The American University of Antigua College of Medicine

AUA has teamed up with Plymouth State University to enable our students to earn an MBA in Health Care Administration online, while enrolled at AUA. 

Plymouth State University has agreed to offer dedicated tracks of their Health Care Administration MBA exclusively to AUA students.

Why pursue an MBA and Program Highlights
Who can apply and Prerequisites
Deadlines
Costs and Financial Aid
Ready to apply!
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Information

Why Pursue an MBA? [ Top ]

Some Advantages of a Health Care Administration MBA from Plymouth include:

• Being prepared to work with hospital administrators
• Capability to join or run a practice upon graduation
• Networking Opportunities! Many PSU faculty hold director-level positions at hospitals
• A huge advantage on residency applications

Since Plymouth University is a fully accredited State University; eligible students who take one course during each 10-week term are welcome to apply for Title IV Federal Aid. This aid may include tuition for the PSU Classes AND funds for living expenses while pursuing the MBA.

Program Highlights:

• Offered in New Hampshire for over 35 years, and is the longest running evening program in the state
• Accredited by NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) and ACBSP (Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs)
• Customized course sequences designed exclusively for AUA students to meet career objectives
• Streamlined admission process – allowing AUA students to use documents previously submitted for AUA admission consideration for PSU HCA MBA consideration
• Small class sizes – each course will not exceed 25 students
• Program consists of just 10 courses each of which is ten weeks long
• Complete the program in as little as 2 years part time, or take up to 5 years to better accommodate your schedule
• PSU is prepared to offer AUA students high quality academic advising online, over the phone, and on location in Antigua
• Work experience considered for prerequisites
• No GMAT, GRE, or MAT admission test required

Who can apply? [ Top ]

• Do you have 4-8 hours per week to devote to an MBA class?
• Have you earned a bachelor’s degree?
• Are you a current AUA student, graduate, or deposited AUA student for the next AUA term?

If you answered yes to all of the above – you are welcome to apply. 
Deposited AUA students may enroll in the Plymouth term starting before their term of entry to AUA.  This means deposited students may take MBA classes with other AUA students before arriving in Antigua.
MED 5 and higher students, who did not complete a bachelor’s degree prior to entry to AUA, may apply for an AUA Bachelor’s degree.  Fill out a ‘Degree Request Form” located on the AUA website.

Prerequisites (Common Professional Components - CPC):
Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree and have been admitted to AUA automatically meet the entry requirements to Plymouth as AUA requirements exceed that of Plymouth’s.  The Prerequisites are not courses required for entry to the MBA program, rather they are areas of general business knowledge that students must prove competency prior to entry into specific MBA courses.  Plymouth refers to these Prerequisites as “Common Professional Components” or CPCs

• The PSU MBA requires all students satisfy eleven “Common Professional Components” (CPC)
• These requirements may be found on the PSU Website.
• Students may satisfy CPCs using IVY Software, prior coursework, or work experience. 
• Most students who have held a professional position will satisfy 5-6 CPCs following a resume review.  The remainder may be satisfied using a free on-line assessment, or by ordering a $50 workbook through IVY Software.
• Otherwise admissible students will be permitted to enroll and complete up to four MBA courses before satisfying the CPCs.
• The acceptance letter will include what CPCs have been satisfied; and when the remainder must be completed

Contact Craig Zamzow if you have additional experience not on your original resume that may satisfy a CPC.

Deadlines:[ Top ]

There are 5 Plymouth terms per year each term is approximately 10 weeks. 
Students may begin in any term.  Please note: these terms do not correspond to AUA terms.

