Health Care Analytics and Information Technology Application Process

You must submit a completed application form via our online application system to be considered for admission to Heinz College. Heinz College does not charge an application fee.

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You must provide documentation of your completed undergraduate degree (a bachelor's degree or its equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution prior to matriculation. If you have not completed your bachelor's degree by the time you submit your application for admission to Heinz College, you may be admitted on the condition that you submit your final transcript, including your date of graduation, prior to the start of your first semester at Heinz College. Transcripts from institutions outside of the United States must be submitted via a Transcript Service.

Click here for detailed instructions on submitting your transcript

For the 2023 admission cycle, submission of the GRE/ GMAT/ MCAT test results will be optional but recommended as part of the holistic review and evaluation of applications to the MSHCA program.

The GRE/ GMAT/ MCAT will be strongly recommended if you are applying for admission to the MSHCA program and your transcript does not contain significant coursework in Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, or other heavily quantitative disciplines (in order for you to provide evidence of your quantitative abilities). We assess applicants holistically and take into consideration many factors, including quantitative background and skills. This skill can be demonstrated by the submission of GRE/ GMAT/ MCAT scores and/or by coursework in computer science, calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and/or related areas.

Although this year is test-optional, we encourage the submission of standardized test scores:

• Students who have previously taken either GRE or GMAT can submit scores if you think your results are reflective of your ability and potential. You may share the scores as part of your application for consideration. If you are going to submit scores, click here for detailed information on submitting your standardized test scores.
• Students who have previously taken the MCAT are also encouraged to submit scores as part of your application to the MSHCA program. If you are going to submit scores, click here for information on submitting your MCAT results.
  
  

 

If your native language (mother tongue) is not English, you are required to submit an official score report from the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test. The only exceptions are for:

1. students who have worked or studied for five or more years in Australia, Botswana, Canada, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, and/or Zambia.
2. students who studied for 4 years of their undergrad education in the United States and earned their bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US school (students are encouraged to provide unofficial copies of the English Language Proficiency exam they used when they applied to their undergraduate institution as part of their application to Heinz College).

Students who are required to submit test scores must have them reported directly to Heinz College by the testing service. When required, we strongly recommend that you take the exam at least one month prior to the application deadline.

Click for detailed instructions on submitting your English proficiency results

You are required to have two (2) recommendation forms submitted on your behalf. Recommendations should be provided by employers, supervisors, professors, or others who are able to comment on your professional and educational goals and potential. At least one (1) of your recommenders should know you in a professional setting (full-time employment, internship, part-time employment, research, non-academic extracurricular activity, etc.). You may opt to have up to three (3) recommendations submitted in support of your application.

Please note: recommendations from friends, family members or acquaintances, and other sources not able to evaluate applicants on an academic or professional basis, will not be accepted.

Letters of recommendation must be written in or translated into English. Your recommendations must be submitted electronically through the online application system by your recommenders. We do not accept recommendations submitted on paper.

Click here for detailed instructions on submitting your recommendations

You are required to upload your résumé to the application system. Please submit a one- or two-page summary of your educational background, skills, accomplishments, employment experiences, and volunteer experiences. The résumé MUST be current and include all part-time and full-time work experience, the dates of when the employment began and ended, and a brief description of your responsibilities under the title of the position. Click here for an example of a résumé.

Please consider using the "Optional Essay" to address the reason for any "gap" in your résumé, if applicable.

Your résumé should contain only true information and your own, original content. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false or plagiarized material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.

You are required to submit an essay (approximately 1,000 words) describing your academic and professional background, your career goals, and how the MSHCA program will help you achieve your goals.

Your essay should contain only true information and your own, original content. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false or plagiarized material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.

You may choose to submit an essay in which you comment on any item(s) in your application that you consider worthy of further explanation. We are mostly interested in having you address any gaps in your professional experience, or anything you would consider a weakness that could have an impact on your admission status. Please limit optional essays to no more than 250 words.

Your essay should contain only true information and your own, original content. If you include a quote or text written by any other person or published in any printed or online format, you must surround the copied text in quotation marks (") and indicate the original source of the text. Information reported on your résumé is subject to verification. The Heinz College Office of Admissions utilizes several methods to identify plagiarized and falsified content in uploaded documents. Submission of false or plagiarized material as part of the application for admission may result in automatic denial of admission to any degree program.

The completion of a short video interview is extremely important for applicants to the MSHCA program, especially individuals unable to visit campus prior to the application deadline or those who are non-native English speakers.

Click here for detailed instructions on completing a video interview

Heinz College is committed to ensuring the integrity of our admissions process and the reputation of our educational programs. We also want to protect and enhance the value of the degrees that we confer. As an enrolling student, you will be required to successfully complete a verification process of your admission application materials. The verification process will be completed by an outside, independent contractor hired by Heinz College and Carnegie Mellon University.

The purpose of this background check is to protect all stakeholders of the program (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) from those who would falsify their backgrounds to gain an unfair advantage in the admissions process. We believe that this verification will support our efforts to ensure integrity throughout the program. Upon admission, you will receive more details about this process from the Office of Admissions.

