Healthcare Leadership and Innovation Certificate
Advance your career and lead the future of healthcare innovation.
Program overview
This online graduate certificate equips health care professionals to lead change in complex healthcare systems. You’ll learn practical strategies and tools — design thinking, quality improvement/Lean, change management, and data-driven decision-making — and apply them immediately in your workplace.
By the end of the program, you’ll be able to guide and evaluate change, lead interprofessional teams, and create a personalized leadership plan to advance your impact. Expert faculty emphasize real-world applications to help you improve health system performance and patient outcomes.
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Online
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12 credit hours
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2 semesters
Application cycle
Applications for this certificate are accepted once a year for the autumn semester.
Eligibility requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program
- If you’re in the process of completing your bachelor’s degree, it must be conferred before beginning the certificate program
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the most recent relevant degree.
- Applicants with lower GPAs may still be considered.
- Residence in an authorized state
These courses are part of our Master of Healthcare Innovation degree, allowing you the opportunity to explore the master's program content before applying.
Time to completion: Two semesters
Number of credit hours: 12
Delivery format: Online, asynchronous
Required courses (12 credits):
You must complete all four courses:
- Innovation in High Performing Organizations (3 credits)
- Innovation Leadership: Leading from Within (3 credits)
- Building a Culture of Innovation in Health Systems (3 credits)
- Elective (3 credits)
Allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on the application center. For questions regarding our admissions process or requirements, contact our Ohio State Online team at OnlineEnrollment@osu.edu.
June 15
The application and all required materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET.
Within a month after the deadline
Most applicants will have a decision posted to their Applicant Center within a month of the deadline. You will be notified by an email from Graduate and Professional Admissions. Graduate transfer applicants receive their decision via email and can track their application status by emailing OnlineEnrollment@osu.edu.
The application status will show as “pending” until a decision is posted.
Four weeks post decision
If admitted, you will have four weeks after notification to formally accept your offer online.
Admission cannot be deferred. If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in a future term.
Elevate your career and lead meaningful change across today’s fast-moving health systems. The Healthcare Leadership and Innovation Certificate equips you with evidence-based leadership skills and practical innovation tools to design, test, and scale improvements in complex adaptive systems, while building a personalized leadership plan for long-term growth.
Career paths this certificate supports include:
- Clinical Innovation Lead or Innovation Program Manager
- Quality & Safety Improvement Leader (QI/QS, patient safety, HRO initiatives)
- Operations Excellence or Care Transformation Manager
- Digital Health or Health Tech Project Manager (EHR, telehealth, AI pilots)
- Population Health or Value-Based Care Manager
- Patient Experience & Service Design Lead
- Change Management Specialist or Organizational Development Partner
- Practice or Service Line Manager or Director
- Health Equity or Community Partnerships Program Lead
- Strategy & Performance Improvement Analyst or Consultant
Additionally, coursework from this certificate is included in the existing Master of Healthcare Innovation (MHI) program, offering a path to further your education at The Ohio State University.
How to apply
Applicants must submit all application materials by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline to be considered for admission.
- Submit an online application for the next available cohort.
- Pay the $60 application fee at the time of submission.
Upload a CV or resume no more than two pages long.
Provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. This includes coursework taken in high school that appears as transfer credit. Ohio
- You do not need to submit Ohio State transcripts.
- You may upload unofficial transcripts for initial review; official transcripts are required upon admission.
- For submission details, visit Graduate and Professional Admissions.
For transcript questions, contact 614-292-9444 or gpadmissions@osu.edu.
Applicants formerly or previously an Ohio State graduate program
Submit the Supplemental Certificate Application in addition to the online application using the Admission Uploader.
International applicants must meet Ohio State’s English proficiency requirements.
Application status
- Track application status via Applicant Center
- Allow up to five business days for material statuses to update
- Graduate transfer applicants: Email nursing@osu.edu for application status
Contact
Online tuition calculator
Online tuition calculatorFAQ
You are expected to follow your plan of study; discuss any changes with your advisor.
No, courses are only offered during certain terms each year; your plan of study will be based on course availability.
Financial aid or scholarships are not typically available for non-degree students.
Full-time Ohio State employees may be eligible for tuition assistance.
A breakdown of the estimated cost for the total program may be found here. You may pay instructional fees, general fees, and distance learning fees each term of enrollment.