Questions and Answers About the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the UT Dallas master’s in healthcare leadership and management degree, including links and resources if you’re interested in the student experience at Jindal School of Management.General Questions About the master’s in Healthcare Management
The MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program is 36 semester credit hours which is 9 core courses and 3 electives. It can be completed in one year by taking 12 credit hours (4 courses) per semester, but most students take 18 months to two years to complete the program. International students must take a minimum of nine (9) credit hours (3 courses) per semester. The entire program must be completed within six (6) years.
The MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program is NOT a cohort program. Students can start in any semester: fall, spring, or summer.
The Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management degree program teaches the principles and application of healthcare concepts and best practices. Different tracks emphasize different topics, such as advertising and branding, business development, digital Healthcare Management, Healthcare Management analytics, Healthcare Management and product management.
The healthcare industry is changing rapidly, and graduates can expect to fill leadership and administration roles in a variety of functional areas. Our classes are designed to give you the competencies you need to lead, not just manage.
Classes are taught by a variety of professors with healthcare industry experience. From consultants to chief financial officers to hospital administrators, you will learn from experts with hundreds of years of combined experience in healthcare.
Please go to the Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management program description in the UT Dallas graduate catalog.
Tracks are for informational and guidance purposes only and do not appear on your degree. You may switch from one track to another as long as you follow our degree plan. When you are not able to strictly follow one of the 4 specialty tracks listed on our curriculum page, you should make sure that you, at a minimum, meet the criteria of the Healthcare Leadership and Management Quality Improvement track, which acts as a self-guided track and gives you the most flexibility.
Our small program size of 80 students and dedicated team of professionals allows us to cater to students’ needs, ensuring their success in a fast-paced environment in as few as 18 -24 months. Join the program where staff and faculty believe in you.
No, the Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management program is not yet a STEM-designated program.
| Master of Science in Marketing | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
|---|---|
| 36 hours | 53 hours |
| 17 fewer semester credit hours of tuition than the MBA | |
| Can be completed in 1 to 1½ years | Can be completed in 1½ to 2½ years |
| No math/calculus prerequisite | Math prerequisite |
| You can take up to 30 hours of healthcare courses. The additional 6 hours are comprised of a statistics and a database course. | You can take up to 15 hours of healthcare courses. Other courses cover a wide range of subjects, such as accounting, economics, finance, information technology, operations research, organizational behavior, and more. |
| Students can specialize in healthcare management core courses, plus add a specialization in areas such as healthcare IT, internal auditing, quality improvement or supply chain management. | Students can pursue a concentration in healthcare management, which cannot exceed 15 hours. |
Our student club, Elite Scholar and Leader Program, is designed for high-performing graduate healthcare leadership and management students who aspire to be dynamic leaders in healthcare. ESLP will prepare students to be pacesetters on the business side of healthcare and is designed to recognize our student leaders and give them an edge academically and professionally.
Our department is also affiliated with the North Texas chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) of North Texas and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society HIMSS of Texas
Yes, there are several classes offered online; however, they may not be offered every semester. Please see the Healthcare Leadership and Management Course Modalities map.
No, the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program does not have every Healthcare Management elective available as an online course. Please see the Course Modalities map. F-1 students are limited to one (1) online class per semester.
Of the Healthcare Leadership and Management specialty tracks offered, only our Quality Improvement and Supply Chain Track can be completed entirely online.
For more information, see:
Yes. The program is designed so students can complete the program while working. Many students who work full-time choose to complete the program on a part-time basis.
No. An internship is not required to graduate, but we strongly encourage any student who has not worked or interned in the healthcare industry to complete an internship.
The Jindal School offers several certificate programs, including Healthcare Information Technology and Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare Quality yellow belt. These are considered separate programs, but some or all the courses may overlap with your degree requirements.
No, because most students in the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program work, it is difficult to organize a foreign trip with enough students. However, the Jindal School frequently offers different semester-long study abroad programs, which may count for credit only if a student is completing the double MBA-MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program and has pre-approval from the Healthcare Leadership and Management program director. Domestic trips are planned through the program during summer.
