Master of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

A group of healthcare professionals in discussion

Program Overview

The Master of Science (MS) program offered in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) prepares registered, certified, and/or licensed health professionals and individuals interested in entering research fields addressing human health and healthcare issues for expanded roles in research, teaching, administration, and professional practice. Areas of interest for students include education and leadership in health and rehabilitation fields, health informatics, assistive technology, and research-centered pathways in diverse areas of scientific inquiry related to health. Learners can choose the traditional On-Campus program or the flexible Online program to fit their individual needs.

Students of the HRS MS program have two focus areas to choose from:

Research – The Research focus includes a curriculum abundant with research methods and design courses and a mentored research experience that culminates with a thesis under the guidance of an HRS faculty mentor. Students who pursue this focus will gain knowledge and skills toward becoming a successful researcher in their field and are extensively prepared for careers in industry, pre-clinical, and clinical research. For students interested in pursuing a Ph.D., the Research focus provides opportunities, mentorship, and training to become a competitive applicant.

Advanced Practice – The Advanced Practice focus allows students who are interested in tailoring their education toward management, leadership, or teaching to design their additional core course options as well as personalize their electives to suit their interests. Students will be mentored by an HRS faculty member to design their curriculum to fit their educational needs to further their professional practice in their current field or explore new areas of interest. This focus will culminate with a mentored comprehensive project.

Both focus options allow students to apply elective credit hours toward one of HRS’s online graduate certificates.

Graduate concentration areas of emphasis include:

  • Aging
  • Assistive and Rehabilitative Technology
  • Education
  • Injury Biomechanics
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Medical Coding and Health Care Data Analytics in Practice
  • Research
  • Usability and User Experience in Health Care
Admission Criteria

Applicants to this program must meet the following criteria:

Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution

GPA

A minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA

English language test requirements (if applicable):

  • 550 Paper-based TOEFL
  • 79 Internet-based TOEFL (IBT)
  • 7.0 IELTS

Note for international applicants: countries may or may not regulate distance education provided to students in their jurisdiction and may or may not require foreign higher education institutions to comply with distance education regulations. At this time, Ohio State University cannot guarantee that a program meets curriculum requirements in your country.

Application Deadlines

Spring 2026: Application opens June 1, 2025 and closes October 1, 2025.

Summer 2026: Application opens October 1, 2025 and closes February 1, 2026.

Autumn 2026: Application opens January 1, 2026 and closes April 1, 2026.

Fellowship priority deadline is March 1, 2026.

Special information: Advanced practice track applicants are encouraged to obtain commitment of an HRS graduate faculty member to serve as their advisor, however it is not required to be considered for admission. Research track applicants are required to obtain commitment of an HRS graduate faculty member to serve as their advisor to be considered for admission. Applicants must select a faculty mentor based on the desired learning or research area and anticipated type of research/project. Regardless of how competitive an applicant is, if there is not a faculty member who aligns with the student’s interest and has the availability to take on an additional student at that time, admission will not be guaranteed.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials to apply to the program:

Mentorship Agreement Form

Curriculum Vitae or resume

Two (2) Letters of Recommendation

Official transcripts

Statement of Intent that addresses the following:

  • What is your preparation for the MS HRS program? Discuss your background, education, training, and/or work experience in the health and rehabilitation sciences and/or related fields.
    • Be sure to address the following in the statement for RESEARCH focus: What is your preparation for the MS HRS program? Discuss your background, education, training, and/or work experience in the health and rehabilitation sciences and/or related fields.
    • Be sure to address the following in the statement for ADVANCED PRACTICE focus: Provide examples of your role within your specialty field, successful collaborative efforts to achieve a common goal, leadership experience, and/or service activities.
  • What motivates you to pursue an MS in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences? What are your career goals, and how is the program a strong fit for your career goals?
  • What circumstances in your life have contributed to your development as an individual, a clinician, and/or a researcher? How will these experiences and any additional unique accomplishments influence your success? Is there any other information you wish to share?

Optional item upload. Examples include:

  • Evidence of scientific writing (thesis, report, etc.)
  • Capstone project
  • Professional/teaching portfolio
  • Case report
Program Guides

To search for classes, check out the Course Catalog

Contact the instructor or search for a Course Syllabus

Graduate Concentrations

Suggested plans of study for graduate concentrations:

Questions?

Contact the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at 614-292-1706 or HRSGraduateStudentServices@osumc.edu