Term Name	Class Start Date	Deadline to apply if using Financial aid to pay for the class **	Deadline to apply if NOT using Financial aid to pay for the class
Winter 2010	November 30, 2009	October 19, 2009	November 16, 2009
Spring I 2010	February 22, 2010	January 11, 2010	February 8, 2010
Spring II 2010	May 17, 2010	April 5, 2010	May 3, 2010
Summer 2010	July 5, 2010	May 24, 2010	June 21, 2010
Fall 2010	September 13, 2010	August 2, 2010	August 30, 2010
Winter 2011	November 29, 2010	October 18, 2010	November 15, 2010
Spring I 2011	February 28, 2011	January 17, 2011	February 14, 2011
Spring II 2011	May 23, 2010	April 11, 2010	May 9, 2010
Summer 2011	July 5, 2011	May 24, 2011	June 21, 2011

** Applying before the deadline does not guarantee financial aid will be processed in time for the class; apply as early as possible to ensure substantial time to process financial aid
If the deadline to apply using financial aid has passed students may still enroll in the program, use their own funds to pay for their first class, and reimburse themselves if/when their financial aid is processed

Costs:[ Top ]

Tuition is set at $1473 per three credit course plus a $25 per term registration fee (students applying with a permanent residence in NH will receive the in-state rate of $1347 per three credit course plus $25 per term registration fee). 
Students should expect to spend $100-$200 on texts and materials each term.
A one time $75 application fee must be paid when submitting the application.

Financial Aid:

• Eligible students taking one 3 credit MBA course per Plymouth term may qualify for financial aid. Eligible students may borrow MBA tuition expenses and money for living expenses while pursuing an MBA. 

• Students are welcome to use the ‘living expense’ money to pay for housing and transportation while in Antigua or rotations, however Title IV funds from Plymouth (or any other grad school) should never be used to pay tuition at AUA as this violates federal student loan regulations.

 

• For borrowing amounts, eligibility, and instructions to apply see: 

http://www.plymouth.edu/finaid/grad/0910Grad.html

• When applying for Financial Aid students will need to fill out a form detailing expected credits per term.

Use the following to ensure part time status:

Term Name	Credits
Fall	3
Winter	3
Spring	6
Summer	3

To Apply to the PSU HCA MBA Program:[ Top ]

1. Create an iGrad Account at: http://igrad.plymouth.edu – if you do not receive your password right away try logging back into iGrad and clicking the “My Password” button – also check your junk and spam folders.  If you do not receive your password in a few hours email roger@plymouth.edu

2. Complete the PSU Online Application from your iGrad account.

• Under Programs Select: select “PSU-AUA Health Care Administration” in the Concentration Field after selecting your program and major (see below if you are having difficulty finding this field)
• Omit Recommendations, Documents and Personal Statement sections as Plymouth will use documents on file at AUA (your application will remain 75% complete, but Plymouth will still be able to view it)
• Only students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree will be eligible for MBA consideration (Med 5 and above students may apply for an AUA Bachelor’s degree by filling out the “Degree Audit” form found on the AUA website)
• Follow prompts to pay the non-refundable $75 application fee
• Request official transcripts from all undergraduate colleges sent directly to Plymouth.  PSU will use transcripts on file at AUA to make their initial decision, but need official transcripts for auditing purposes (if you did not send a final transcript to AUA showing your bachelors degree conferral date – you will need to rush your transcripts to Plymouth).
• If your original AUA application did not include a resume and 3 Letters of Recommendation (your AUA interview will count as one of the letters) – collect and send those documents to Plymouth

 

3. Release your AUA records to PSU fax the FERPA release form to: (917) 677-7166  (cover page not necessary); or scan and e-mail it: dhermon@auamed.org 

(to access the form click the link above, or copy and paste this address to your browser)
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0Bypz8D1BhFd3ZTk2YjYwMjgtNTI1NC00MjExLTk0NWMtMzEwNWRlNTIwNDBm&hl=en

• You will receive a confirmation of receipt of the FERPA form within 2 business days.  If you do not get a confirmation – resend the form and e-mail Danielle Hermon
• AUA will not release your records without this form.  This form is the ONLY record AUA has that you intend to enroll in the PSU program
  

4. If seeking financial aid: immediately go to this site and carefully follow the steps to apply for aid:  http://www.plymouth.edu/finaid/grad/0910Grad.html

• Immediately apply for financial aid; DO NOT WAIT FOR A DECISION

• please note: non-US citizens are welcome to enroll in the program but may not be eligible for US Federal Student loans (see fafsa.ed.gov for additional information)
• On receipt of “Provisional Acceptance” Log into your MyPlymouth account to complete your financial aid application (see Plymouth Financial Aid page for instructions)