Upon approval, up to 9 hours of graduate-level coursework from other universities may be transferred into the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management degree program. You must have obtained a grade of B or better, and the courses cannot have been taken more than six years ago. You can apply for transfer or waiver of credits after enrolling in the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management degree program.
Waivers of program requirements may be granted in recognition of previous coursework completed with a grade of “B” or better within the past six years in a specific business program area. Waivers are approved by the appropriate program director through a process that allows a student to skip a core course and take the next higher-level course in the same academic area with no reduction in the overall program hour requirements.
Transfer of credits may be granted for equivalent graduate coursework taken at other universities with a grade of “B” or better within the past six years. Up to 9 semester credit hours of coursework from other universities may be waived or transferred to the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program.
Students officially admitted to a Naveen Jindal School of Management graduate program must obtain prior approval before taking any courses at another university. The resultant transfer hours may be denied if prior approval is not obtained. See the Jindal School Advising Office for details on applying for pre-approvals.
Yes, the minimum required total for both degrees is 63 semester credit hours, or 26 fewer semester credit hours than if you pursue them separately. However, you may have to do more than the minimum 63 semester credit hours due to preferred tracks.
Yes, the minimum required total for both degrees is 55 semester credit hours, or 17 fewer semester credit hours than if you pursue them separately. However, you may have to do more than the minimum 55 semester credit hours because some master’s programs do not share many of the same courses as the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management.
This program is only available to UT Dallas undergraduate students. Jindal School students and students from other schools at UTD can fast-track into the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management degree program as long as they meet the fast-track admission requirements.
- You do not need to take the GMAT or GRE exam if you enroll in the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management within one year from the completion of your undergraduate degree and meet the 3.20 GPA requirement in the Fast Track program.
- As an undergraduate, you can take graduate-level courses in strategic leadership of healthcare organizations, healthcare negotiation and dispute resolution, healthcare finance and operations accounting, and quality improvement, which can be useful to highlight in your résumé.
Qualified juniors and seniors may take up to 12 hours of Healthcare Leadership and Management graduate courses that can apply to both their BS degree and the requirements for the Master of Science in Healthcare and Leadership Management degree. For details, please go to the Fast Track page.
The cost varies, depending on your residency status. If you are a Texas resident, it is a lower price than for nonresidents; however, if you qualify for the Dean’s Excellence Scholarship (Official GMAT/GRE score is required for consideration), in addition to the $1,000 scholarship for the academic year (not per semester) you also qualify for the Texas resident tuition rate, which over two semesters can amount to $15,000 to $16,000 in savings.
The Estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) at UT Dallas is determined by the Office of Financial Aid each year and is based on the average costs you may incur each semester. To estimate your costs for two semesters, use the financial aid calculator.
The plan freezes tuition rates at the rate applicable to the first semester you enroll and remains valid for a period of four years.
To make your tuition plan choice, please follow these instructions on the UT Dallas Tuition Plans & Rates page.
Courses are usually offered in the evenings, starting at 7 p.m. and ending at 9:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the fall and spring semesters and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the summer semester. Our evening program allows professional students to work in full-time jobs or internships during the day, which is a major advantage of our program. Part-time is the designation for those students taking 9 semester credit hours or less per semester. You can even take one course (3 semester credit hours) per semester if you desire.
International students must take at least 9 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters, which for visa purposes is considered full-time. The time of day a course is offered has nothing to do with that class being part-time or full-time.
Many of our students have a non-business or non-healthcare-related undergraduate degree.
Admission Requirements/Procedures FAQs
First, read the Frequently Asked Questions provided by the Academic Advising Office, then please visit the MS Programs Admission page to start the admission process online for the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management degree.
| Term | Priority Application and Documentation Deadline* (Complete Admissions Application File Due) |
Regular Application and Documentation Deadline* (Complete Admissions Application File Due) |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Full-Term | January 15 | May 1 |
| Spring Full-Term | May 15 | October 1 |
| Summer Sessions | October 15 | March 1 |
Deadlines for U.S. Citizens and International Applicants
*For an application to be considered complete, all supporting documents, including transcripts must be postmarked on or before the regular deadline. For incomplete applications submitted after the regular deadline, a new application may need to be completed and submitted for any future terms for which you wish to apply.
