phd in global health leadership

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Public Health, Global Health Leadership, Dr.P.H.

Become an innovative leader who can address complex public health problems with IU Online’s Doctor of Public Health in Global Health Leadership. With its global curriculum, global faculty, and global network, this program will heighten your ability to impact the health of populations anywhere in the world.

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Course Delivery : 80-99% Online

Total Credits : 45

In-State Tuition Per Credit : $750.00

Out-of-State Tuition Per Credit : $1500.00

Cost of attendance may vary by campus. View the total cost calculator

Degree Overview

The IU Online Doctor of Public Health in Global Health Leadership is a three-year, cohort-based distance education program. It leverages relationships with international schools and programs and includes opportunities to collaborate with faculty and scholars around the world.

As a student in the program, you'll take classes via real-time video, meet your classmates face to face three times a year in years 1 and 2, and complete your dissertation or a field-based project in year 3. You’ll cultivate leadership skills through diverse experiences and exposure to a wide range of perspectives. You’ll learn experientially through highly interactive debates and discussions.

You’ll graduate with an Indiana University degree respected by employers worldwide—and you can work on yours anytime and anywhere. Plus, you’ll enjoy personalized support services throughout your academic journey.

And the benefits start long before graduation. More than half of IU Online students advance in their careers before they complete their degree.

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

• Master's degree or doctorate
• 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale

To apply to this program:

Complete an online application that includes:

• Transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose and objectives
• Resume 

All finalists for admission to the Dr.P.H. will be interviewed at a distance by representatives of the admissions committee. 

Career Outcomes

The IU Online Doctor Program in Global Health Leadership prepares you for top positions in government agencies, foundations, non-governmental organizations, not-for-profit or for-profit organizations, and health ministries, including positions such as:

• Chief executive officer 
• Agency commissioner/secretary
• Executive director

Degree Requirements

To graduate with the Dr.P.H. in Global Health Leadership, you must complete 45 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Leadership courses (15 credit hours) 
• Public health courses (7 credit hours) 
• Research courses (14 credit hours)
• Dissertation or a field-based, culminating project (9 credit hours)

Find course descriptions with our Search Schedule of Classes/Courses tool .

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Global Health, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Global Health

The PhD in global health draws on the premise that sustainable and satisfying solutions to the most pressing global health challenges require a sophisticated understanding of how cultural context, social and ecological processes and disease are really related.

This transdisciplinary graduate program trains students broadly in cutting-edge health social science research theory and methods. The program leverages the strength of ASU's medical anthropology programming and 15 medical anthropologists, and it has the advantage of accessing an exceptionally wide set of skills offered by those in such fields as medical sociology, demography, human geography and epidemiology.

Some particular thematic foci of the program are biocultural approaches to human coping, computer-based complexity modeling, culture and health, health in the Americas, and Indigenous and minority health, as well as mathematical epidemiology, nutritional anthropology, social justice and vulnerable populations, social networks, and urban and environmental health.

The program draws some 80 faculty members from throughout the university to consider how cutting-edge social science can be applied to understand and substantively improve the health of populations. The program favors community-based research in communities of all sizes and types, from hunter-gatherer communities to large U.S. cities, and runs collaborative projects in which students are encouraged to gain experience and conduct research.

Students generally enter the program with a master's degree in a relevant field.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) ASB 510 Health: Social and Biocultural Theories (3)

Electives (39 credit hours)

Other Requirements (18 credit hours) ASB 500 Research Methods (3) ASB 501 Professionalism (3) ASM 579 Proposal Writing (3) SSH 591 Topic: Principles of Epidemiology for Global Health (3) systematic methods courses (6)

Research (12 credit hours) ASB 792 Research (12)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) ASB 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information For electives, students should see the academic unit for a course list approved by the chair.

