Health Care Administration Admissions Criteria
We generally accept admission applications for the Hayward Campus-based MS in Health Care Administration (MS-HCA) program in the Fall Semester. The application period for Fall are from October 1 - June 1. The admission application can be found at Cal State Apply (https://www2.calstate.edu/apply).
Applicants are urged to submit all of the required application materials early in the application period rather than later. Assuming that an applicant submits a strong application, the applicant who submits early in the application process has a significantly higher likelihood of admission than the applicant who submits later in the application period.
The MS-HCA program is open to the person planning for or advancing a career in a health care field, who has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. We do not require applicants to submit standardized test scores such as the GRE or GMAT. Admission to the program is competitive, meaning that not every qualified applicant is admitted. Admission will be granted based upon the Admission Committee’s overall assessment of the student’s qualifications and academic/career potential, using the following criteria:
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.50: A GPA of at least 2.75 is preferred. Applicants with a GPA below 2.50 will not be considered for admission, unless the applicant’s Statement of Purpose explicitly addresses the reasons why the GPA is low and why the undergraduate GPA is not an indication of low potential for success in the MS-HCA program.
- Statement of Purpose in pursuing the MS-HCA degree: In a 1-2 page essay double-spaced, please explain who you are, your career goals and how the MS-HCA degree will help you achieve those goals, and why you think you can be successful in the program.
- Two letters of academic and/or professional recommendation (on professional letterhead - company or educational institution stationery): The letter writers should include how they know you, if they think you would be successful in the program and why. Letters must be current, dated and signed.
- Professional resume/vita, including contact information for all health care-related employment.
- All undergraduate/graduate transcripts: These must be sent directly to University Admissions - NOT the Department.
All applicants must submit an online Graduate Admission application declaring Health Care Administration as a degree objective, and transcripts, at CSU APPLY along with a non-refundable fee. For the "Statement of Purpose" and "References" sections on the application, applicants may put "submitted directly to the department."
In addition, applicants must also submit the Statement of Purpose, 2 letters of reference, and a resume directly to the Department of Public Affairs and Administration at the following email address: Publicadmin@csueastbay.edu
Please remember that both your online application to the University and the application materials for the department (resume, statement of purpose, and two letters of recommendation) received by 5:00 PM on the application deadlines.
Applicants will be notified of the Department's decision via email. Applicants will be required to confirm acceptance of admission by the deadline stated in the email or the offer may be withdrawn.
If any applicant’s undergraduate coursework was completed outside of the United States, the admission application will be processed by the CSUEB Center for International Education (CIE). Applicants should contact CIE for additional information regarding their required application materials. Information regarding CIE, including their contact information can be found at: http://www.csueastbay.