You are encouraged to submit a complete application as early as possible, as it can take from four to six weeks to process. Complete application files, including an application and all required documents, submitted by the regular deadline will be processed. If an application is completed after the regular deadline, a decision is not guaranteed.
More information about deadlines is available on the academic calendar.
NO, as long as you submit the online application and pay the application fee before the deadline. However, keep in mind that all documents must be submitted before you can be considered for financial aid or admitted into the program. After all the documents are turned in, there is still a processing time of approximately four weeks. It is in your best interest to submit all your documentation as soon as possible.
While applying for the program you do not need to submit original transcripts, but after admission and before registration for classes, you will need to submit the official transcripts.
No, you do not need to submit the TOEFL if you have graduated from a university in the United States.
You must submit three (3) letters of recommendation. At least one must be from a professional contact. This professional contact could be a current or past employer, an internship supervisor, colleague/co-worker, or simply someone you know in the business world. Your academic advisor, a faculty member or other university employee who knows you could be other sources of your letters of recommendation.
GMAT/GRE waivers will be considered when an applicant has submitted all documents minus a GMAT/GRE score. The admissions committee will consider previous work experience, an applicant’s verbal and quantitative skills based on prior academic performance and other factors to help validate the applicant’s ability to be successful in a graduate program. Those candidates wanting to apply or be considered for the Dean’s Excellence scholarship must submit a GMAT or GRE score.
Otherwise, yes, take either the GMAT or the GRE. UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management prefers the GMAT admission test; however, we gladly accept the GRE test as well. If you have taken one of the exams previously, you must have completed it within five years prior to your application to the program.
GRE code is R6897.
GMAT code is:
| MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management, Full-Time | ZTZ-PQ-00 |
| MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management, Part-Time | ZTZ-PQ-88 |
| MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management/MBA Double, Full-Time | ZTZ-PQ-50 |
| MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management/MBA Double, Part-Time | ZTZ-PQ-14 |
Our program has no preference, although one benefit of the GMAT is that we offer more subsidized prep courses than we do for the GRE. Regarding the level of difficulty, both exams are very similar, and this determination can be highly subjective. We suggest you compare them by checking out GRE and GMAT prep books from the library, doing their self-assessment tests and deciding for yourself.
As a policy, we do not base admission on just one factor. We look at your GMAT or GRE score, GPA, if you attended an accredited school, any relevant extracurricular activities you engaged in and work experience, if applicable. Our average GMAT score is 620, and our average GRE score is 315.
GMAT/GRE waivers will be considered when an applicant has submitted all documents minus a GMAT/GRE score. The admissions committee will consider previous work experience, an applicant’s verbal and quantitative skills based on prior academic performance and other factors to help validate the applicant’s ability to be successful in a graduate program. Those candidates wanting to apply or be considered for the Dean’s Excellence scholarship must submit a GMAT or GRE score.
Otherwise, a competitive GMAT or GRE score, no more than five years old by the date of application, is encouraged from all applicants, except for:
- Candidates who have a doctoral degree, such as a PhD, MD, or Juris Doctor.
- High-achieving candidates may request a GMAT/GRE waiver if they have obtained:
- Their undergraduate degree is from a university with an AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accredited business school (regardless of their major), and they achieved a GPA at or above 3.600. Please check with us at mshclm@utdallas.edu for other waiver levels.
- Their graduate degree is from a university with an AACSB-accredited business school (regardless of their degree’s area of focus), and they achieved a GPA at or above 3.600. Please check with us at mshclm@utdallas.edu for other waiver levels.
When an applicant has submitted all documents minus a GMAT/GRE score. The admission’s committee will consider previous work experience, an applicant’s verbal and quantitative skills based on prior academic performance and other factors to help validate the applicant’s ability to be successful in a graduate program. Those candidates wanting to apply or be considered for the Dean’s Excellence scholarship must submit a GMAT or GRE score.
Otherwise, we strongly recommend you take a preparatory course. Numerous third-party companies offer GMAT exam preparation courses. UT Dallas offers a 12-hour GMAT prep course consisting of three, four-hour sessions held on two consecutive weekends at the UT Dallas campus. A GRE prep course is also offered.