Other requirement coursework may be substituted with the approval of the academic unit. At least two systematic methods courses in an area other than epidemiology or biostatistics and ethnography should be selected, such as nutrition, survey, archival analysis, demography or geographic information systems.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program may allow up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this program. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, the remaining coursework is made up of electives.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• personal statement outlining educational and professional goals
• current curriculum vitae or resume
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Suitable backgrounds for admission include a master's degree in the social sciences (e.g., anthropology or sociology), public health, human biology or related fields. Students who enter directly from a bachelor's degree program should have completed at least 15 credit hours of social science and six credit hours of human biology or equivalent at the senior level and should have some background in statistics or epidemiology.

Applicants may submit with their application materials an optional scholarly writing sample, not to exceed 30 double-spaced pages.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.

Nationally and internationally, the health field provides enormous and varied career opportunities, and demand is high and growing for graduates with specific skills. The program supports the goals of those pursuing careers in academic research teaching and health services. Sample employment venues include:

• health departments
• government agencies
• international agencies (World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global Health Council, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank)
• nongovernmental organizations
• private sector
• universities

The degree program also provides a broad intellectual base for those who plan advanced specialist health training in fields such as:

In Arizona and elsewhere, there is a pressing need for professionals with appropriate skills to work in cross-cultural settings or with underserved populations, such as migrants, minorities and those living in poverty, and many of these jobs are directly or indirectly related to health.

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

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Doctor of Public Health in Global Health Leadership

This exciting doctoral degree will prepare students to be knowledgeable and innovative leaders capable of effectively addressing the challenging and complex public health issues facing the world today. Based in the school’s department of Global Health, the degree is a three-year, cohort-based distance program offered online. Classes are delivered in real time via internet video. Students meet face-to-face three times each year in Year One and Year Two. Most in-person sessions take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, although some may take place elsewhere in the U.S. or around the world. Students will complete their doctoral projects in Year Three.

Some international students admitted into the DrPH program may need visas to enter the United States for the three short residential visits in program years one and two. For those who require it, the  IUPUI Office of International Affairs  will assist with issuance of a form I-20 required for an F-1 visa.

The target audience is mid- to senior-level professionals who are working full-time in organizations in which they have the ability to influence the health of populations anywhere in the world. We seek students from a wide range of backgrounds, including non-profit and for-profit health care settings, NGOs, non-profit organizations, pharma, government agencies, Ministries of Health, and foundations, as well as non-traditional settings.

A hallmark of the program is the diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and home bases of our students. We admit cohorts of 12 to 15 students who are as different from each other as possible, since diverse cohorts of learners inspire each other to think creatively.

Successful applicants will have strong academic records, at least a master’s degree (not necessarily in public health), and a minimum of several years of experience in a wide range of healthcare settings in roles with substantial management responsibility. We seek individuals who aspire to practice-oriented careers and leadership roles in organizations in which they can have maximum influence on the public’s health.

Leadership skills are cultivated through diverse experiences and exposure to a wide range of perspectives. Learning is achieved experientially, through highly interactive debates and discussions. Small class sizes and live internet video allow for rich exchanges in real time, regardless of where in the world students are located.

The Fairbanks School of Public Health offers unique advantages, including:

• Global curriculum.   All courses are internationalized. Competencies gained will be applicable whether individuals live and work in Indiana, the U.S., or anywhere in the world.
• Global faculty.   In addition to U.S.-based faculty, program faculty include international practitioners and academics teaching from around the world.
• Global network.   The program leverages relationships with other schools and programs, including opportunities to collaborate with faculty and students based around the world.

The Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is accredited by the  Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)  and the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA).

Scholars start the program in the fall. For detailed admissions criteria and instructions for applying to the Doctoral Program in Global Health Leadership (DrPH), visit the Admissions page.

