General Requirements for Master’s Degrees
(Note: This is not a complete list of requirements)
All master’s degree-seeking students must:
- Complete the school-wide core courses required for their program, and complete and submit the thesis or essay
- Fulfill the program’s core course requirements, including required courses, and any field work, and examinations
- Register for two terms of Public Health Grand Rounds
- Complete the online Academic Integrity Module in the first semester
- Submit a master’s thesis or essay
Thesis or Essay
All master’s students must complete a minimum of one essay/special study credit and meet the master’s thesis/essay requirement. Program listings will specify the type of master’s paper required. The form of the essay or thesis must be in accord with specifications stipulated in the University’s Style and Form Manual or the ETD Format Guidelines Manual. The electronic copy of the thesis/essay must be uploaded and all required paperwork submitted to the Office of Student Affairs by the deadline posted for that graduation term.
MHA students who have been permitted to submit an article accepted for publication in lieu of the essay must meet the margin requirements and submit a committee signature sheet and title page patterned after that in the Style and Form Manual or the ETD Format Guidelines Manual. If there are multiple authors, a statement should be included explaining the role of each author. All essays must be read and approved by two faculty representing two different University of Pittsburgh Pitt Public Health departments. MS theses require approval by three readers.
Requirements for the MHA Degree:
The MHA program offers students a competency-based curriculum and an array of professional development resources and activities to prepare graduates for managerial roles in health care systems and networks, managed care, health insurance, and long-term care organizations. The broad curriculum provides students with a foundation of knowledge, analytical and communication skills, and core values for ongoing career growth and professional and leadership development. Upon completion of the MHA program, our graduates obtain post-graduate fellowships or full-time employment in hospitals, academic medical centers, physician practices, long-term care facilities, health plans, and consulting firms.
The mission of the Masters in Health Administration (MHA) Program is to provide students with the competencies necessary for early to mid-level management positions and provide the foundation for subsequent professional development, leadership and executive management in organizations involved in the delivery or financing of health care services. The program’s curriculum is based on evidence-based practice enriched by the research activity of the faculty.
In order to be eligible for graduation, students must complete 60 credit hours with a B average or better including a supervised management residency, which is typically scheduled during the summer term, and prepare a scholarly master’s essay relating to the culminating experience. The curriculum includes select Pitt Public Health core courses, the required health management core, and elective credits offered within and outside the schools of the health sciences.
MHA Curriculum
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