The Master of Health Care Administration program accepts applications directly through Des Moines University; through SOPHAS (the Centralized Application Service for Public Health); or through the Healthcare Administration, Management & Policy Centralized Application Service. It is your choice to determine which application may be best suited to your situation. Applications are reviewed once they are complete and/or verified, and students may start the program at the beginning of the next available term (spring or fall). Start dates for upcoming terms are:
- Summer 2024 — June 3, 2024
- Fall 2024 — August 12, 2024
Individuals may also consider applying to enroll in select non-degree coursework.
DMU Direct Application Process
Please direct application documents to the MHA Admissions Office at:
Des Moines University
M.H.A. Admissions
8025 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines, IA 50266
Email: mhaadmit@dmu.edu
In addition to the online application, you must submit:
| Official transcripts Official transcripts showing all previous undergraduate and graduate work with grades and degrees. Official transcripts sent by the institution's Registrar's office must be submitted directly to Des Moines University. For those with degrees completed outside the U.S., please review the information for international students regarding transcript evaluation requirements. |
| Evaluations/references A minimum of three references. Evaluations may come from an employer, supervisor, academic advisor, professor, or mentor. Evaluations must be on business letterhead and come directly from the letter writer, and should address the following:
|
| Statement of Purpose and Objectives The Statement of Purpose and Objectives should address the following and may be uploaded to your application prior to submission or sent separately to the MHA Admissions Office by email.
This may be uploaded to your application prior to the submission or sent separately to the MHA Admissions Office by email. |
| Resume/CV Applicants must compose a professional resume or CV. This may be uploaded to your application prior to submission or sent separately to the MHA Admissions Office by email. |
| TOEFL requirement TOEFL is required of all international applicants. Please use the TOEFL code 6847 to have scores submitted directly to Des Moines University. A TOEFL score of 600 on TOEFL paper exam or a score of 100 on the online exam and writing score of 27 are strongly recommended to be considered for admission. |
SOPHAS & HAMPCAS Application Process
All supporting documents may be submitted through SOPHAS or HAMPCAS. As transcripts and test scores may take several weeks to process by SOPHAS or HAMPCAS, it is strongly recommended that you begin your application well in advance of your desired start term.
In addition to the online application, you must submit:
| Official transcripts Official transcripts showing all previous undergraduate and graduate work with grades and degrees. Transcripts must be submitted directly to SOPHAS. For those with degrees completed outside the U.S., please review the information for international students regarding transcript evaluation requirements. |
| Evaluations/references Contact information for a minimum of three references. Evaluations may come from an employer, supervisor, academic advisor, professor, or mentor and address the following:
|
| Statement of Purpose and Objectives The Statement of Purpose and Objectives should address the following:
|
| Resume/CV Applicants must compose a professional resume or CV and upload to the SOPHAS application. |
| TOEFL requirement Applicants with degrees completed in languages other than English must submit TOEFL scores to be considered for admission. Please use the TOEFL code 5688 when completing your application. TOEFL scores will then automatically be included in the SOPHAS application. |
Each application is reviewed by our admissions committee. The committee reviews applications for evidence of the applicant’s intent and purpose in pursuing the degree, work/volunteer/leadership experience, and past academic performance.
If you have any questions, contact:
Des Moines University
M.H.A. Admissions
8025 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines, IA 50266
Email: mhaadmit@dmu.edu
Phone: 515-271-1499
Transfer Credit
Students with previously earned graduate credit may apply for a transfer of up to 12 semester hours of coursework. Transfer coursework is subject to the approval of the Dean and/or Program Director, and will only be reviewed if it was completed within the past 4 years at a grade of B or better. Students must apply for transfer credit within one term of enrolling in a master's degree at DMU. Requests for transfer credit will only be processed once an applicant is admitted to the degree program.
Accommodations in Education Policy
The University complies with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Iowa Civil Rights Act, and other laws relating to the Accommodations of disabilities in its educational programming.
