Degree Programs
Master of Health Administration
The graduate program in health administration is offered by IU Fairbanks School of Public Health. The Master of Health Administration has a long and distinguished history of preparing students for leadership positions in healthcare organizations. Recognized for its exceptional faculty, ground breaking research, study abroad opportunities, an amazing network of alumni and mentors, and networking opportunities with visiting experts. We're located minutes from the top five Indianapolis health systems and we have the largest health administration alumni network in Indiana.
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree has a long and distinguished history of preparing students to assume management and leadership positions in healthcare organizations. Our graduates go on to work in health systems, hospitals, physician practices, HMOs, long term care facilities and health insurance organizations, as well as serving as consultants. Many of CEOs of health organizations in Indiana are graduates of the Fairbanks School of Public Health MHA program.
As an MHA student, you’ll take courses that develop your business skills and you’ll become knowledgeable about the dynamic health care environment. Advanced courses include project work for health care organizations. You’ll acquire practical experience through a variety of experiential learning opportunities, including paid summer internships, our mentor program, which matches individual students with local health care executives, and health-related part-time positions. The programmatic competencies integrated into the program include an understanding of the American health care system, leadership and professionalism in the workplace, human resources management, health law/ethics, quantitative skills, financial skills, information skills, decision making, implementing change, and personal development.
This advanced program attracts professionals and students interested in a variety of leadership opportunities in hospitals, managed care, ambulatory care, and voluntary health agencies. Opportunities also exist in consulting firms, corporate health programs, insurance, government, and other regulatory agencies. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education and is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.
Approximately one-third of the students in the program have professional backgrounds; the remaining two-thirds come directly from undergraduate programs. In the classroom, this mix creates a dynamic environment of fresh perspectives and practical experience. The versatile faculty teach a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum interwoven with current research and events. The M.H.A. program requires 51 graduate semester credit hours.
A summer internship between the first and second year of study is an excellent opportunity to learn from a health industry leader. The internship offers students valuable experience in the health care field and is an excellent opportunity to blend academic preparation with hands-on experience. Positions are available throughout the United States.
A mentorship program utilizing local M.H.A. alumni and friends of the school gives students the opportunity to meet a variety of practicing health care professionals. Mentors are available in all segments of the health care field and range from recent graduates to corporate officers and senior public officials.
Our students are successfully competing for national administrative fellowships after graduation. Fellowships have been awarded to M.H.A. program graduates from institutions that include Good Samaritan Health System in Nebraska; Winston Fellowship and Washington Hospital Group in Washington, D.C.; Baylor Medical Center in Houston; Cleveland Clinics in Cleveland; and the American College of Healthcare Executives in Chicago. Most fellowships provide a two-year paid administrative experience.
Degree Requirements (51 credit hours)
Part-time students must complete at least 6 credit hours each semester to remain in good standing. All students must complete the program's academic requirements within five calendar years of matriculation.
To complete this degree, you will take a combination of required Health Administration courses and Practical Experience courses that together total 51 credits. The specific distribution of courses is as follows:
The specific distribution of courses is as follows:
Health Administration Required Courses
Take all 16 courses for a total of 48 credits
- H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 credits)
- H508 Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision-Making (3 credits)
- H509 Financial Management Principles of Healthcare (3 credits)
- H514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- H516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 credits)
- H518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 credits)
- H521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 credits)
- H523 Health Services Human Resources Management (3 credits)
- H610 Lean Principles for Healthcare (3 credits)
- H612 Marketing Health Services Delivery (3 credits)
- H623 Healthcare Applications of Strategic Management (3 credits)
- H624 Developing Strategic Capability (3 credits)
- H628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- H645 Leadership in Healthcare Administration (3 credits)
- H646 Operations Management for Healthcare Organizations (3 credits)
- P506 Population and Public Health (3 credits)
Health Administration Practical Experience
H702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 credits)
Part-time students must complete at least 6 credit hours each semester to remain in good standing. All students must complete the program's academic requirements within five calendar years of matriculation.
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, non-profit, 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
MHA students are admitted for matriculation in the fall of each year. The MHA program does not accept applications for admission in the spring term. You may apply to the Master of Health Administration Program online using either HAMPCAS or SOPHAS. HAMPCAS is the Healthcare Administration, Management and Policy Centralized Application Service. SOPHAS is the centralized Schools of Public Health Application Service. Preference is not given to one system over the other. The application deadlines are:
- International Application Deadline: February 1
- Priority Deadline: February 15
- Final Deadline: May 31
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. All students who apply to the MHA program by the priority deadline, February 15th, will automatically be considered for scholarships.