Heinz College and Allegheny College offer an Accelerated Master's Program to qualified Allegheny College undergraduate students. The program, structured as three years at Allegheny College followed by four semesters at Heinz College, results in students receiving both a bachelor's and a master's degree in less time than is normally required.

ELIGIBILITY

The program is designed for Allegheny College students who have completed their junior year.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Students can apply online for free in the fall of their junior year for admission at the start of their senior year. As an Accelerated Master's applicant, you are required to submit the application materials and meet the admission criteria required of all MSHCA applicants, detailed above in the "Application Checklist" section.

TUITION AND FEES

Students will pay tuition and fees to Allegheny College from their freshman through junior years. They will pay tuition and fees to Carnegie Mellon for their graduate program for four semesters beyond the completion of their junior year. Allegheny College students also will be responsible for paying a maintenance fee to Allegheny College while enrolled at Carnegie Mellon in their senior year.

CONFERRAL OF DEGREES

Students will receive both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon completion of their graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. Allegheny College will count units taken during the master’s program toward the student’s bachelor’s degree according to its policies and procedures. Carnegie Mellon will forward to Allegheny College transcripts and other necessary information on student academic performance.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Allegheny College students will be eligible for scholarship support from Allegheny College for their freshman through junior years. They will be eligible for scholarship support from the Heinz College for the length of their graduate program, and can apply to any and all Heinz College scholarship funds for which they are eligible (based on program and the individual scholarship fund’s specific requirements).

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

Each year, Heinz College will admit a maximum of 10 qualified Allegheny College students to the MSHCA program.

PREREQUISITES

The MSHCA program does not have formal prerequisites for admission. However, because the curriculum is highly quantitative, students should take a college-level course in 1. statistics and 2. advanced algebra/pre-calculus. Students who have not taken these courses may be required to attend a four-week summer program at the Heinz College prior to the start of their master's program. There is no tuition for the summer program, but we encourage students to take these courses at Allegheny College.

For detailed information and course descriptions, please see the "Required Quantitative Preparation" section below.

Click here for detailed information on the MSHCA Accelerated Master's Program for Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate students.

Students admitted to the MSHCA program are required to have undergraduate coursework or comparable work experience in advanced algebra, pre-calculus, probability, and statistics prior to their first semester at Heinz College. You can meet this requirement by completing a college-level course with a grade of B or higher covering these topics.

You may want to consider enrolling in prerequisite coursework prior to applying for admission. Taking an advanced algebra/pre-calculus and/or probability/statistics course is a great way to show the Admissions Committee you are proactively preparing for graduate school and fulfilling the prerequisites for enrollment.

If you have not previously earned a B or better in a college-level statistics course, we recommend students take the "Statistics" class offered by Outlier. Students can take the course for credit and earn a grade of B or higher prior to submitting their application so they can include the transcript as part of their application packet.

You are required to submit an official transcript with the course name and grade as part of your application packet or prior to matriculation. (Please see the "Transcripts" section for further details.)

If you are prospective student who wishes to complete the prerequisite quantitative courses for admission to Heinz College, please consider the descriptions below as you look for suitable classes in advanced algebra/pre-calculus or probability/statistics:

ADVANCED ALGEBRA/PRE-CALCULUS

Identify a college-level course that covers algebraic basics such as order of operations and simplifying expressions in multiple variables. At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to translate word problems into linear equations, plot equations, solve the system for a solution, and consider linear inequalities. Students need to be prepared to solve word problems with multiple equations (i.e., distance, rate, time, profit, revenue, cost, ages). Outcomes should include graphing linear equations (i.e., point-slope form, slope-intercept form, general form, perpendicular and parallel lines, supply and demand, equilibrium, consumer and producer surplus) and understanding linear optimization, objective function, constraints, feasible region, solving, and interpreting solutions.

PROBABILITY/STATISTICS

Identify an introductory, college-level course in probability/statistics. An appropriate course would be designed for students with very little or no background in statistics. At the conclusion of the course, students should have the basic tools for analyzing data and outcomes involving probabilistic circumstances. Topics should include probability and probability tables, conditional probability, Bayes' Rule, random variables and expected value, and a basic understanding of the normal distribution and hypothesis testing.

You are not required to complete your math prerequisites before you apply to Heinz College, but you are required to complete them before you begin classes at Heinz College. If you have not previously completed the prerequisite quantitative coursework, we do offer provisional admission. If you have not completed this coursework at the time of admission, you may be required to enroll in and successfully complete Heinz College’s Quantitative Skills Summer Program (QSSP) as a condition of the offer of admission. Please see the "Quantitative Skills Summer Program (QSSP)" tab below for details.

Our faculty and staff are here to help you review courses you are considering. If you have any questions regarding admission and enrollment prerequisites, please contact the Office of Admissions via email at hnzadmit@andrew.cmu.edu, or give us a call at 412-268-2164.

