Plymouth State University Affiliation

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

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

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

Why Pursue an MBA? [ Top ]

Some Advantages of an MBA and Health Care Administration Certificate from Plymouth include:

Better prepared to work with hospital administrators
Knowledge 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 State 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:

Customized course sequences designed exclusively for AUA students to meet career objectives (see Course Planning Matrix for a list of courses available exclusively for AUA students.
AUA students who complete the Plymouth State MBA will earn both an MBA degree and a certificate in Health Care Administration
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)
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 20 students
Program consists of 10 courses each class is approximately 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 6-10 hours per week to devote to an MBA class?
Have you earned a bachelor’s degree? **
Do you have an undergrad GPA of 2.5 or combined 2.5 GPA from undergrad and graduate?
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 an "Application for Degree Audit" then request official transcripts by submitting the "AUA Transcript Request Form".

Prerequisites (Common Professional Components - CPC):
Most students who have earned a bachelor’s degree and have been admitted to AUA meet the entry requirements. The Prerequisites are not courses required to enter 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.
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
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 & Financial Aid:[ Top ]

Tuition is $1617 per three credit course plus a $25 per term registration fee (students applying with a permanent residence in NH will receive the in-state tuition).
Tuition is subject to change. See http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/admissions/tuition for current rates.
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:

Fall = 3
Winter = 3
Spring = 6
Summer=3

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

Steps 1-4 should be completed concurrently

Complete the PSU Online Application: https://igrad.plymouth.edu/user/apply

Under Programs Select: select “PSU-AUA Health Care Administration” in the Concentration Field after selecting your program and major

On the program tab you should see the following 3 drop down boxes:

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

Omit Recommendations, Documents and Personal Statement sections as Plymouth will use documents on file at AUA (your application may remain 75% complete, but Plymouth will still be able to view it)
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 recent resume and 3 Letters of Recommendation (your AUA interview will count as one of the letters) - collect and send those documents to Plymouth.
If you are the recipient of an AUA Bachelor's degree you must request official AUA transcripts sent to Plymouth.

Release your AUA records to PSU

Fax the FERPA release form to: (917) 677-7166 (cover page not necessary); or scan (or photograph) and e-mail it: dhermon@auamed.org
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

Apply for financial aid (if seeking financial aid)

Go to: http://www.plymouth.edu/finaid/grad/0910Grad.html for instructions to apply
Immediately apply for financial aid; DO NOT WAIT FOR A DECISION
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 your login, visit your MyPlymouth account to complete your financial aid application (see Plymouth Financial Aid page for instructions)

Check your e-mail (and spam folder) for a MyPlymouth login

If you do not received a login within 1 week of submitting your application, e-mail Danielle Hermon at: dhermon@auamed.org
The login and password are necessary to complete financial aid and begin classes
Official notice of acceptance and instructions to register will be sent your Plymouth e-mail 1-2 weeks prior to the start of classes

Frequently Asked Questions[ Top ]

How many classes are required to complete the program?

For classes and course description: http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/academics/online-education/aua/

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 MyPlymouth login to complete your financial aid within 1 week. If you do not get this, e-mail Danielle Hermon.

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/requirements/masters-degrees/mba/

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 2-3 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 or select an open course in the Course Planning Matrix.

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/academics/online-education/aua/

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

Diane Windsor – Administrative Contact

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

Release form and additional information about the AUA/PSU affiliation:
Danielle Hermon
dhermon@auamed.org

The American University of Antigua College of Medicine