Please note that all applications must be verified by HAMPCAS or SOPHAS prior to the May 31 deadline, a process that generally takes 4 to 5 weeks to be completed. Applications that are not verified by HAMPCAS or SOPHAS by May 31 are not guaranteed review by the MHA Program Committee.
Admission Criteria
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college with an expected grade point average of 3.0 (official transcript).
- Official GRE scores.
- Personal statement
- Resume or CV
- Three letters of reference
- Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in required pre-requisite courses prior to enrolling. Required undergraduate pre-requisite courses include:
- An undergraduate microeconomics course (e.g. ECON-E 201: Microeconomics or pre-approved equivalent) must be completed before you will be permitted to enroll in PBHL-H 514: Health Economics.
- An undergraduate accounting course (e.g. PBHL-H 200: Health Care Accounting or pre-approved equivalent) must be completed before you will be permitted to enroll in PBHL-H 508: Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision Making.
- An undergraduate statistics course (e.g. PBHL-B 300: Introduction to Biostatistics or pre-approved equivalent) must be completed before you will be permitted to enroll in PBHL-H 518: Statistical Methods for Health Service.
- Competent written and oral communication skills.
Students meeting these requirements are not guaranteed admission.
Eligible applicants may be invited to an on-campus interview day. Due to limited interview spots, it is important that you submit your application early, in order to secure an interview spot.
Please note that all applications must be verified by HAMPCAS or SOPHAS prior to the May 31 deadline. Applications generally take four to five weeks to be verified by HAMPCAS and 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 HAMPCAS or SOPHAS, by May 31 are not guaranteed full consideration by the MHA Admission Committee.
Admission Requirements
- Personal Statement
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Recommendations
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
All applicants are required to submit official GRE scores earned within the past five years.
- A minimum total score (Verbal and Quantitative scores combined) of 301 is expected
- A minimum of score 3.5 is expected on the Analytical Writing section of the exam.
It is preferred that applicants score at or above the 50th percentile in each section of the exam.
- When applying via HAMPCAS use GRE code: 0416.
- When applying via SOPHAS use GRE code: 0167.
The following exams can be substituted in place of the GRE: LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT.
International Applicants
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 lease 1 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 mosty efficiently.
Executive Master of Health Administration
The Executive MHA is intended for working health care professionals who want the skills and education to take the next step in their career. This degree prepares you for greater organizational responsibilities and leadership roles. While the course content is the same in this track, you will have the opportunity to learn alongside other working professionals while building your network and applying what you learn to your current work environment.
Executive MHA Curriculum
To complete this degree, you will take a combination of required Health Administration courses and Practical Experience courses that together total 51 credits.
Health Administration Required Courses
Take all 16 courses for a total of 48 credits
- H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 credits)
- H508 Managing Healthcare Accounting Information for Decision-Making (3 credits)
- H509 Financial Management Principles of Healthcare (3 credits)
- H514 Health Economics (3 credits)
- H516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 credits)
- H518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 credits)
- H521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 credits)
- H523 Health Services Human Resources Management (3 credits)
- H610 Lean Principles for Healthcare (3 credits)
- H612 Marketing Health Services Delivery (3 credits)
- H623 Healthcare Applications of Strategic Management (3 credits)
- H624 Developing Strategic Capability (3 credits)
- H628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- H645 Leadership in Healthcare Administration (3 credits)
- H646 Operations Management for Healthcare Organizations (3 credits)
- P506 Population and Public Health (3 credits)
Health Administration Practical Experience
- H702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 credits)
Candidates in the executive track may receive up to nine credit hours for their experience. Please contact the MHA program director, Dr. Ann Johnston, at annljohn@iu.edu for more information.
Executive MHA Admission Criteria
Application, admission, and degree-granting requirements and regulations shall be applied equitably to all individuals, applicants and students regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.
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.
International Application Deadline: February 1
Priority Deadline:
February 15
Final Deadline:
May 31
- At least three to five years of health care related work experience (in a clinical or non-clinical position)
- Must be currently working full-time in health care
- Resume
- Three letters of recommendation – one from immediate supervisor or senior leader
- 3.0 or better GPA in undergraduate or other master's level program
- Most recent transcript
- No GRE
International Applicants
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 1 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. Go to www.wes.org/sophas/ for more information.
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 IUPUI 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-Purdue University in Indianapolis
902 W. New York Street, ES2126
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Updated February 23, 2021
