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HOME » ACADEMICS » GRADUATE STUDIES » GRADUATE PROGRAMS » ONLINE MASTER OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATION » FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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ONLINE Master of Health Administration Admission Requirements Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions 1. Is LSU Shreveport's 100% online MHA program accredited? Yes. The MHA program is based in LSU Shreveport’s School of Business and holds both SACS and AACSB-International
Course Descriptions
accreditation.
Course Rotation Frequently Asked Questions
2. I'm very interested in the LSU Shreveport MHA program. Can you mail me additional information? All available content pertaining to LSU Shreveport's MHA program is located on this website. We do not mail printed materials, simply because it is impractical to do so, as the Internet conveys relevant information effectively and
Master of Health Administration
economically.
John L. Fortenberry, Jr., MBA, Ph.D., Ph.D. Business Education, 315 One University Place Shreveport, LA 71115 318-797-5129
[email protected]
3. I am located a great distance away from LSU Shreveport's campus. Are there any requirements that students visit campus for orientation sessions, examinations, etc.? No. The MHA program is 100% online, meaning that every aspect of the program is conducted virtually. With Internet access, students can pursue studies from anywhere in the world. 4. How much does tuition cost? Tuition and fee information can be found at the following link: Tuition and Fee Schedule. (Be advised that tuition and fee information is not quoted at the Department level, as this is not controlled by the Department and is subject to change without notice. After viewing details at the associated link, if any questions remain, contact Accounting Services.) 5. I'm located out-of-state. Will I be required to pay out-of-state tuition? The tuition and fee schedule for LSU Shreveport's MHA program is the same for students located inside and outside of the State of Louisiana. 6. How much do textbooks cost? One can gain an understanding of typical textbook costs by consulting the Bookstore link under "Quick Links" at the top of this page and exploring textbook requirements for the MHA program's course offerings. 7. Are students admitted at each term? If so, what are the application deadlines? LSU Shreveport's MHA program admits students six times per year. Application deadlines (and document deadlines) for admission consideration are as follows: December 4 (December 11) for Spring 1, February 19 (February 26) for Spring 2, April 17 (April 24) for Summer 1, June 12 (June 19) for Summer 2, August 7 (August 14) for Fall 1, October 2 (October 9) for Fall 2. We do not offer any form of deadline extension. 8. I recently applied for admission into LSU Shreveport's MHA program and received correspondence asking me to contact the Department to check on any additional application requirements. Please advise. As long as the application, its associated requirements, and all of your transcripts have been forwarded, there's nothing more to do except await an admission decision. Note that all materials must be in our possession on or before deadlines for admission consideration, as detailed in Item 7. 9. My bachelor's degree is in an area unrelated to health administration. Will this prevent me from enrolling in the MHA program? No. LSU Shreveport's MHA program does not require applicants to possess any particular type of undergraduate degree or major. For those without training in core foundation areas, however, two additional courses beyond the 10-course MHA curriculum will be required. 10. I have reviewed the MHA program's curriculum and, with no prior coursework in accounting and economics, I realize that I will need to take the program's two foundation courses (BADM 700 and BADM 701). Are these courses offered online? Do I have to take them before enrolling in MHA coursework? BADM 700 and BADM 701 are offered 100% online by LSU Shreveport; however, they are offered by departments outside of the Elrod Department of Health Administration and operate on slightly different course calendars. Students may begin coursework without first having completed these two foundation courses, but they are encouraged to take them immediately on entry, as they serve as prerequisites for two MHA courses: HCAD 760 Healthcare Finance and HCAD 770 Healthcare Economics. Failures to complete the foundation courses in a timely fashion will delay your progress toward completing your degree. 11. I have taken coursework that I think is equivalent to the MHA program's foundation coursework. Can you review my transcripts and let me know for sure? We do not offer opinions on course equivalents or any other matter pertaining to prior coursework without receipt of a completed application. Transcript reviews are conducted after admission decisions are made. 12. I have reviewed the MHA program's admission requirements and see that, based on my academic history, I will be required to take the GMAT. Will you accept the GRE instead? No. The only test score that we will accept is the GMAT, with a score of 450 or higher being required. 13. I have reviewed the MHA program's admission requirements and see that, based on my academic history, I will need to supply evidence of professional work experience. Does this experience have to be in the health industry? How do I go about supplying evidence of my work experience? When do I supply this? Acceptable professional work experience may be from any industry in any capacity, as long as it is full-time, with a defined professional, career track. Evidence of employment experience is to be supplied directly to the Program Director via an emailed link to your LinkedIn account presenting your work history in detail. (If you do not have a LinkedIn account, you may establish one for free at LinkedIn.com.) Alternatively, evidence of employment experience may be supplied via an emailed PDF file containing a professionally-prepared resume which comprehensively presents your work history. The associated link or file presenting such evidence is to be emailed to the Program Director on request. 14. Can I enroll in a limited number of MHA courses prior to completing my application and seeking formal admission? No. The MHA program does not offer any form of conditional admission. Coursework is off limits to anyone who is not fully admitted. 15. I will earn my undergraduate degree at the conclusion of this semester and I wish to pursue the MHA degree immediately thereafter. However, my final transcript will not be available until after the admission deadline for the upcoming term has passed. Is it still possible for me to be considered for admission? In such cases, send all required admission materials (including the official transcript which shows courses in progress) to LSU Shreveport, ensuring receipt by the given admission deadline, as noted in Item 7. Immediately on graduation, send another official transcript showing final grades earned to LSU Shreveport. Expedited delivery is encouraged and you must confirm receipt of the final transcript by contacting the Office of Admissions when you believe that the delivery has occurred. Consideration is possible, assuming timely arrival of your final transcript. 