Business of Healthcare (CERT)
Business acumen for healthcare decision-makers
The online Graduate Certificate in Business of Healthcare is designed for both business professionals and practicing clinicians to gain the business skills and healthcare experience necessary to take on leadership roles within healthcare systems, private practices and more.
Program at a glance
asynchronous courses
total over one semester
per credit hour (or $600 for active-duty)
Certificate courses and curriculum
The certificate includes six courses totaling nine credit hours.
This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2026-Spring 2027 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.
Graduate Certificate in Business of Healthcare
Unit: College of Business (GB)
Program: Business of Healthcare
Academic Plan Code(s): BUHCCGRO
Program Information
This program is completed 100% online.
The graduate certificate in the Business of Healthcare is a nine (9) credit hour certificate that will train professional care providers with the knowledge and skills necessary to take on management roles in health systems or practices and will prepare MBA students to enter the health care industry. This certificate will cover topics such as health economics, health strategy, accounting and finance, population health, conflict management, building service lines, and health operations. Certificate courses will be offered in an online, asynchronous, five-week format. Initially, the courses will be offered during the spring semester of each year. This allows for those in the MBA program to earn a certificate in the business of healthcare as part of their MBA electives. This certificate can also be completed independent of an MBA.
Admissions
Students will be admitted to the certificate program in one of two ways.
1. Those who apply to earn the certificate independent of other degrees must apply to the graduate programs office in the College of Business, have a bachelor's degree form an accredited university, and submit an official transcript certifying a GPA of a least 2.50 in that undergraduate degree.
2. MBA students may also earn the certificate using the elective courses of their MBA degree as long as they are in good standing in their program.
To graduate, students must complete the courses of the certificate program with no less than a B in all classes.
Certificate Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Note: All BOHC students are required to complete nine (9) credit hours from the list below to earn the certificate. | ||
BOHC 610 | Healthcare Strategy | |
BOHC 620 | Healthcare Systems and Population Health 1 | |
or BOHC 621 | Healthcare Budgeting and Finance | |
BOHC 630 | Healthcare Economics | |
BOHC 640 | Healthcare Operations | |
BOHC 650 | Business Planning for Healthcare Initiatives | |
BOHC 660 | Conflict Management and Negotiations in Healthcare | |
BOHC 670 | Compassion Leadership in Medicine | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 9 | |
- 1
Students who are not enrolled in an MBA program or do not have a Finance background are required to take BOHC 621 (Healthcare Budgeting and Finance) instead of BOHC 620.
Apply business skills in healthcare
As an experienced clinician or business professional, the combination of your previous experience and the skills gained in our certificate could prepare you for roles such as:
- CEO, CMO, CNO, COO, etc. within a hospital/health care system
- Healthcare Administrator
- Healthcare Manager
- Medical Practice Manager
- Quality and Compliance Officer
- Division Chief
- Division Chair
- Division Director
- Dean of Medicine
- Dean of Nursing
- Director of Health Care Operations and more
"The Business of Healthcare program helped me better understand the complexity of modern healthcare as a urologic surgeon, and I have been equipped to serve my patients effectively since finishing the program. I use at least one or more tools I have learned from the course daily to make my urology practice efficient. I cannot recommend the program more to other physicians and medical professionals who want to develop strong business acumen to improve our healthcare system." - Kellen Choi DO, FACOS, MBA
Frequently asked questions
Students will receive personalized guidance on transfer credit eligibility and curriculum from an advisor after admission. UofL students who have completed specific PHMS courses offered by the School of Public Health and Information Sciences may be eligible to earn credit toward this certificate. Other eligible credits may be transferable on a case-by-case basis.
Licensed medical professionals can use the business acumen learned from the certificate to help open their own practices or advance within their divisions to roles such as division chief or dean of medicine. Other business professionals will be better prepared for applying to healthcare leadership roles or advancing to administrative or managerial positions within the healthcare field.
Students will complete 6 courses for 9 credit hours. Students will have the option to take either Healthcare Systems & Population Health, or Healthcare Budgeting & Finance, depending on their educational background. MBA students may benefit more from Healthcare Systems & Population Health, whereas clinicians and healthcare professionals may benefit more from Healthcare Budgeting & Finance.
Yes. Learn on your time and on your schedule from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
Related Degrees
Format: In-Person