Curriculum
The Ohio State University MHA program consists of two years of full-time academic coursework with a practice-based administrative residency between the first and second year. Our MHA program is designed to develop student competencies in four areas, including:
- Management Function and Skills
- Health Systems and Community
- Leadership and Professionalism
- Analytic Skills
Admission Requirements
The College of Public Health uses a holistic approach to admissions for the Master of Health Administration. We carefully review academic credentials including a minimum 3.0 GPA, personal statements, references and interviews to select students who are a great fit for our MHA program. Carefully review the requirements as you build your application for admission to our program.
Review application requirements
The first year of the program is designed to provide you with foundational knowledge about the U.S. health care system and to develop critical thinking, analytic and communication skills. You then have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom in a health care organization.
The second year is designed to further develop student competencies while also providing opportunities for integrative, case and practice-based learning. You also have the opportunity to focus your own interests through electives available within the College of Public Health and throughout the university.
One of the primary goals of our program is to ensure that you develop the competencies that we have identified as important for a career in health care management. We track your progress using a variety of methods including self assessment at different points in the program, in courses and with feedback from residency preceptors. We routinely review your academic progress to improve our program and our courses. More broadly, we routinely ask our MHA students for formal and informal feedback to help us improve academic curriculum and overall student experience.
A unique course in the MHA curriculum assigns MHA students to a clinical care team in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to provide practical care experiences and enhance students' understanding of patient care processes. The requirement of an Administrative Residency between the first and second year of coursework also provides practical field experience.
Our courses are taught by full-time program faculty who are experts in the areas of health care management, economics, policy and other related fields and/or adjunct faculty who have relevant faculty experience, all of whom are committed to teaching. Courses are taught using a variety of methods, including lecture, class discussion, case analyses, guest speakers and other projects from the field of practice.
The vast majority of our full-time MHA students complete the program in two years. Typically, 90% to 95% of our graduates obtain professional positions in health care organizations within three months of graduation, and the remainder within six months. Learn more about our MHA graduates and their career paths.