16. I'm enrolled in another MHA program and I have decided to apply for admission into LSU Shreveport's MHA program. Will any of my courses transfer? LSU Shreveport's MHA program will accept up to 6 graduate credit hours (2 courses) of transferred coursework, provided that (1) the transferred coursework is perfectly parallel to the coursework in which credit will be given (e.g., Healthcare Economics for Healthcare Economics), (2) a grade of B or higher was earned in the coursework, and (3) the coursework was earned from a graduate program accredited by AACSB-International or CAHME. We do not make any exceptions to this policy. 17. I applied for admission into LSU Shreveport's MHA program and received correspondence from the Office of Admissions informing me of my acceptance. What are the next steps? On receipt of notification of an admission acceptance from the Office of Admissions, your file is forwarded to an advisor who will conduct a Departmental review which will include advisement. Such reviews take place in the month before classes begin for the given term of application, with files being processed in the order received. If you do not receive associated correspondence from the Department by December 15 (for spring admission), April 15 (for summer admission), or July 15 (for fall admission), please contact the Department directly. 18. When do courses begin? How long do courses last? This information can be found by consulting the Calendars link under "Quick Links" at the top of this page. Further, you may visit myLSUS and search for upcoming course offerings under "Course Schedules" in the "Public Access" section, with these listings providing starting and ending dates. 19. I work on a full-time basis. What course load do most employed students take? Most MHA students who are employed full-time take 1/2 of the available course offerings each term. Some take more; some take less. Please click the Course Rotation link to view the offerings available each term. (To view upcoming BADM 700 and BADM 701 course offerings, visit myLSUS and conduct a search under "Course Schedules" in the "Public Access" section.) 20. Do students have to be online at certain times of the week for their classes? It depends on the given professor and his or her teaching preference. Generally, online interactions do not occur in realtime, but instead occur asynchronously, with Moodle serving as the primary online learning platform. There are times, however, when professors will require students to report online on certain dates and times for activities such as roll call, video conferencing sessions, quizzes, and so on. Importantly, LSU Shreveport's 100% online MHA program should not be considered to be the electronic equivalent of a traditional correspondence program. Students are expected to be actively involved throughout each study week and, often times, they will be tasked with meeting a variety of deadlines occurring at different points over each study week. Activities may involve taking quizzes, participating in forum discussions, preparing and submitting research papers, etc. 21. Are students required to possess any special technologies as they pursue their studies? Students must have access to a modern computer, capable of running the latest version of Microsoft Office Suite, and access to the Internet via a high-speed connection. Additionally, students must possess a device with the ability to capture digital photographs and video (e.g., smartphone, webcam). Access to a document scanner is advised, but not required. Beyond Microsoft Office Suite, software for converting Word documents to PDF files is essential. Other types of hardware and software might be required by professors, based on their given course approaches, but the items noted should cover the vast majority of scenarios faced by students. 22. My employer requires me to travel occasionally. Will I be excused from classes for such absences? No. As a 100% online offering, the classroom will travel with you and the expectation is that you will attend to each and every assignment, including quizzes and research paper submissions, whether you are at home or away from home. Students who cannot make this commitment are better served by exiting the program and returning when they can devote sufficient time and attention to graduate studies. 23. I do not currently work in the healthcare industry but would like to do so. If I enroll in the MHA program, do you have relationships with healthcare institutions that will provide internships or residencies to students and graduates? Are career placement services offered? LSU Shreveport's MHA program concentrates on the provision of an excellent education in health administration. As a 100% online offering with students located across America and beyond, we are not involved in the placement of students in internships or residencies, as it's simply impractical for us to do so. LSU Shreveport does have a Career Services Office that provides students and alumni with career development, career counseling, and job-seeking assistance. Please consult that particular unit for more information on their associated capabilities. 24. I am debating between the MHA degree and the MBA degree, but I cannot decide which direction to take. Any advice? Such a decision can only be made by you. A general rule of thumb is that if you know with certainty that you desire a lifelong career in the health industry, the MHA makes sense as the degree is completely focused on the health sector. If you are not certain that you desire a lifelong career in the health industry, the MBA is a better choice, as it is applicable across many industries and provides flexibility in the event that you decide to pursue employment outside of the health industry at some point later in your work life. 25. I am considering a career in health administration and I am debating enrolling in the MHA program. Do you offer any career counseling? Temporal constraints simply do not permit us to engage in career counseling at the Department level, as our focus is on the provision of an excellent education in health administration. To learn about the industry and associated careers, it is suggested that you explore the website of the American College of Healthcare Executives at ache.org. Further, it is suggested that you visit area healthcare facilities and request informational interviews with executives. These steps can help you gain an understanding of the industry and associated careers in health administration. 26. I have reviewed all website information pertaining to LSU Shreveport's MHA program and have a few additional questions. Can I arrange a telephone call or face-to-face meeting for the purpose of getting my questions answered? As a 100% online program, the Internet is used exclusively to convey course content. It is essential for those enrolling in the program to be comfortable communicating electronically using email and related virtual technologies. As such, potential applicants are encouraged to forward any remaining inquiries via email. Note that due to the massive inquiry volume experienced by the Department, a response cannot be guaranteed. Please refer to the content supplied on this website for associated guidance.
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