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The year of 2015 will be my first time entering Grad School. I've spent 4 years as an undergrad at University Of Central Florida and I enjoy every moment of it. After working at Corporate at an Physical Therapy outpatient facility, I decided to go back to school for my Masters in Health Administration to better my knowledge on a professional level. The advantage of going to University of Central Florida is that I'm familiar with the campus and know the equality of education that it provides for the... Read More student. I do have to commute to the University since I can not afford to live on/near campus, but I know it will be all worth it at the end.

I felt my current job in healthcare prepared me better for my classwork than the other way around, which is somewhat unfortunate. I wish the program would have been more selective with its admission standards, and I wish it would have been more challenging. There were a number of classmates that I felt were getting a master's degree just to get one, and didn't have a concrete idea for their career aspirations. Some pros of the program were the amount of connections I've been able to make with classmates.... Read More I know that many will go on to be successful healthcare leaders, and establishing friendships and relationships early in my career is important. Also, the quality of most of the professors was high (with a few eggs in there), providing good commentary on the subject matter.

The staff and faculty are very helpful as king as you reach out to them. They treat the students like prifessionals and are willing to answer any questions you may have whether school or work related. The program is challenging, but not ridiculous so a working person with a family can participate. The program also sends information out almost daily to students on fellowships, internships, volunteer opportunities, and other career building events. In addition to that, there is a career center to help... Read More you practice interviewing and assist with resume development. Unfortunately I do feel the program needs to offer more in class seat time for certain courses that should involve more discussion, but overall it's really good.

PROS: Being an alumni of UCF, I was very used to the style of teaching from the professors as well as the learning environment in the program. The professors definitely care about the level of learning and the competency of their student body. The class sizes are small and it makes it very easy to network with people because you get to know them as individuals. Group work is mandatory in every single class in the program so it also allows for more networking. There is a lot of opportunity to ask... Read More questions and get individualized help from professors, as the classes are small. Advisors are there for you in the same fashion. Especially if you make the effort to express concerns. CONS: Class sizes. Since there are class size limits, it is really hard to get into classes. There aren't enough teachers to support the amount of students in the program. So, its really important that you get into classes early, because if you don't, you will be forced to delay graduation. Its made very clear that overrides are not allowed in the program. Another downside to the program is that there are not online courses, as I was promised when I entered the program. So, it is very hard to work full time while attending this program. Even more so impossible when it comes time to intern.

UCF's Health Services Administration program is a really great program to help you jumpstart your professional career in Health Services. Orlando is thriving with health care careers, especially with the addition of Medical City, including a Nemour's and a Veteran's Hospital. It's a great time to get into the field, especially in Orlando. It's a longer Masters than most (57 credit hours), but you are so well versed when you exited and the program is well known, it's definitely worth the time and... Read More effort you put in. Full time is 9 credit hours, which is manageable and many professors gear their courses around your learning and working in teams, not exams, which helps you learn more and continue to do well in the program.

The pros of the Healthcare Administration program at UCF is that the majority of the professors have actually worked in the field. For some students this may not be a priority when choosing a program to attend, but it has made all the difference in my education. The professors are able to provide you with real life scenarios and knowledge that you will use in your future career. Also, the school is very helpful with the financial aid process, and they make it very easy compared to my community college... Read More experience. I honestly thought I was going to have a nightmare with financial aid at UCF, but everyone was very helpful and I received everything I needed in a timely fashion. One of the cons of my program is that most professors have worked in the field, and yes I know I just said it was a pro; but there is definitely a down side. Our assignments really test your grasp of the course content, because they made you apply your studies to real life situations they have encountered. It is not just answer a few text book questions and move on, we had to solve problems as if we were actually administrators in healthcare already. Also, another pro is that there is such diversity in the program. I have classmates that are from different countries, states, and even some experienced healthcare workers. The diversity has definitely made for some interesting classes and connectivity for myself. Overall, I'm glad that I made the decision to attend the University of Central Florida!