Before applying, please note that successful applicants will meet the following criteria:  

• Prior master's or doctoral level degree (does not have to be in public health)
• Strong record in prior academic work (3.0 grade point average in graduate work)
• Working full-time in an organization associated with the public's health
• Mid- to senior-level leadership role with substantial management responsibility
• At least five years substantial management experience post master's degree for advanced cohort; at least three years for emerging leaders cohort
• Practice-oriented career goals
• Passion to improve the health of the public
• Ambition for top jobs for maximum influence
• Demonstrated leadership qualities

Admission Criteria

Application, admission, and degree-granting requirements and regulations shall be applied equitably to all individuals, applicants, and scholars regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or national origin.

All applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation and a personal statement. The letters of recommendation must come from individuals who can speak to applicants’ leadership abilities. Personal statements must include detailed responses to a list of questions provided in the application instructions.

A degree in public health is not required to be admitted. However, individuals must have a master’s degree or earned doctorate to be eligible for the program.

Individuals without a master’s degree in public health from an accredited school of public health will also need to complete core masters-level courses in epidemiology, health policy and management, biostatistics, social and behavioral science, and environmental health science or document their equivalencies before a DrPH degree can be conferred. We strongly recommend completion of these courses prior to beginning the DrPH program, though it is also feasible to complete the MPH core courses concurrently with the doctoral coursework.

Application Deadlines

US Applicants:  March 1

International Applicants:  February 1

Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, personal statement, and resume or CV. The TOEFL is also required if the applicant’s native language is not English and none of the applicant’s previous degrees is awarded by an US accredited institution or other institution where English is the official language.

DrPH Global Health Leadership applications and supplemental materials must be submitted to the IU Graduate CAS application system (select IUPUI campus).

DrPH Curriculum and Competencies

All DrPH candidates must satisfactorily complete a 45 credit, online curriculum. The Doctoral Program in Global Health Leadership (DrPH) competencies are aligned with the CEPH foundational competencies. Program graduates are expected to apply a global perspective to their mastery of all program competencies. 

DrPH Competencies

The Doctoral Program in Global Health Leadership is designed to meet the foundational competencies outlined by CEPH for DrPH programs. In addition, program graduates are expected to apply a global perspective to their mastery of all program competencies.

DrPH Foundational Competencies

Data & analysis.

• Explain qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and policy analysis research and evaluation methods to address health issues at multiple (individual, group, organization, community, and population) levels
• Design a qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, policy analysis or evaluation project to address a public health issue
• Explain the use and limitations of surveillance systems and national surveys in assessing, monitoring, and evaluating policies and programs and to address a population’s health

Leadership, Management & Governance

• Propose strategies for health improvement and elimination of health inequities by organizing stakeholders, including researchers, practitioners, community leaders and other partners
• Communicate public health science to diverse stakeholders, including individuals at all levels of health literacy, for purposes of influencing behavior and policies
• Integrate knowledge, approaches, methods, values and potential contributions from multiple professions and systems in addressing public health problems
• Create a strategic plan
• Facilitate shared decision making through negotiation and consensus-building methods
• Create organizational change strategies
• Propose strategies to promote inclusion and equity within public health programs, policies and systems
• Assess one’s own strengths and weaknesses in leadership capacities, including cultural proficiency
• Propose human, fiscal and other resources to achieve a strategic goal
• Cultivate new resources and revenue streams to achieve a strategic goal

Policy & Programs

• Design a system-level intervention to address a public health issue
• Integrate knowledge of cultural values and practices in the design of public health policies and programs
• Integrate scientific information, legal and regulatory approaches, ethical frameworks and varied stakeholder interests in policy development and analysis
• Propose interprofessional team approaches to improving public health

Education & Workforce Development

• Assess an audience’s knowledge and learning needs
• Deliver training or educational experiences that promote learning in academic, organizational or community settings
• Use best practice modalities in pedagogical practices

Global Health Leadership Competencies

In addition to the CEPH Foundational Competencies, students also master the five additional global health leadership competencies listed below.

