MHA FAQ
In what types of agencies do health administration graduates work?
Health administration graduates are prepared for roles in places such as: hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, the healthcare consulting industry, the pharmaceutical industry, research, rehabilitation centers, healthcare finance, health information technology, government agencies, advocacy groups, insurance companies, non-profit organizations, law firms, and more.
What types of jobs are available to health administration graduates?
Depending on a graduate's academic and work experiences, they may be looking for their first professional job, or to advance in their career. New grads may find themselves in entry-level management positions or in healthcare specialist, coordinator, or analytic roles, while more experienced graduates may be looking at middle- to executive-level leadership roles. Graduates may take on positions in clinical or business operations, finance, quality improvement, patient experience, human resources, and policy development, to name a few.
Does the MHA degree offer concentrations?
Currently, there are no specific concentrations within the MHA degree. However, there are graduate minors available that may be of interest to MHA students.
Is the MHA program accredited?
Yes. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited our program in October of 2019. Prospective students can read more about the benefits of a CEPH-accredited program on the CEPH website. The MHA program is also in its candidacy stages for the CAHME accreditation. Prospective students can read more about the benefits of a CAHME-accredited program on the CAHME website.
Can I start the MHA program in the Spring or Summer semester?
Due to the importance that our program places on cohort learning, the Master of Health Administration program only accepts applications for Fall admission.
Does the MHA program offer an online degree option?
The MHA program is designed as an in-person curriculum, where we value the small class sizes and close-knit connections among our students. Although there is not an online option for students in the program at this time, there may be limited instances of remote learning.
Can I pursue the MHA program as a part-time student?
No, the MHA program is designed as a full-time program.
Can I transfer credits from another institution?
Before beginning the credit transfer process, MHA students should first meet with the MHA Program Assistant Director to see if the desired credits will apply to the MHA plan of study. Also, note that all MHA students must obtain at least 36 credit hours directly through the MHA curriculum, and must be enrolled in the program for at least three semesters to meet MHA graduation requirements.
Credits used as part of another degree cannot be transferred to the MHA program. This means that students may not request to transfer courses from another degree that has already been awarded into the MHA degree. The MHA Program follows the University of Illinois Graduate College guidelines for transferring credit. These guidelines are detailed here.
What are the minimum GPA and GRE score requirements?
Applicants are required to have at least a 3.0 calculated from the last 60 hours (approximately two years) of undergraduate coursework. To retain their admission status, admitted MHA students must maintain a 3.0 minimum GPA during each undergraduate semester after being admitted to the MHA program.
As of the Fall 2021, submitting GRE scores is optional. Even if GRE scores are submitted, there is no specific score or percentile threshold that is set for admission criteria. We review applications in a holistic manner.
All MHA students are expected to maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 during the MHA coursework. Failure to maintain this minimum GPA at the graduate level will result in the student being placed on Academic Probation by the Graduate College.
What is a holistic application review?
Grade point averages provide insight to an applicant’s academic work, but we know that an academic record does not reflect all of the desired qualities we look for in our MHA students. In addition to doing a thorough review of each applicant’s transcript (and test scores if submitted), the MHA Admissions Committee also considers work and volunteer history, participation in extra-curricular activities, and recommendation letters. Strong applications also demonstrate attributes that are highly desirable in health administration roles such as leadership, innovation, teamwork, problem-solving, reliability, taking initiative, and solid verbal and written communication skills.
Is there a supplemental application for the MHA program at Illinois?
No. All application materials are submitted through HAMPCAS. Upon being offered admission, international students are required to complete additional forms related to visa requirements.