Lead Change in Healthcare

An applicant’s potential for distinguished academic and professional achievement is the principal criterion for admission to the EMHA program. In addition, applicants should ideally have at least five to seven years of experience working in health administrative roles involving growing responsibilities and involvement within the healthcare sector.

*Note: applications are reviewed holistically. Those who do not meet that criteria but feel they have sufficient experience are still encouraged to apply or contact Robert Acosta for advisement.

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in undergraduate course work is required. Allowances may be made when justified by exceptional work experience and letters of recommendation.

Interested applicants should pre-qualify their application before beginning the official USC Graduate Admissions process. Applicants for the Executive Master of Health Administration apply directly to the program.

NOTE: Qualified applicants are not required to take either the GRE or the GMAT to be considered for admission to the Executive MHA.

Interested applicants may be requested to schedule and complete an interview as part of the application process. The interview is particularly helpful to explore the applicant’s professional background and alignment of professional goals with the Executive MHA program.

In assessing an application, the principal admission criterion is potential for continued distinguished academic and professional achievement. In addition, applicants should demonstrate:

• A minimum of three years of experience (five years highly recommended) with progressively greater levels of responsibility in health care
• Demonstrated managerial experience including supervisory and budgetary responsibilities
• Strong recommendation letters from professional references
• Strong personal statement of purpose
• Past performance as evidenced by work experience, community service and prior academic accomplishments
• Commitment to educational and career goals, as demonstrated particularly in the written statement
• Ability to contribute to a collaborative learning environment

Per Unit Cost: $2,354
Per Term: $14,124 (6 units)
Total Tuition Cost: $84,744 (36 units)

Application Fee: $90
Books/Supplies: Approx. $750-1,500
Residency: $1,950*
*$975 charged with tuition for HMGT-520 course, $975 charged with tuition for HMGT-570 course

Other Fees: $1,000 – $2,000 depending on cost of airfare and lodging for residency

The ability to pay for your education is always an important consideration. Many organizations offer tuition assistance to employees and, in some cases, cover 100 percent of tuition costs. Programs and policies vary among employers. Consult your human resources office to learn more about tuition assistance at your organization.

Many options are available to fund your graduate education. The USC Financial Aid Office administers federal and private programs to assist you.

For more information on applying for Financial Aid, please visit USC Financial Aid.

Military Service Member Support and Yellow Ribbon Benefits

The USC Price Executive MHA online program is proud to welcome active duty, military dependents and veterans. We offer a number of dedicated resources available for military applicants and students. Active-duty military, veterans, spouses and dependents can request an application fee waiver from the graduate school and the USC Veterans Certification Office can assist with using your military tuition benefits.

We also partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide Yellow Ribbon benefits up to $5,000 for each award to qualified students. The Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional funding for veterans who wish to attend private institutions which can be used to meet any or all of unmet tuition/fee needs, but cannot exceed the total cost of tuition and fees. To qualify to receive Yellow Ribbon benefits, students must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate (100%) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (based on service requirements).

To receive the Yellow Ribbon Program benefits students must be admitted to the University and registered for classes. Once enrolled, submit the following packet to USC’s School Certifying Official:

• Recent Certificate of Eligibility
• Completed Application for Semester Entitlement (ASE) Form
• Copy of a valid photo identification

Take your certificate of eligibility to the Veterans Certification Office and ask them to certify your enrollment to the VA, including Yellow Ribbon. Per federal regulations, eligible recipients will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: The college or university must certify your enrollment to the VA; you may not do so yourself.

Application fee waivers are available for the Executive Master of Health Administration online program. To receive a fee waiver, applicants must schedule a meeting with Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions, Robert Acosta. Due to processing times, you must meet this requirement at least one week before the final deadline for the term you are applying.