5.2 Master of Health Administration
General Degree Requirements
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program offers two degree pathways: the in-person Residential MHA and the online Executive MHA. The specific requirements relating to each degree pathway are explained on the program website: Master of Health Administration Program.
Residential MHA Program
The residential Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is an in-person graduate degree requiring 57 credit hours of coursework distributed among required courses and electives. The program includes professional development activities and a required administrative residency experience.
Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) Program
The Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) program is a fully online, asynchronous graduate degree designed for working healthcare professionals and requires 45 credit hours of prescribed coursework. The program incorporates applied learning throughout the curriculum and does not require a separate administrative residency.
Requirements Applicable to All MHA Students
All students enrolled in either the MHA or EMHA program are expected to:
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the Graduate School and College of Public Health.
- Comply with all Graduate School, College of Public Health, and University policies.
- Complete the degree requirements associated with their respective program pathway.
- Adhere to University standards for academic integrity and professional conduct.
In-Person Residential MHA Program Requirements
The following requirements apply to students enrolled in the traditional in-person Residential Master of Health Administration (MHA) program.
Prerequisites
A minimum of three credit hours of introductory financial accounting is required. Recommended undergraduate courses at Ohio State are ACCTMIS 2200 or 2000. Students who have not met this prerequisite at the time of admission must complete the prerequisite by the summer prior to beginning the program. In extreme situations, students who have not met this prerequisite may be admitted to the program to begin coursework, after receiving approval to do so by the MHA Program Director or the HSMP Chair, but the requirement must be satisfied by the end of the first semester.
Professional Development Series
All residential full-time first-year MHA students are required to participate in the program’s professional development series. Part-time MHA students are strongly encouraged to participate in the professional development series. The series typically meets once per week and requires additional work outside of the classroom. It is designed to help students hone their career interests, develop their professional skills, and finalize market-ready professional documents, e.g., resumes and cover letters. Although there is no course credit associated with the series, student performance will be evaluated as satisfactory/unsatisfactory based on their participation and completion of assignments. First-year students must receive a “satisfactory” evaluation in the professional development series in order to participate in any program-sponsored residency placement.
Administrative Summer Residency
Each MHA student in the in-person program is required to satisfy a practice placement requirement, which is ordinarily accomplished through a summer administrative residency placement during the summer between the first and second academic years upon successful completion of coursework in the first academic year. If a student does not complete all first year academic courses, they will need to complete their Administrative Summer Residency the following summer. Part-time MHA students complete their Administrative Summer Residency typically in the summer between their second and third year of study. Although MHA students are not enrolled for course credit during the residency placement, they are expected to meet the same minimum time allocation as MPH students (120 hours); in practice the time spent is usually considerably more. The student is not registered during the residency period both as an economy measure for the student and because the specific content is established by the residency program rather than the academic program.
MHA students who are working as health care professionals during the time they are in the program are encouraged to substitute practice activities that are different from their regular work duties for the administrative residency. However, even students who have substantial health care experience benefit from the opportunity to observe and practice management under the guidance of a preceptor, without the pressure of a regular employment relationship and with the clear expectation that the residency will be tailored to fit individual backgrounds and interests. The detailed policies governing the residency are found in the Guidelines for the Residency Program.
Non-Ohio Summer Residencies
Out-of-state students who wish to leave the state of Ohio for the administrative residency and not jeopardize their eligibility to apply for Ohio residency for the upcoming school year, must submit an Approval Form for Non-Ohio Internships, which is available through the University Registrar’s website section titled, “Ohio Residency for Tuition Purposes.” If approved, students must maintain their residence in Ohio and pay their own expenses while living out of state for the administrative residency. Please refer to the Residency Guide for specific requirements.
Online Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) Program Requirements
The Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) program is designed for experienced healthcare professionals and is delivered in a fully online, asynchronous format.
Program Structure
The Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) curriculum consists of 45 credit hours of required coursework; no elective courses are included in the program of study. The curriculum is structured to provide flexibility for working professionals while maintaining the rigor and competency expectations of the Master of Health Administration degree.
Experiential Learning
The EMHA curriculum integrates applied and experiential learning throughout the program. Students are expected to draw upon their professional experience and organizational settings as they complete course assignments and leadership development activities.
Professional Experience
Because the EMHA program is intended for experienced healthcare professionals, students are expected to contribute professional perspectives, leadership experiences, and organizational applications throughout the curriculum.
Residency Requirement
The EMHA program does not require a summer administrative residency or separate practice placement experience because experiential learning objectives are embedded throughout the curriculum.