Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) Admission & Application Requirements

Deadlines

In the MHA program, applications are accepted, processed, and acted upon for Fall, Spring, or Summer admissions process as they are received. This means there is no specific application deadline. Students should plan to allow for at least 10 business days processing time for applications prior to the start of a semester. Therefore, we encourage applicants to submit their applications as early as possible before the desired semester start. Submitting an application does not guarantee admission. Applicants are ranked on admission criteria and program seat availability. Please contact the Graduate Studies Office if you have questions.

Part 1: Graduate Studies Application

Admission Requirement
Instructions
  1. Online graduate application

Submit the Graduate Online Application - This is only the first step in the application process.

  1. $35 Non-Refundable application fee for all graduate applications

After you complete the Graduate Online Application:

  • Log in to eServices with your StarID.
  • Click on Bills and Payment, and you will be able to pay the application fee using a credit or debit card.

Note: Upon completion of the application form in step one, you will receive an email in 1-2 business days giving instructions for the remaining steps and completing the program application in Part 2. Please note that the steps below cannot be completed until you receive that email. If you do not receive the email with Self Service Center instructions, please contact the Graduate Studies Office.

  1. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

Contact ALL the colleges and universities you have attended and have your transcripts sent to:

Graduate Studies Office, MSU Moorhead
1104 7th Avenue South
Moorhead, MN 56563

You do not need to order transcripts from MSUM or other Minnesota State system institutions. See Transcript Policy for more details.

Part 2: Graduate Program Application

  1. Baccalaureate, masters, and/or doctorate degree from an accredited institution; no specific major or emphasis is required.

The Graduate Studies Office and the MHA Department will check this item once we have received all of your transcripts. Although no specific major or emphasis is required, preference may be given to students with healthcare related degrees.

  1. Cumulative GPA of highest earned degree of 3.0 or at least 3.25 for the last 30 semester credits; provisional admissions are provided on a case-by-case basis for those students that do not meet the minimum GPA.

The Graduate Studies Office and the MHA Department will check this item once we have received all of your transcripts.

  1. Essay

Prepare a 500 word essay on the future of healthcare. Put your name on all pages.

  • Log in to the Self Service Center site (allow 24 hours after application submission before logging in).
  • Select the “Applications” tab, where you will see your graduate application listed.
  • Select “Summary” to see a list of all program requirements and corresponding statuses.
  • Upload document by selecting the “Upload” link under the respective “Action” column.
  1. Cover Letter

Prepare a cover letter introducing yourself and why you are interested in the Master of Healthcare Administration. Put your name on all pages.

  • Log in to the Self Service Center site (allow 24 hours after application submission before logging in).
  • Select the “Applications” tab, where you will see your graduate application listed.
  • Select “Summary” to see a list of all program requirements and corresponding statuses.
  • Upload document by selecting the “Upload” link under the respective “Action” column.
  1. Professional Resume

Prepare a resume that includes education, work experience, volunteer activities, etc. Put your name on all pages.

  • Log in to the Self Service Center site (allow 24 hours after application submission before logging in).
  • Select the “Applications” tab, where you will see your graduate application listed.
  • Select “Summary” to see a list of all program requirements and corresponding statuses.
  • Upload document by selecting the “Upload” link under the respective “Action” column.
  1. Two recommendations
  • Log in to the Self Service Center site (allow 24 hours after application submission before logging in).
  • Select the “Applications” tab, where you will see your graduate application listed.
  • If you have not submitted contact information yet, select “Continue” to go into your application and complete program app and recommender information.
  • After clicking “Submit Application” you will need to contact the Graduate Studies Office for any recommender information changes.
  • Your recommenders will receive an e-mail from the Graduate Studies Office asking them to fill out the recommendation form.
  • To check the status of your recommendations later, select “Summary” in the Applications tab.
  1. This requirement will be verified by the MHA Program

PLEASE NOTE: For students with no more than 1 year of healthcare experience, students must have evidence of an undergraduate healthcare internship experience and/or specific course work related to healthcare administration/leadership. If these requirements are missing, students will need to take the following courses prior to admission to the MHA program:

  • HSAD 416 – Healthcare Leadership and Management
  • HSAD 419 – Healthcare Finance and Reimbursement Methods
  • HSAD 420 – Health Policy and Economics

*International students please see additional admission requirements.