• Analyze the roles and relationships of international organizations and other entities influencing global health.
• Critique the impact of global policies on health equity and social justice across a range of cultural, economic and health contexts.
• Apply an understanding of global economic, political, and social conditions on population health worldwide.
• Apply diplomacy and conflict resolution strategies with global partners.
• Exhibit communication skills that demonstrate respect for other perspectives and cultures.

DrPH in Global Health Leadership Curriculum

To complete this degree, you will take a combination of leadership courses, public health courses, and research courses that together total 45 credits.

DrPH Leadership Courses

    Take all seven courses for 15 credits

• A755 Organizational Leadership Theory and Practice (2 credits)
• A756 Leadership in Global Health Law and Ethics (2 credits)
• A759 Leadership in Global Health Systems (2 credits)
• A762 The Science of Global Health Implementation (2 credits)
• A765 Financing Global Health (3 credits)
• A767 Executive Communication for Global Health Leaders (2 credits)
• A770 Leadership for Global Marketing, Public Relations and Fund-raising (2 credits)

DrPH Public Health Courses

    Take all four courses for seven credits

• A757 A Population Perspective for Global Health (1 credit)
• A760 Essentials of Practice-based Research (2 credits)
• A763 Leadership Challenges in Global Health Informatics (2 credits)
• A768 Global Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy (2 credits)

DrPH Research Courses

    Take all eleven courses for 23 credits

• A758 Initiating the Research Process (1 credit)
• A761 Literature Review & Appraisal (2 credits)
• A777 Dissertation Preparation and Planning (2 credits)
• A766 Fundamentals of Research Analysis (3 credits)
• A769 Strategic Theory and Practice in Global Health Leadership (2 credits)
• A777 Dissertation Preparation and Planning (1 credit)
• A771 Program Evaluation for Global Health Leaders (2 credits)
• A778 Dissertation Preparation and Planning II (1 credit)
• A805 Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Updated March 2022

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Center for Global Health Equity

Doctoral Degree in Global Health Leadership

The Fairbanks School of Public Health offers a unique doctoral degree in Global Health Leadership. The program, aimed at professionals with a variety of health care backgrounds, is designed to develop leaders to combat global health issues.

The program is conducted primarily online and annually draws a cohort of students from around the United States and around the world.

Contact: Suzanne Babich, DrPH, MS

Our aim is to prepare health leaders for top jobs where they can have maximum influence on the public's health. Our graduates will have the skills and abilities - and the will to apply them - to solve some of the world's most challenging and important global health problems. Sue Babich, DrPh, MS, Associate Dean of Global Health

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Genes to Society: A Curriculum for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Global health leadership program.

The mission of the Johns Hopkins Global Health Leadership Program (GHLP) is to train future leaders in global health through an exchange of cultural, clinical, and educational knowledge and skills. The GHLP, which is open to students from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health, provides transformational, interprofessional learning experiences for participants and tangible benefits to host institutions and organizations. Participants will learn to better leverage their skills in clinical practice, research, and programmatic planning across different global health contexts.

Currently, there are two electives under GHLP:

1. GHLP-International

While abroad, students will work and learn in a multidisciplinary and interprofessional environment that incorporates expertise from physicians, non-physician providers, nurses, and public health experts.   at an international site to pursue a scholarly project identified in collaboration with the host institution, such as a quality improvement initiative or research project that can be completed during their time abroad. During their international rotations, students may also have the option to spend time at a governmental or non-governmental organization to further enhance their global health experience. Interested students can also complete a separate programmatic internship at WHO.

International sites (subject to change): India, Nepal, Peru

Elective requirements

• Pre-departure training
• Well-supervised clinical experience at the international site
• Interdisciplinary scholarly project
• Post-departure debriefing
• WHO Emergency and Essential Surgical Care

2. GHLP-Migrant Health and Human Rights (Domestic)

This elective was developed specifically in response to the changing landscape of global health and to train future global health leaders to address mounting challenges regarding health equity and access among refugee and migrant populations domestically and internationally.

