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Cornell University

Cornell Brooks Public Policy

Five-Year BS/MHA

Two students sitting on a window bench looking at a laptop screen.

This program is open to current Cornell undergraduate students. 

Cornell juniors with the following majors may apply:

  • Human Development
  • Public Policy
  • Human Biology, Health, and Society
  • Health Care Policy
  • Global and Public Health Sciences
  • Nutritional Science

You may apply to the accelerated program during your junior year, but only after completing all required courses for both your major and your College.

During your senior year, you would attend Sloan orientation and complete first-year Sloan courses, which are double counted, to satisfy both undergraduate elective requirements as well as MHA graduate requirements.

At the end of your senior year, you would graduate with a bachelor’s degree in your undergraduate major.

You would be required to participate in a graduate-level health administration internship during the summer before entering the graduate program. The following year, as a graduate student, you would complete the second year of required Sloan courses and earn a Master of Health Administration degree.

Students often ask:

 

What degrees will I end up with if I become a 5-year Bachelors/MHA student?

At the end of your four undergraduate years (the senior year taking Sloan graduate courses) you will have a Bachelors degree. At the end of the fifth year (the second year of Sloan graduate courses and the first year as an enrollee in the Cornell Graduate School) you will have a Master of Health Administration.

At what point should I apply to the program?

Although you would not formally apply until your junior year, you should begin a conversation with your advisor in your first or second year to ensure that you are on track with your required coursework to be eligible for the 5-year program. Additionally, you can connect with the Sloan MHA program to discuss course selection with you to enhance your readiness and competitiveness for the program. In your junior year, for full consideration you should apply by January 2nd. (After January 2nd applications will be considered subject to space availability.)

When would I apply to the Cornell Graduate School?

You would apply to the Graduate School in your junior year. (The application is online and the deadline is January 2nd.) Please select the term that corresponds to the year you would be a graduate student, e.g. select Fall 2026 if applying as a junior in Spring 2025.

Do I have to take the GRE or GMAT exam to apply for the Accelerated program?

No, all graduate examinations (e.g., GRE or GMAT) are completely optional.

What level of academic performance is required for admission to the Graduate School as an Accelerated Program student?

You must meet Sloan standards for satisfactory academic progress, which require: a) grades of B- or above in all required Sloan core courses; and b) an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better (B average or better).

Is there an internship/residency required for the MHA?

Yes, there is a 10-week internship/residency requirement between the senior year and the Graduate school year.

What if I am in the 5-year program and have not maintained a 3.0 or better GPA?

If you have a GPA below 3.0 and/or a core course grade below B- in your first semester, you have a semester left prior to graduate school to bring your GPA up to a 3.0 and/or retake any course in which you have received less than a B-. In any event, as long as you meet requirements for your undergraduate degree, you can still finish out your senior year and graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree.

The MHA portion of the BS/MHA program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Health Management Education (CAHME). The Bachelor portion of the BS/MHA program is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.