No other MHA program in the U.S. can match the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s academic reputation, comprehensive curriculum, competitive tuition rates and real-time, online format as part of its executive education. As a result, our Executive MHA program is unsurpassed in educational value. This is a leadership program aimed at developing current working healthcare professionals who expect to be running significant health organizations.

Starting Dates
We run two MHA cohorts each year. One group starts in August and the other in December. Pick the one that works best for you.

Application Deadlines
The application deadline for the MHA August start date (FALL session) is JUNE 1st. The application deadline for the December start date (SPRING session) is NOVEMBER 1st.

Tuition Costs
Out-of-state MHA tuition is about $37K for the entire three-year program (or about $12K per year). In-state tuition is about half that amount. (Please note: tuition rates are likely to increase in future academic years.)

Compare those rates with some of our peers:

• University of Michigan
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Minnesota
• Harvard University

Student Loans
Because these programs are considered part-time and because most students are working, traditional student loans may not be available. However, check with your employer about tuition reimbursement opportunities.

Competitiveness
Our online MHA program is fairly competitive, but not elitist. We generally accept 40 students per cohort out of about 160 people who initiate the application process with us each year.

Average Age
The average age of our executive students is about 35. Our oldest students are in their mid-to-late 50s and our youngest students are in their mid-20s.

Length of Program
Because this is a part-time program, it will take you three years to finish your Master of Health Administration degree. You should expect to spend 15-20 hours a week on your coursework (including through the summer).

Executive Leadership Format
All of our MHA courses are taught online and recorded. However, we require three campus visits at the beginning, middle and end of each school year – totaling 18 days of on-campus time. This on-campus time is not an option, but a requirement. We fully understand what you'll be giving up. But we think it's a crucial component of your executive education.

Travel Convenience
UNC is 20 minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport – providing easy fly-in and fly-out access. We are also just off Interstate 40 for easy driving access. Numerous quality hotels reside near the university and public transportation is readily available.

MHA and MPH Differences
The MPH requires 48 credit hours and is for those who aspire to executive public health positions. The MHA requires 60 credit hours and includes more coursework in accounting, finance, marketing, operations decision analysis and continuous quality improvement. The MHA degree is for those who aspire to executive positions in hospitals or related health services.

Our Vision
Our goal is to train and develop the next generation of top healthcare and public health executive leaders – people who will be managing and leading during the significant and challenging healthcare years that lie ahead. (Click here to read about these challenges from our Program Director, Dr. Jim Porto.)

Different and Better
Here's how our program differs from other comparable institutions:

• Top Rankings - Only UNC is ranked as one of the top three programs by both the U.S. News & World Report and Modern Healthcare. Also, UNC's School of Public Health is the highest rank in the U.S. housed in public universities and is one of the oldest in the country.
• Top Faculty – Only UNC has had three faculty members win the prestigious John D. Thompson Prize for Young Investigators by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in the past decade.
• Financial Management – If you want to enhance your knowledge and skills in this critically important area, then UNC is the place to be. Our faculty are experts in the field and their textbooks are used in classes throughout the United States.
• Effective Executive Workshops – Only UNC offers 1- and 2-day workshops in a variety of managerial subjects. Here are just a few of the topics that have been covered: Political Savvy, Time Management, Applied Creativity, Crisis Communications, Effective Presentations, Advanced Excel, and Memory Mastery.
• Limited Campus Time – UNC limits campus time to three times a year for a total of 18 days. Other similar executive programs require far greater extensive on-campus time.
• Disaster Management – UNC has led the country in the development of programs and classes specifically built around the study of disaster management, including one of the top certificate programs.

How to Apply

1. Get in our System. Use the “Apply Online” link (upper left) to start the application process. You will need to fill out the application form and submit your statement of purpose. (There's no need to pay an application fee yet.)
2. Get the GRE out of the way. We are looking for a Quantitative score in the 50th percentile, so if you haven’t opened an algebra book in a few years – take a GRE Prep course or buy some review books and study. (MD, PhD, JD, or DDS are exempt if degree is from a U.S. or Canadian university.)
3. Submit all of your materials online -- transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.
4. Pay the $75 application fee before the deadline. This makes your application "official."
5. A reminder about deadlines -- they are June 1 for the Fall session) and November 1 for the Spring session. You must have all of your materials in by those dates in order for your application to be formally considered.

Still need to talk to somebody about our MHA degree program? Send us an e-mail or call us at (919) 966-7368.