Program Overview

Introduction to the Residential Master of Healthcare Administration

The Residential Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is designed to create the next generation of healthcare leaders. The program prepares students for the healthcare system of the future, providing a depth and breadth of healthcare knowledge that spans from the system to the individual, from finance to operations, to strategy, marketing, and beyond.

Our Curriculum

The UNC MHA curriculum is comprehensive, covering the fundamentals of healthcare business, including accounting, operations, strategy, data analysis, and leadership. In the first year, students immerse themselves in healthcare as a system, understanding how these fundamentals come together to create the healthcare system as we know it. After a summer internship of applied learning, students return in the second year to apply their learnings and expand their healthcare expertise through a deep dive into health economics, law, human resources, and finance, culminating in an applied Capstone experience.

Philosophy of Teaching

UNC MHA professors have high standards and are eager to support students in reaching them. Professors create a welcoming and engaging classroom environment through targeted lectures, guest speakers, case studies, team exercises, and applied scenarios. These experiences are scaffolded to take students from an emerging conceptual understanding of a discipline to a practice-ready level of mastery.

Philosophy of Grading

While grading is a fundamental part of monitoring progress in the program, it is not the most important part of the program experience. The UNC MHA does not assign letter grades and instead aligns with the UNC Graduate School grading policy, which assigns grades using the following scale:

• High Pass (H)
• Pass (P)
• Low Pass (L)
• Fail (F)

Dual Degrees and Certificates

The UNC MHA offers dual degree and certificate options to help students create the learning path that is right for them. These include:

• MBA/MHA, partnering with UNC Kenan-Flagler, with a time to completion of 3 years and potential career paths in venture capital in healthcare, investment banking in healthcare, pharmaceutical innovation management, and cross-industry consulting.
• MSIS/MHA, partnering with the UNC School of Information and Library Science, with a time to completion of 3 years and potential career paths as health informatics professionals and health data analysts.
• MSLS/MHA, also partnering with the UNC School of Information and Library Science, with a time to completion of 3 years and similar potential career paths.
• Certificate of Community Preparedness and Disaster Management, partnering with the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, which can be completed concurrently with the 2-year program and is applicable to any career path.
• Graduate Certificate in Public Health Informatics, also partnering with the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, which can be completed concurrently with the 2-year program and leads to career paths as health data analysts.

Admissions and Applications

Admissions Requirements

• An undergraduate degree with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (4.0 grading scale).
• A virtual interview for selected applicants.
• International applicants are required to submit a Financial Certificate.
• Preferred requirements include relevant work experience demonstrating a commitment to healthcare and preparation in microeconomics, accounting, and statistics.

Application Deadlines and Materials

• Application deadlines can be found on the program's website.
• Required application materials include:
  • Completion of the online Graduate School application.
  • A nonrefundable application fee, which may be waived under certain circumstances.
  • Transcripts from each university attended.
  • Three recommenders and their email addresses.
  • A personal statement addressing specific questions related to career goals, teamwork experience, and contributions to a positive learning environment.

FAQs

General Questions

• How many credits can I register for each semester? A minimum of 9 hours is required for a full-time student, and the maximum is 16 hours.
• Can I receive credit towards my degree for courses taken at another university while I am enrolled at UNC? Yes, under certain circumstances, with approval from the Residential Master's Program Director.
• Can credits or grades transfer from other institutions? Yes, graduate students can transfer up to 20% of the credits required for the degree, subject to approval.

Grading and Progress

• What grades are assigned for graduate courses? The university uses a nontraditional grading scheme: High Pass (H), Pass (P), Low Pass (L), Fail (F).
• Can I calculate a grade point average? No official grade point average is calculated.
• What grade do I need to maintain eligibility? To pass a course, a student must receive at least a Low Pass (L) grade.

Living in Chapel Hill

• What is it like to live in Chapel Hill? Information can be found through the UNC Visitor's Center, Town of Carrboro, and Town of Chapel Hill.
• Where can I learn more about housing in the area? Resources include Chapelhillrent.com and Apartment Ratings.com.
• How can I get around Chapel Hill? The bus system is convenient and free, with schedules available on the Chapel Hill Transit website.

Our Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission

The mission of the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program at UNC is to improve decision-making and leadership skills of professionals at all stages of their career who aspire to manage and lead equitable healthcare and public health organizations.

Vision

Educating healthcare leaders worldwide to develop, manage, and lead effective, equitable, and responsive healthcare and public health organizations.

Department Values

• Ethical standards
• Free intellectual exchange
• Student-centered environment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Balance and growth
• Focus on results

Awards and Funding

Students fund their education through a combination of sources, including loans, fellowships, awards, assistantships, and grants. Several awards and scholarships are supported by generous contributions from donors.

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation

The program offers opportunities for leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation, including cross-discipline innovation teams, pitch competitions, start-up accelerators, and case competitions.

Career Opportunities

Our graduates work as administrative fellows, healthcare analysts, healthcare consultants, hospital administrators, and healthcare strategists. They are employed by health systems, consultancies, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and payors.

MHA Placement Data

The program has a strong track record of placing graduates in responsible healthcare management positions, with many advancing to positions with greater management responsibility.

Support Our Department

At this pivotal time, the department calls on alumni and friends to support the empowerment of a new generation of transformative leaders who will build the healthcare system of the future. Support can be directed towards students attending conferences and other educational opportunities.