5. All AUA Applicants will receive “provisional acceptance” on submission of the application and fee.  The login and password accompanying notice of provisional acceptance is necessary for applicants to complete the financial aid process.  If you do not receive  ‘provisional acceptance’ within 1 week of submitting your application e-mail Chuck Doyle at cjdoyle@mail.plymouth.edu

 

6. Official notice of acceptance and instructions to register will be sent 1-2 weeks prior to the start of classes (please note: students who have a bachelor’s degree and were granted admission to AUA automatically exceed the requirements for the Plymouth MBA program)

 

If you can’t find PSU-AUA in the Concentration field:
On the program tab you should see the following 3 drop down boxes:

• Program of Study: Select Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Major: Select General management (GEMG)
• Concentration: Select PSU-AUA Health Care MBA (SEDE)
• Self-Designed Focus: Leave Blank

Frequently Asked Questions[ Top ]

How many classes are required to complete the program?

10

For classes and course description: http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/mba/healthcare.html

How long is each term?

Each term is approximately 10 weeks.

How long does the program take to complete?

Plymouth offers 5 terms per year, if you take one class per term you can complete the program in 2 years

Can I take time off during the program?

Yes! You can take up to 5 years to complete the program from the time you start.  If you need to take a term or two off you will not be eligible for a loan for that term, however, you loans from your MBA won’t go into repayment as long as your time off does not extend more than 6 consecutive months.

I was accepted for Winter but I want to start in Spring – is that okay?

Yes! Just send an e-mail to Chuck Doyle at cjdoyle@mail.plymouth.edu and request a registration form for the Spring.

I applied now what?

You should receive a provisional acceptance with a login to MyPlymouth to complete your financial aid within 1 week.  If you do not get this provisional acceptance contact Chuck Doyle.

When can I start?

See ‘Deadlines’

How many credits do I have to plan to take to be eligible for Financial Aid?

3 Credits each in Fall, Winter, and Summer; 6 credits in the Spring (there are 2 – 10 week terms in the spring)

I am a science major – can I still participate?

Yes! The program is designed for non-business majors.  In fact 90% of the students enrolled in all Plymouth MBA programs are non-business majors.

I go to Davenport/Phoenix can I transfer?

Yes! Plymouth will award credit for successfully completed MBA classes at another school
For more detailed information on transfer credits: http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/admissions/mba.html

I need academic advising!

E-mail Craig Zamzow at czamzow@plymouth.edu to ask a question or set up an appointment

When can I expect my reimbursement check?

Plymouth will mail reimbursement checks 1-2 weeks after the start of the term to a US address you designate

Will AUA let me know the status of my Plymouth admission or financial aid application?

No, AUA does not have access to the Plymouth system; we can only confirm receipt of the FERPA release form

Will my grades from Plymouth affect my standing/GPA at AUA?

No, the programs are separate.  Academic standing at AUA will not affect eligibility at Plymouth

Are all the classes online?

Yes. Graduates of the MBA program will be invited to commencement ceremonies in Plymouth, NH on completion of their degree.

How do I register for my second term?

Log into MyPlymouth and register on line for the class indicated on your outline included in your acceptance e-mail.  If you do not know what class to register for, contact Craig Zamzow.

Can I talk to AUA students currently enrolled in the program?

Yes, contact your SGA leaders, or visit the Plymouth thread on the AUA page on ValueMD (this thread is not sponsored by AUA or Plymouth)

Where can I learn more about courses and faculty at Plymouth?
http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/mba/healthcare.html

Who to contact:[ Top ]

Financial Aid:
Follow this link http://www.plymouth.edu/finaid/grad/0910Grad.html
Click the “Email Us” button

Program Planning and Academic Advising:
Craig Zamzow – MBA Program Director
czamzow@mail.Plymouth.edu
TEL: (603) 535-3020
Diane Windsor – Administrative Contact
TEL: (603) 535-2610

Application and Registration status:
Chuck Dolye
cjdoyle@mail.plymouth.edu
TEL: (603) 535-3053
FAX: (603) 535-2572

Release form and additional information about the AUA/PSU partnership:
Danielle Hermon
dhermon@auamed.org
TEL: (917) 940-4022
FAX: (917) 677-7166