Note: All applications must be verified by SOPHAS prior to the deadline. Applications generally take four to five weeks to be verified by SOPHAS. It would be to your benefit to have your application fully complete and submitted by April 30. Applications that are not fully completed, including verification by SOPHAS, by the deadline are not guaranteed full consideration by the MHA admission committee.
Required prerequisites
Prerequisites do not need to be completed prior to submission of application.
Required undergraduate prerequisite courses include:
- An undergraduate microeconomics course with a grade of “C” or better (e.g. ECON-E 201: Microeconomics) or the MHA Microeconomics primer course must be successfully completed before you will be permitted to enroll in PBHL-H 514: Health Economics.
- An undergraduate accounting course with a grade of “C” or better (e.g. PBHL-H 200: Health Care Accounting) or the MHA Accounting primer course must be successfully completed before you will be permitted to enroll in PBHL-H 508: Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision Making.
The MHA primer courses are offered at no additional cost to the matriculating students who do not have the undergraduate course requirements.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is an opportunity to highlight your background, experience, and interests that influenced your decision to apply to our MHA program. You may also use the personal statement to explain any inconsistencies in other components of the application. Generally, personal statements of around 500 words are most effective. The personal statement should be uploaded electronically to SOPHAS.
Résumé
Your résumé should demonstrate evidence of personal achievement, scholarship, and service. Include all of your work and volunteer experience. Résumés should be uploaded electronically to SOPHAS.
Transcript
U.S. or Canadian transcripts
Official post-secondary transcripts from all institutions attended must be sent directly from the institutions to SOPHAS. This includes previous study at Indiana University campuses. U.S. applicants who studied at foreign institutions as part of a study abroad experience at their U.S. college or university do not need to provide a WES evaluation of their study abroad coursework.
SOPHAS
P.O. Box 9111
Watertown, MA 02471-9111
Applicants who have not earned a degree at the time of application submission will be required to submit an official transcript upon completion of their undergraduate degree. The final official transcript should indicate the degree earned and the date of conferral. These final official transcripts must be sent directly from the awarding institution to:
IU Fairbanks School of Public Health
Office of Student Services and Admissions
Attn: Cher Pearcy
1050 Wishard Blvd., 5th Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Foreign transcripts
All applicants with foreign academic credentials must provide a World Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation of those credentials. Because this process can take some time, applicants should submit their transcripts to WES at least one month in advance of the application deadline (January 1).
Through special arrangements with SOPHAS, WES will deliver its credential evaluation report directly to SOPHAS by secure electronic transmission. This expedites the delivery of the evaluation report as well as images of the applicant’s verified transcripts to SOPHAS and allows SOPHAS to process the report most efficiently.
DO NOT mail any other documents to SOPHAS, including thesis, dissertations, or pre-secondary or secondary transcripts.
International applicants will be required to submit official transcripts, marksheets and diplomas from all colleges and universities attended to the IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs (OIA). OIA will evaluate your transcripts to determine if eligibility requirements for graduate study have been met.
Please mail transcripts, marksheets and diploma to:
Office of International Affairs
Indiana University Indianapolis
902 W. New York Street, ES2126
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Office: (317) 274-7000
Fax: (317) 274-2213
Email: intlaff@iu.edu
Web: international.indianapolis.iu.edu
Letters of recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required from professional sources that can provide an unbiased critical assessment of your abilities, skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Examples of professional and academic sources are academic advisors, professors, preceptors, or immediate supervisors.
Recommendation letters must be submitted electronically to SOPHAS.
Examples of sources that are not acceptable include coworkers, colleagues, classmates, and relatives.
Interview
After your application has been received by the Fairbanks School of Public Health, you will be contacted regarding the interview process, if applicable.
International applicants
The Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health requires applicants whose native language is not English or whose academic study was done exclusively at non-English speaking institutions to prove English proficiency by providing either official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. Scores must be under two years old.
The preferred minimum English language test scores for admission to the Fairbanks School of Public Health are:
Internet-based TOEFL: minimum score of 106
Computer-based TOEFL: minimum score of 263
Paper-based TOEFL: minimum score of 620
IELTS: minimum score of 7
Applicants must submit:
TOEFL scores to SOPHAS using the following designation DI Code: 5688
IELTS scores must be uploaded electronically to SOPHAS. Upload IELTS scores in the standardized test section of application and include your TRF Number.
English Placement Test
International students who reside in the U.S. at the time of application must submit either TOEFL, ILETS or IU Indianapolis EAP (English for Academic Purposes) exam scores.
International applicants who do not reside in the U.S. at the time of application must submit their TOEFL or ILETS scores with their application and, if admitted to the MHA program, must also complete the EAP exam> upon arrival to Indianapolis.
The USMLE and ECFMG do not fulfill the required proof of English proficiency when applying to the MHA program. Applicants who have passed the USMLE or ECFMG must also submit TOEFL, ILETS or EAP scores.
For further information on the EAP, contact the IU Indianapolis School of Liberal Arts. To schedule a test date and time please call the testing center at 317-274-2620.
WES Evaluations of Foreign Transcripts
Foreign transcripts
All applicants with foreign academic credentials must provide a World Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation of those credentials. Because this process can take some time, applicants should submit their transcripts to WES at least one month in advance of the application deadline (January 1).
Through special arrangements with SOPHAS, WES will deliver its credential evaluation report directly to SOPHAS by secure electronic transmission. This expedites the delivery of the evaluation report as well as images of the applicant’s verified transcripts to SOPHAS and allows SOPHAS to process the report most efficiently.
DO NOT mail any other documents to SOPHAS, including thesis, dissertations, or pre-secondary or secondary transcripts.
International applicants will be required to submit official transcripts, marksheets and diplomas from all colleges and universities attended to the IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs (OIA). OIA will evaluate your transcripts to determine if eligibility requirements for graduate study have been met.
Please mail transcripts, marksheets and diploma to:
Office of International Affairs
Indiana University Indianapolis
902 W. New York Street, ES2126
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Office: (317) 274-7000
Fax: (317) 274-2213
Email: intlaff@iu.edu
Web: international.indianapolis.iu.edu
Updated: April 2025
