Admissions Overview

To qualify for the program, applicants must meet the following admissions requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Transcripts from each institution attended; a University of Southern California alumnus does not need to submit official transcript
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • Professional resume
  • Personal statement of purpose – a brief personal statement describing your reasons for pursuing the Executive Master of Health Administration degree, how the degree will enhance or transition your career and what you hope to contribute to the field

Executive MHA Admissions Criteria

The principal admission criterion is potential for continued distinguished academic and professional achievement.

To be considered for admission to the Executive MHA, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and five or more years of relevant professional experience, either in health care or a related field. Under normal circumstances, no applicant having a grade point average of less than 3.0 calculated over the last 60 units of credit will be admitted to the program.

Interested applicants should pre-qualify their application before beginning the official USC Graduate Admissions process.

In assessing an application, the admission committee evaluates:

  • 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

Specifically, EMHA admission criteria is based on:

  • A minimum of 5-8 years professional experience at mid to senior career level with demonstrated upward potential
  • Demonstrated managerial experience including supervisory and budgetary responsibilities
  • Strong recommendation letters from professional references
  • Strong personal statement of purpose

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.

Academic Calendar

The USC Price School’s EMHA’s flexible, online format allows several convenient start dates throughout the year.

Fall 2018
Application Deadline: 8/10/2018
Term Start Date: 9/05/2018
Term End Date: 12/15/2018

Spring 2019
Application Deadline: 12/07/2018
Term Start Date: 1/09/2019
Term End Date: 4/23/2019

Summer 2019
Application Deadline: 4/13/2019
Term Start Date: 5/09/2019
Term End Date: 8/11/2019

Tuition and Fees

Tuition

Per Credit Hour: $1,863
Per Term: $11,178 (6 units)
Total Tuition: $67,068 (36 units)

Fees

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

Financial Aid

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.

Veterans Administration – Yellow Ribbon Benefits

The USC Price School is proud to partner with the Veterans Administration to provide VA Yellow Ribbon benefits to qualified students. The Price School has allocated funds for five Yellow Ribbon Awards each year at up to $10,000 for each award. 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.