Application Procedure

All MSHCA (Traditional and Accelerated) program application materials must be received within the October 1^st - April 15^th window preceding the fall semester for which the student is applying. (Note: International student application deadlines may be earlier. Please contact the Center for International Education office for deadline information.) There are no exceptions or conditional admits.

All applicants for either the traditional or accelerated MSHCA graduate program are required to meet the following minimum requirements for admissions consideration:

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.0 in the last sixty units of undergraduate study. (Accomplished candidates with a GPA slightly less than a 3.0 will also be considered for admission.) 
2. At least nine units in financial accounting, microeconomics, and statistics.  All of which must be completed before the first semester of graduate study (but may be in progress during the application process) and must be taken within the last ten years. Note: a passing grade in the CLEP exam will fulfill our accounting and microeconomics prerequisites.  Courses may be taken at a community college.  Please check www.assist.org to determine equivalency.
3. A minimum of five years of work experience in the health care industry OR the submission of GRE or GMAT test scores (must be current within the last two years).

Attention, International Applicants: Due to VISA regulations, most international students are not recommended to apply to the accelerated version of this degree program; please contact the Center for International Education if you have any further questions.

We strongly recommend that applicants with little-to-no work experience in the health care industry apply for admission into the MSHCA traditional program, the structure of our accelerated program tends to be ideal for those currently working in the health care industry.

US citizens or permanent residents who have their bachelor's degree from a US-accredited university should follow the domestic application procedure; applicants with a bachelor's degree from a foreign university (or any foreign applicant) should follow the international application procedure.

Application Process:

1. When you are ready to apply, visit Cal State Apply - Graduate to submit the university admission application and pay the $70 non-refundable application fee online by the application deadline for the program.

In Cal State Apply, you will be asked to include a statement of intent, your resume, GRE/GMAT score and three (3) letters of recommendation. Everything needs to be included for your application to reviewed and considered complete. Your letters of recommendation should be from your employer, past employer, or someone who knows your academic abilities. Your recommender will receive a link by email with instructions for the letter.

2. Submit one set of official transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Only one set of official transcripts is required, and they must be submitted to Enrollment Services. Official transcripts may be submitted electronically directly from a U.S. college or university to ES-IDPTrans@csulb.edu. Official transcripts may also be sent in a sealed envelope to the address below: 

Enrollment Services/Admissions

California State University, Long Beach

1250 Bellflower Blvd.

Long Beach, CA 90840

Note: Please do not send transcripts to the department. Transcripts are reviewed by admissions and records, not the Department of Health Care Administration.

3. The CSULB Admissions Office will review your application and transcripts to verify your eligibility based on the minimum University admission requirements. If you meet these minimum requirements, your application will be forwarded to your academic program for review. You will be sent a letter from CSULB indicating whether or not your application for admission to the University was approved.

CSULB uses email as the official means of communication, applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the university and check their email regularly. You may update your email address or check the status of your admission application by visiting the Applicant Self-Service webpage.

4. You will receive further notification of your admission status after the department has made their decision. If admitted, the Department of Health Care Administration will send you a letter that will include information about the upcoming schedule of courses, and the day and time for an orientation session for newly admitted students. 

5. Register for classes and begin your master's program.

For more information on Cal State Apply, please check: Cal State Apply Graduate Application Guide

US citizens or permanent residents who have their bachelor's degree from a US-accredited university should follow the domestic application procedure; applicants with a bachelor's degree from a foreign university (or any foreign applicant) should follow the international application procedure. To qualify for international admission to CSULB, you must meet the Center for International Education admission requirements. Before you submit your application via Cal State Apply, please visit the CSU Application International Checklist page (PDF).

Application Process:

1. When you are ready to apply, visit Cal State Apply - Graduate to submit the university admission application and pay the $70 non-refundable application fee online by the application deadline for the program.

In Cal State Apply, you will be asked to include a statement of intent, your resume, GRE/GMAT score and three (3) letters of recommendation. Everything needs to be included for your application to reviewed and considered complete. Your letters of recommendation should be from your employer, past employer, or someone who knows your academic abilities. Your recommender will receive a link by email with instructions for the letter.

2. Submit original and certified English copies of transcripts/individual mark sheets from all institutions attended:

• Transcripts must show grades for at least 6 semesters. Please do not send transcripts until those grades are posted to avoid having to submit multiple transcripts.
• If you have already graduated, we will require a degree conferred date or diploma to be sent along with the transcripts.
• Students who submit consolidated transcripts/mark sheets will be required to provide individual mark sheets before an evaluation is completed.
• Applicants submitting electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions (National Clearinghouse, Parchment, etc.) must submit transcripts to ES-IDPTrans@csulb.edu.

3. English Language Requirements

• CSULB waives the English Language requirement for students who have met certain conditions. Please see English Language Requirements page for more information.
• If you have already taken one of our accepted English tests, please send your official scores to CSULB. Please also submit an unofficial copy of your test scores with your supporting documents.

Please note:

• For departments that require a GMAT or GRE, please send the official scores at the time you apply.
• Students holding a 3-year bachelor's degree (e.g., India) are encouraged to fill out a degree equivalency questionnaire to determine if the 3-year degree is equivalent to a U.S. 4-year degree. International Admissions will determine final equivalency.

Mail all documents to:

International Admission
CSULB Foundation Building
6300 East State University Drive, Room 180
Long Beach, CA 90815
U.S.A.

Please include your application (CAS ID) number or CSULB Student ID number in all correspondences. 

Electronic Submission:

If you are unable to send the physical documents to our office due to the COVID-19 crisis, you can scan and e-mail your original foreign documents to cie-admission@csulb.edu​ as PDF attachments. Please include your CSULB ID number. We will use them as unofficial for admission purposes only. If admitted, you will be required to submit the final official documents for verification.​

4. The CSULB Admissions Office will review your application and transcripts to verify your eligibility based on the minimum University admission requirements. If you meet these minimum requirements, your application will be forwarded to your academic program for review. You will be sent a letter from CSULB indicating whether or not your application for admission to the University was approved.

CSULB uses email as the official means of communication, applicants are required to maintain a current email address on file with the university and check their email regularly. You may update your email address or check the status of your admission application by visiting the Applicant Self-Service webpage.

5. You will receive further notification of your admission status after the department has made their decision. If admitted, the Department of Health Care Administration will send you a letter that will include information about the upcoming schedule of courses, and the day and time for an orientation session for newly admitted students. 

6. Register for classes and begin your master's program.

For more information on Cal State Apply, please check: Cal State Apply Graduate Application Guide

Depending on the length of your work experience in the health care industry, GRE/GMAT testing may be required for admission into our MSHCA program. (This requirement can be waived for those applicants with completed doctorate degrees.) If you elect to take these tests more than once, please know that we will use your highest set of scores for your graduate application.

Two prerequisite courses can be met by taking the CLEP exam: financial accounting and microeconomics. Students must have a score of 50 or higher to pass the exam and received credit for the prerequisite.  It is suggested that the prerequisite course is completed and not the CLEP exam if a student has never taken an accounting or economics course. For students who completed prerequisites ten or more years ago, the CLEP exam is recommended to ensure that the student is prepared to begin the program.

TOEFL testing is required for international applicants.  The minimum university requirement for the TOEFL paper-based score is 550 and the TOEFL internet based score is 80.  For more information on the TOEFL, fees, preparation, and locations, visit the CIE web site.