Prerequisites

Thank you for your interest in continuing your health administration education through Penn State World Campus. If you have any questions throughout the admissions process, please contact an admissions counselor.

Penn State's online MHA program is suitable for individuals of diverse backgrounds and requires no prerequisite course work. However, for your admission to the program, it is preferred that you have work experience in health care.

For admission to the Graduate School, you must have received, from an accredited institution, a baccalaureate degree (3.0 GPA preferred on a 4.0 scale) with requirements substantially equivalent to those at Penn State. (Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.)

Application Deadline

Applications are now being accepted for the fall 2012 semester cohort. Your degree application, including receipt of all application materials, must be received by June 1, 2012.

Application Materials

A completed application (including a nonrefundable application fee) — Your application must be submitted electronically following the directions provided in the application.

Personal statement — You should submit a personal statement not to exceed two single-spaced pages, which should describe your specific career goals and objectives, prior experience relevant to the decision to pursue an advanced degree, and other information that may be useful to the admissions committee.

Résumé — A listing of your professional experience

Two references — You will need to initiate the process through the online application by entering names and email addresses of two references. Those individuals will each receive an email asking them to complete a brief online recommendation specifically regarding your commitment to the health care profession and potential for success in an online program. Please inform all references that they must submit the form for your application to be complete.

Interview — As an applicant, you will be asked to participate in a brief interview, via Skype or in-person if you choose, to assess your potential for success in an online program and the profession.

Two official transcripts — You must provide two copies of official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution that you attended, regardless of the number of credits or semesters you completed. (Penn State even has a convenient transcript request form. Penn State alumni do not need to request transcripts for credits earned at Penn State.) Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.

Official Test Scores — GRE or GMAT scores are required. Applicants with five or more years of working experience (some health care work experience is preferred) do not need to submit standardized test scores.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score, if applicable. TOEFL scores must be submitted by all international applicants unless otherwise specified. Please see the Language Proficiency section of the International Students page of the website for undergraduate and graduate program requirements. Visit the TOEFL website or call 609-771-7100 for more information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.

Applying to the Master's Degree

1. Read the admissions requirements.
2. Begin the Graduate School application.
   1. On the "Admissions and Program Information Portal" page, choose "Apply Now."
   2. When you get to the "Campus, Major, Degree, and Semester" page:
      1. Choose "WORLD CAMPUS" as the campus.
      2. Choose "HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION" as the major.
      3. Choose “M H A” as the degree.