Globalization, climate change, violence, discrimination, and poverty are driving millions of people away from their homes and shaping the modern world. In this context, migration is increasingly conceptualized as a public health issue, and immigration status has become a key social determinant of health. This elective is focused on the multidisciplinary field of migrant health and human rights and provides transformational, interprofessional learning experiences for participants and tangible benefits to our partner institutions and organizations. Interested students may opt to apply for an extended elective (6 – 8 weeks), which includes an internship with Tahirih Justice Center, a national organization dedicated to protecting immigrant women and girls fleeing violence (requires approval by Tahirih Justice Center staff).

• Pre-elective training in forensic evaluation of asylum seekers (available through Physicians For Human Rights )
• Well-supervised clinical experience participating in forensic evaluations of asylum seekers complemented with online modules on trauma-informed care, reproductive justice, and migration and health 
• Engagement with local undocumented Latinx population in Baltimore
• Post-elective debriefing
• Tahirih Justice Center

In addition to this global health elective, other JHU clinical and research international opportunities can be found at the Center for Global Health .

Elective Objectives

The goal of the Global Health Leadership Program is to train future global health leaders by providing training of the highest degree in a collaborative, interprofessional learning environment. During this course, students will:

• Expand and demonstrate leadership skills
• Understand the impact of social, cultural, political, and economic factors on health care outcomes, access, and delivery
• Develop and demonstrate interprofessional competencies
• Apply research and problem solving skills to complete a scholarly project based on experiences at the international clinical site (GHLP-International)
• Expand clinical skills and medical knowledge specific to a global health context (GHLP-International)
• Formulate effective advocacy strategies and skills by participating in outreach efforts to the undocumented Latinx community in Baltimore through partnership with Centro SOL, the center for Salud/Health and Opportunities for Latinos at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (GHLP-Migrant Health and Human Rights)
• Develop skills in forensic physical and psychological evaluation of asylum seekers through completing training, participating in evaluations, and drafting expert affidavits in partnership with legal advocates (GHLP-Migrant Health and Human Rights)

Program Directors

Time Commitment and Availability

Students must commit at least three to four weeks, including travel time (if applicable), to this elective. The course is currently available year-round, as well as during the summer period.

Elective Prerequisites

Ghlp-international.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine students interested in this elective must be in good standing and have completed the core clerkship in Internal Medicine, as well as either a core clerkship in General Surgery, Women’s Health (OBGYN), OR Emergency Medicine.

School of Nursing and School of Public Health students interested in this elective must be in good standing. Students being considered for the course will require individual permission from the dean’s office at the respective schools prior to participation.

GHLP-Migrant Health and Human Rights

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine students interested in this elective must be in good standing and have completed the Transitions to the Wards curriculum.

As this elective is newly established during the 2020-2021 academic year, enrollment is currently limited to School of Medicine students. Updates will be added as opportunity to participate is developed for School of Nursing and School of Public Health students.

How to Apply

There will be two application cycles with two application deadlines:

• Fall deadline for the January to May rotations
• Spring deadline for the June to December rotations

The exact dates of the application deadlines will be advertised and communicated via internal email listserv and social media channels approximately one month before the deadline.

Elective Materials

• Program Curriculum and Objectives
• Application Form
• Predeparture Handbook
• Letter of Recommendation Form

About the Program

The Doctoral Program in Global Health and Development (GHD) is a new and distinctive training program anchored in the Hubert Department of Global Health, and affiliated with the Public Health Sciences cluster of doctoral programs within the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies .

The goal of this program is to train leaders and scholars who use science to improve public health policy and practice for underserved populations globally. Graduates will acquire a solid understanding of the theoretical frameworks of implementation science and relevant methodological skills required to guide programs and policies that are designed to improve health outcomes in a variety of settings across the globe.

