MHW Admissions

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Health and Wellness you must have the following:

Completed Bachelor's Degree

You may have a bachelor’s degree in any health science or health promotion-wellness related discipline from an accredited institution.

Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last degree earned that is relevant to the program of study

GPAs are reviewed by Ohio State's Graduate and Professional Admissions Office. Applicants whose GPAs fall below 3.0 may still apply and be considered for admission.

Who We are Looking For

• Individuals who are interested and will excel at leading system-level changes in roles as chief wellness officers or directors and managers of health and well-being programs in corporate, community and organizational settings.
• Individuals who wish to make a difference in the lives of individuals through system-level and culture changes. 
• Individuals interested in changing culture through innovation principles, design thinking and evidence-based approaches to improving population health and demonstrating a positive impact. 
• Individuals who enjoy leading system-wide program planning, implementation and evaluation efforts.

How to Apply 

To apply for the Master of Health and Wellness program, you must complete the following steps prior to the posted application deadline:

1. Apply online

You can complete an application online at The Ohio State’s University Graduate and Professional Admissions Office website. A $60 fee is required at the time of submission of the application.

2. Submit all college transcripts

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have previously attended at both either the undergraduate or graduate levels. This includes transcripts for any post-secondary courses taken during high school or of coursework that appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Transcripts from The Ohio State University do not need to be submitted.

Transcripts should be submitted directly by the sending institution by mail or electronic transfer to be considered official. Please request your transcripts be sent early so they arrive before the deadline. Transcripts can be sent to:

The Ohio State University
Graduate Admissions Office
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004

or

gpadocs@osu.edu

Applicants may upload a copy of an official transcript at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader. However, documents submitted in this manner are considered unofficial, but will suffice for the purposes of application. Web based documents, online grade reports, and related materials are not acceptable. If an applicant is admitted, they will be required to supply official transcripts sent direct from your previous institutions.

For details regarding these methods of submitting transcripts, please visit The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s website. Please direct all transcript related questions to the Graduate and Professional Admissions office at 614-292-9444 or to gpadmissions@osu.edu.

3. Purpose and goals statement 

Applicants must upload a purpose and goals statement, including a narrative of professional and leadership experience, career goals and match to the goals of the MHW program. In this statement, applicants should address the following:

• Why are you seeking education in the MHW program?
• What specifically are your academic and career goals for which the MHW program will best prepare you?
• How have your life and academic experiences prepared you for being a master-prepared health promotion professional?
• Identify your area of interest in health promotion and well-being leadership and explain why this is an important issue to address in population health.

The statement should address each of the above questions and will act as a demonstration of the applicant’s writing skills to the program faculty. The response is not to exceed three single-spaced pages. Consideration will be given to both the quality of the applicant’s writing and the congruence between the stated goals and those of the program.

4. Recorded online video interview

You are required to complete a recorded online video interview through an online portal called HireVue, during which you will be recorded answering a brief selection of questions regarding your interests in the MHW program. This interview can be completed at any time during the application window. However, we ask that you do so only after you have completed and submitted your application. Note: You must complete the recorded online video interview before the application deadline. For further details, instructions, and links to the online portal click here.

Interview instructions. 

5. Three letters of recommendation

During the application you will be asked to provide the names and email addresses of three recommenders. Once the application is submitted, an email will be automatically generated and sent to your recommenders with and further instruction on how to submit their letters of recommendation. We encourage you to submit your application far in advance of the deadline so that your recommenders have ample time to upload their letters. Letters of recommendation should not be mailed and you may not personally submit letters of recommendation.

Letters of recommendation should be submitted from individuals who are familiar with your academic ability, professional experience, and potential to succeed a graduate program. We suggest providing your recommenders with information on the degree and specialty to which you are applying and with a copy of your purpose and goals statement. Finally, make them aware of the submission process and the application deadline by which they must submit their letters.

6. Test of English proficiency - International applicants only

Details regarding what English Proficiency tests are acceptable, the scores required, and how to submit scores may be found on The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s website.

7. Supplemental application for current or former Ohio State graduate students

If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at The Ohio State University for any length of time, you would be considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer Student. Be sure to choose the appropriate application for "current or former" Ohio State students after following the apply link. In addition to that online application, you must complete a Supplemental Application. This separate application must be submitted to the College of Nursing directly at CON-gradrecords@osu.edu. Choose any of the following options to access this application:

• MS Word Document: Supplemental MHW Application (To download, select "Save")
• PDF (Open file with Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat): Supplemental MHW Application

Failure to complete all required steps of this application process by 11:59 pm ET on the day of the posted deadline will result in your application not being considered for admission, with no exceptions. 

Most applicants may review the status of their application anytime at appstatus.osu.edu. If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at Ohio State for any length of time, you are considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer and can contact nursing@osu.edu to review your application status.

Admission Timeline and Deferrals

All required materials listed above must be submitted by the posted application deadline to be considered for admission. Please allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status webpage. 

If you applied for Autumn 2025, please review the admissions timeline here. This admissions timeline covers what you can expect throughout the application process, including an anticipated timeline for when admissions decisions will be released and next steps if you are offered admission.

You are not able to defer admittance. If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in the future.