We acknowledge that the UBC Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).
Admission Requirements
Master of Health Administration Admission Requirements
The application system for the next MHA in-take will open on November 01st, 2024. To attend one of our Fall Information Sessions, register HERE.
The MHA is designed for achievers who envision a career and future in health care. Students are selected from diverse backgrounds including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians and other clinicians, administrators, managers and professionals in health care and related fields.
Our School and the MHA program value and seek to enrol Indigenous students and students with diverse racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, sexual orientation, ability/disability, and geographical and religious contexts. Our admissions processes and committees take into account equity, diversity and inclusion in criteria development, the assessment of merit relative to these criteria, and the student community across our graduate programs.
We encourage applicants who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit and Métis to apply and contact the program to learn more about our admissions pathway for Indigenous applicants. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Please contact the MHA program for more information: mha.program@ubc.ca
Minimum Academic Requirements
Professional Healthcare Work Experience
Applicants with Canadian or U.S. academic credentials
DEGREE:
A degree that is academically equivalent to a UBC 4-year Bachelor’s degree.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA):
At least four years of study with a B+ average (76% or higher) in third and fourth year-level course work.
QUANTITATIVE SKILLS:
Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in quantitative skills. There are three ways for meeting this requirement:
(1) Completion of an approved undergraduate (or graduate) university-level mathematics or statistics course within the past 10 years with a minimum final grade of 76%. If you have completed the university statistics or math course over 10 years ago, satisfactory completion of the MHA Statistics and Quantitative Course could be recommended by the Admissions Committee (**see below for more information about the course)
(2) Completion of the minimum scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)*, or equivalent, taken within the last 5 years, OR
(3) Completion of the MHA Statistics and Quantitative Analysis Prep course with a minimum of 76% (**see below for more information)
*MHA STATISTICS AND QUANTITATIVE PREP COURSE
The MHA Statistics and Quantitative Preparation course is a self-paced, online course developed by the MHA program to prepare learners for the statistics courses in the program. Succcessful completion of this course requires learners to obtain a minimum of 76% on the final course test in order to generate A Certificate of Completion. The course could fulfill the following:
- MHA quantitative requirement for admissions:
- Applicants should upload and include their Certificate of Completion with their online application
- Some credit towards the course requirements for the first year SPHA 554 Statistics for Management course
*To register for the MHA Statistics and Quantitative Analysis online course, click HERE.
Applicants with International Credentials
Degree:
Applicants with international credentials should have academic backgrounds that meet the minimum general requirements outlined by for the country of origin.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE:
Applicants with international credentials should consult the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Policy to determine country-specific equivalency of the minimum academic requirements. Your admission average is calculated on all courses taken for your degree.
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application. Acceptable English language tests and submission of these results are detailed online with the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
The minimum TOEFL score is 100 and the minimum IELTS score is 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component of the Academic IELTS test. For other test scores, visit the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.
QUANTITATIVE SKILLS:
Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in quantitative skills. To meet this requirement, applicants with international credentials must submit minimum scores from a Graduate Record Exam (GRE)*, or equivalent, taken within the last 5 years.
* Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and other standardized tests
• The minimum requirements for the GRE is a score in the 50th percentile or above in both the verbal and quantitative components. UBC institution code is 0965 and Department Code is 0616.
• The minimum requirements for the GMAT is a minimum of 550 overall and at least a 50th percentile in each test section.
• More information on the GRE and other standardized exams can be found on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website. Please note that exams should be written well in advance of the deadline for the results to be included in your application. Contact the testing agency for information on processing times.
Meeting the minimum criteria does not ensure acceptance into the program – most successful applicants present requirements that are more than the minimum. Applicants should review our Steps to Apply and Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Letter of intent (LOI)
Applicants are encouraged to be specific in their letters of intent and clearly articulate your interests in pursuing the MHA at UBC, and describe how the program fits within your overall personal and professional goals.
To help us get a better sense of why you wish to pursue the MHA and your professional goals, please answer the following three questions in your letter of intent:
1. How have your non-academic experiences prepared you for the MHA program?
2. What new knowledge and skills are you most excited about gaining from the MHA program?
3. How do you envision your career evolving within the first two years after you complete the MHA program?
Applicants are also invited to tell the admissions committee through the Letter of Intent and other supporting documents, how you might contribute to knowledge, understanding or experiences of equity, diversity and inclusion as a student in the MHA.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A detailed and up-to-date CV that highlights your professional work experience and relevant skills. Applicants with relevant experience working in Canadian Health Care, and particularly in leadership roles, should highlight these aspects in their CV and LOI.
Three letters of reference
We require three professional references letters from individuals who can comment on your work experience and professional character. These can be provided by former instructors, supervisors, employers etc.
Electronic submission of references is managed through the Graduate Studies online application site. Your referees will be sent an automated reference request when you register their information in the “References” section of your application. Please carefully review the steps under How to Apply to ensure the timely receipt of your references by the deadline.
UBC also accepts references via Interfolio, a U.S. based electronic reference service. Interfolio references should be directed to graduate.sas@ubc.ca.
For more about approaches to preparing a Letter of Reference for graduate admissions at UBC, please visit this web page on Graduate Reference Letters.