Master of Health Administration
D. Michael Leibert, Graduate Director
411 Glass Hall, Phone (417) 836-4444
MLeibert@missouristate.edu
Program Description
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree is a College of Business degree that includes several interdisciplinary courses contributed by other colleges on campus. The program is designed for students holding at least an undergraduate degrees who wish to further their careers in the management of health organizations including integrated systems, hospitals, group practices, long-term care facilities, clinics, managed care organizations, and other types of health organizations. The program can be completed in as little as two years. Students with little or no undergraduate work in business are welcome, and will normally require additional time for completion.
The MHA program is accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Admission Requirements
- The student must have received at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- The student must have a GPA of at least 2.75 for the last 60 hours of academic work and submit a score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or equivalent standardized exam.
- Students who do not meet the admission requirements, but who show indication of high promise will be considered for probationary admission.
- All other University and Graduate College requirements for admission to a degree program will also apply. Qualified applicants may enter the program at the beginning of any semester. For information on the GMAT or GRE, please contact the Graduate College (836-5335) or the Missouri State University Counseling and Testing Center (836-5116).
Applicants from foreign countries whose native language is not English are required to submit scores on the TOEFL. Normally, TOEFL scores of 550 on the paper-based or a comparable score of 213 on the computer-based are required for admission.
Core Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 688 | Healthcare Accounting Concepts | 3 hrs |
| CIS 761 | Management Information Systems* | 3 hrs |
| ECO 604 | Health Care Economics* | 3 hrs |
| FIN 788 | Healthcare Financial Management | 3 hrs |
| MGT 701 | Health Services Organization | 3 hrs |
| MGT 702 | Managing Healthcare Organizations* | 3 hrs |
| MGT 703 | Organizational Behavior in Healthcare Organizations* | 3 hrs |
| MGT 704 | Human Resources in Healthcare Organizations* | 3 hrs |
| MGT 705 | Strategic Management of Healthcare Organizations* | 3 hrs |
| MGT 711 | Measurement and Management of Quality in Healthcare* | 3 hrs |
| PBH 720 | Epidemiology | 3 hrs |
| PLS 754 | Seminar in Health Policy | 3 hrs |
| Core Total: | 36 hrs |
*Course prerequisites may be required.
Research Requirement. Significant supervised quantitative and qualitative research projects in MGT 701, MGT 711, PLS 754, PBH 720 and culminating in the capstone MGT 705 course. Satisfies the research requirement of the Graduate College.
Executive MHA Option (EMHA)
When offered to a select group of students, typically a cohort, with significant professional experience, the MHA Program may be presented in a format referred to as the Executive MHA Option or the EMHA. From a curricular viewpoint, the EMHA is structured in the same way as the traditional MHA, however, the sequencing presentation format and mix of core and elective courses will be designed in such a way as to maximize the benefit to working professionals such as physicians, senior clinicians and healthcare executives.
GMAT/GRE scores are not required for admission to the EMHA, however, the applicant will need to provide documentation verifying at least 3 years of professional experience.
For EMHA students, prerequisite requirements for the core program courses will be satisfied through appropriate prior course work, relevant professional experience or by an individualized study program developed and supervised by the EMHA Program Director.
The credit hour costs for classes taken by students enrolled in the EMHA program are assessed at a higher rate than the traditional MHA offerings due to additional expenditures associated with the program.
Admission Requirements
- Completion of a regionally accredited undergraduate degree.
- Completion of 3 or more years of professional experience.
Accelerated MHA Option
Undergraduate majors in the College of Business may apply for admission to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program during the second semester of their junior year. If accepted, up to 6 hours of 700- or 700-level College of Business classes taken in the senior year may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. As an MHA graduation requirement, students exercising the accelerated MHA option will be required to have had one year of professional experience or a 3 hours internship.
Before enrolling in a course that will apply to both the undergraduate program and the master's program an undergraduate student must:
- Be accepted into the accelerated program.
- Receive prior approval from th graduate program director, department head, and Dean of the Graduate College. This is done by using a Mixed Credit Form.
Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule Period for the course(s). See the Graduate College for further information.
Admission Requirements
- Completion of 80 or more hours at time of application.
- An overall GPA of 3.00 or better.
- A score of 450 or better on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
Academic Standing
A student who fails to attain a 3.00 GPA after completing the approved program may enroll for additional course work not to exceed 6 hours to raise the GPA. The course work will be approved by the Graduate Program Director and the Dean of the College of Business.
The maximum class load for a full-time student is normally 12 hours per semester. An overload is permitted only after students have demonstrated their ability to achieve an outstanding graduate record at this university. Students employed on a full-time job generally should not enroll for more than 6 semester hours. All other University and Graduate College requirements governing grading and attendance will apply.
To enroll in graduate courses in the College of Business, a student must be admitted to a graduate program in the College of Business or have special permission. Students not meeting one of these conditions can be dropped from the course(s) at any time during the session involved.
Degree Requirements
The program requires a minimum 36 hours of graduate credit plus any necessary prerequisite courses.