For the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program, we consider the best GMAT score.
Yes. Applicants who have earned a three-year baccalaureate degree are eligible to apply for admission to UT Dallas graduate programs.
Under the Choice Act, qualified veterans, spouses, and dependents are eligible for in-state tuition at UTD regardless of their state of residence. For more information, please visit the UT Dallas Frequently Asked VA Questions page.
Career, Internship and Job Placement FAQs
Healthcare Management is an essential part of our communities. Healthcare Leadership and Management graduates pursue careers in such areas as healthcare administrator, director, information or practice manager, healthcare consultant, social services manager, physician practice manager, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), or Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of healthcare organizations. Students can specialize in industry-specific careers in business-to- business operations, consulting, medical packaged goods, rehabilitation and sports management, nursing home management, auditing, policy and law, pharmaceutical, technology, quality improvement and many more.
The JSOM Career Management Center (CMC) helps international students in various areas, including résumé preparation, mock interviews, English improvement, job fairs, career counseling and more. Please visit the CMC site for more information.
For more information, see:
Financial Aid and Scholarship FAQs
- Complete the online application at the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) federal government website (Do not go to the .com website as this is a private entity, which will charge you a fee.)
- The Federal Student Aid Office in the U.S. Department of Education, home to FASFA, will send you by email a Student Aid Report (SAR) within approximately three business days, telling you your expected contribution to your educational expenses.
- After the UT Dallas Office of Financial Aid has reviewed your application, it will offer you a financial aid award. This award usually includes one or more of the following:
- A Subsidized Federal Direct Loan (also known as a Stafford Loan or Direct Stafford Loan) up to $8,500 per year (Fixed percent 6.8%)
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (also known as a Stafford Loan or a Direct Stafford Loan) up to $12,500 per loan (6.8%)
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan (7.9%) The graduate PLUS loan borrowing limit is UTD’s Cost of Attendance budget minus other scholarships, grants, and loans. See the PLUS Loans page of the Federal Student Aid website for more information. The Cost of Attendance Questionnaire can be found on the Office of Financial Aid webpages.
- Once you are admitted (nothing is done or sent by UTD’s Office of Financial Aid until you are admitted into our program), UTD’s Office of Financial Aid sends out letters beginning in April and continues on a rolling basis for applications submitted later. The Office of Financial Aid sends students continuing their financial aid offer beginning in June. They will check to see if you are maintaining a 3.0 GPA and completing at least two-thirds of the classes you attempt. Academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility can be found on the Satisfactory Academic Progress page of the Office of Financial Aid website. To be eligible for federal student loans, you must be registered as at least a half-time student. For graduate students, this is considered to be 5 semester credit hours per semester for long terms (fall and spring semesters) and 3 semester credit hours in summer.
- Not checking your UTD email for information or document requests. The University will only send emails to your UTD email address. Please set up your UTD email account to forward mail to your personal email or check your UTD email!
- You are assigned a contact at the Office of Financial Aid office based on your last name. However, it is best to use the general email address and copy your contact to ensure a prompt reply. The general email address is financial-aid@utdallas.edu. See a list of contacts.
It is best to mail in your package rather than to fax or email/scan it.
Mail it to:
Office of Financial Aid, ROC 22
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Scholarships based on need as well as merit are available for a wide variety of students. In addition to Jindal School of Management scholarships, there are several scholarships given by UT Dallas. Please visit the following links for more information:
Graduate Scholarships
Office of Financial Aid – Scholarships
International Student FAQs
These can be obtained from your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Consult UTD’s International Student Services for helpful tips and links. For more information, see
- The student is pursuing an analytics track.
- The student is pursuing the Healthcare Informatics Track and earned an undergraduate degree in engineering or the sciences.
- In both cases, a high degree of written and oral proficiency is required, and usually, the student’s TOEFL score needs to be above 95. Healthcare Leadership and Management is about writing and speaking with proficiency.
Student Testimonials
Kennedy Shaffer, MS’20
Patient Coordinator, Identity Eyecare
Upon graduation, I approached one of my professors with my dilemma, and he introduced me to ‘the business of healthcare.’ I have been hooked ever since!
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How to Apply