Students who do not meet the basic quantitative skills requirements prior to applying for admission may be required to enroll in and successfully complete the Quantitative Skills Summer Program (QSSP) prior to their enrollment at Heinz College. QSSP is a six-week program which is available online during the summer prior to enrolling at Heinz College (no tuition is charged). QSSP classes cover applied pre-calculus and problem application, graphing, basic statistics and probability, spreadsheets, and statistical software skills.

QSSP is comprised of two classes in which students will earn two distinct grades. In order to successfully complete QSSP and be eligible to enroll in the master’s program at Heinz College to which they are conditionally accepted, students must earn a grade of B or better (80%) in each of the classes.

Please note that when we require QSSP attendance, we are very confident in your potential for success at Heinz College. Admission provisions are made in the interest of ensuring a smooth transition into our graduate programs, with the goal of optimizing your academic success.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO EXTENSION

At UC San Diego Extension, the following class have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to MSPPM - Data Analytics at Heinz College:

Python Programming Fundamentals (Course # CSE-41273)

Note that this class lists a prerequisite, but some students have been successful without the formal prerequisite course if they have previously studied programming on their own.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ EXTENSION

At UC Santa Cruz Extension, the following class have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to MSPPM - Data Analytics at Heinz College:

Python: Object-Oriented Programming (Course # CMPR.X420)

Note that this class lists a prerequisite, but some students have been successful without the formal prerequisite course if they have previously studied programming on their own.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

At Boston University, the following class have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to MSPPM - Data Analytics at Heinz College:

Information Structures with Python (Course # MET CS 521)

HARVARD EXTENSION SCHOOL

At Harvard Extension School, the following class have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to MSPPM - Data Analytics at Heinz College:

Introduction to Computer Science with Python (Course # CSCI E-7)

EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

At Excelsior College, the following class have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to MSPPM - Data Analytics at Heinz College:

Fundamentals of Programming (Course # IT 211)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO EXTENSION

At UC San Diego Extension, the following two classes have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to Heinz College:

Java Programming I: Fundamental Java Concepts (Course # CSE-40479)

Note that this class lists a prerequisite course, but some students have been successful without the formal prerequisite course if they have previously studied programming on their own.

Java Programming II: Core Java Programming (Course # CSE-40480)

We prefer that you take this class, because it covers “exceptions handling," and it also covers deeper-level topics that will better prepare you for the MISM program. UCSD Extension CSE-40479 (or similar experience) is listed as a prerequisite for this class.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY EXTENSION

At UC Berkeley Extension, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

Java: Discovering Its Power (Course # EL ENG X436.2)

Note that prerequisite courses are listed for this class, but some students have been successful without the formal prerequisite courses if they previously studied Java (or C++) on their own. (C++ is similar to Java.)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ EXTENSION

At UCSC Extension, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

Java Programming I (Course # CMPR.X412)

Note that no prerequisite is listed. Search the page for the course number (CMPR.X412) and click on the course number to view all upcoming sections.

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUTLIER)

Through outlier.org, students are eligible to take this pre-approved course for both university credit and a grade (the University of Pittsburgh issues all students an official University of Pittsburgh transcript) as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

Computer Science I (Course # CS 0109)

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

At Boston University, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

MET CS 520 Information Structures with Java

Note that this class has a prerequisite, which MUST be waived per the instructor’s consent. In order to waive the prerequisite, please email the instructor who is teaching the course that semester (BU provides you that email address) with any previous technology or programming skills. If the professor grants you a waiver, please forward that waiver to METCSAPP@bu.edu. The team at BU will manually register you as a non-degree seeking student.

Please note: Because of the prerequisite requirement, you cannot register for this course online. It must be registered for manually after gaining the prerequisite waiver. 

HARVARD EXTENSION SCHOOL

At Harvard Extension School, the following two classes have been pre-approved as prerequisite programming courses for admission to Heinz College. Note that Java I is a prerequisite to Java II and is intended for students with no previous programming background.

CSCI E-10A Introduction to Computer Science Using Java I

Note that this class is generally offered during the Fall Semester.

CSCI E-10B Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II

Note that this class is generally offered during the Spring Semester. This course lists a prerequisite, but some students have been successful without the formal prerequisite course if they possess the equivalent experience in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java.

 PARKLAND COLLEGE

At Parkland College, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

CSC 140 Computer Science I (Java)

 FOOTHILL COLLEGE

At Foothill College, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

C S 1A Object-Oriented Programming Methodologies in Java

C S 2A Object-Oriented Programming Methodologies in C++

Excelsior College

At Excelsior College, the following class has been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

IT210 Object Oriented Programming

Note that you may enroll in the 8 or 15 week sections. Both section types offer the same content, with the 8-week long courses covering the material at a faster pace.

Carnegie Mellon University (Current CMU Students Only)

At Carnegie Mellon University, the following classes have been pre-approved as a prerequisite programming course for admission to Heinz College:

17-214: Principles of Software Construction: Objects, Design, and Concurrency

15-121: Introduction to Data Structures

Note that prerequisite courses may be required and students should consult with their advisor prior to registering for the course.