Training will provide students with deep and broad expertise in the field of global health and development, creativity to cross discipline boundaries, courage to challenge convention, and confidence to ask unexpected questions and articulate bold new perspectives.

Training faculty include 47 core faculty members and 10 affiliated faculty members who are based at several partner institutions such as the Carter Center and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The core faculty have primary appointments in the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory School of Medicine, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Goizueta School of Business, Nell Hodgson School of Nursing and Emory Law School and represent a wide variety of disciplines.  The GHD PhD Program collaborates closely with the Emory Master’s in Development Practice program , a two-year professional degree that prepares students for careers in development and humanitarian fields.

What You’ll Learn

This new PhD offering is one of the only programs globally that specifically offers a doctoral degree in Global Heath and Development. Distinct program advantages include:

• a specific focus on interrelationships between global health and other components of development (e.g. education, urban growth),
• deep learning in ethics and leadership,
• rigorous training in implementation science and interventions, and
• an explicit recognition that field training can be local or global. Moreover, Emory’s strong collaborative ties and engagement of experts based in non-academic settings, such as CARE, The Carter Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer our students unparalleled opportunities for training with experts who are engaged in designing and implementing programs and policies that influence global health and development. These are innovations in training that leverage the expertise of our faculty and our partnerships that are not explicitly emphasized at other institutions in the US or abroad.

Specific skills that the graduates of this program will acquire include a solid understanding of the theoretical frameworks and practical aspects of using implementation science to guide programs and policies that are designed to improve health outcomes in a variety of settings across the globe combined with an understanding of the importance of development theory and practice and ethical challenges.

They will also gain the relevant methodological skills and underlying theory based on their area of interest and career goals (for e.g. policy and advocacy, improving health systems and/or designing and evaluating strategies that include behavioral and/or biomedical interventions in varying areas such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases and mental health).

The trainees in this unique program will be challenged to study and think about issues such as scalability, i.e. exploring the processes and transition through which stakeholders become increasingly skillful and committed to using an intervention and assimilating these interventions into societal structures and functioning within a given context.

They will have core courses that cover the range of content and skills-based knowledge that they need and will have access to a vast variety of elective courses across Emory based on their project needs and/or personal interests.

Emory University’s PhD in Global Health and Development seeks to fill that capacity gap by training leaders in the field with strong methodological foundations to design, manage, implement, and evaluate programs and policies in diverse settings.

The application for the Fall 2021 admissions cycle will open in September 2020. The application deadline is December 1 st . You can submit your application before your letter writers have submitted their letters of recommendation. Make sure you upload the correct version of your statement of purpose, resume and transcripts, as our office is unable to remove or add any document in your application once it has been submitted. View the full list of Admissions Requirements.

Degree Requirements

A full-time course load, considered 9 credit hours or more per semester, is required for all GHD doctoral students. All students must pass the Qualifying Exam before taking the General Doctoral Exam. A Master’s degree will not be granted without a thesis. Independent of admission status, ALL STUDENTS in the GHD Doctoral Program are required to take and pass the Qualifying Exam.

Training Program

The GHD program provides students and program faculty several opportunities for providing feedback. For students, these will include, but are not restricted to, regular meetings with the DGS, participation in the Executive Committee (EC) meetings (two student representatives will be elected by the graduate student body), and meetings with the DGS who will be available by email and during structured office hours.

The DGS will also routinely obtain feedback and obtain student evaluations of the core courses and performance of teaching assistants and other guest lecturer faculty. In these reviews, students will have the opportunity to report on how the curriculum fosters the development of critical thinking skills and make recommendations for additional new courses and/or training opportunities that will be pursued actively.

The EC will also solicit annually from program faculty feedback about the program for discussion at EC meetings in their consideration and application of program changes.

This event includes an overview of the GHD program, the application process, and admission process as well as an introduction to the Hubert Department of Global Health by the Department Chair, Dr. Usha Ramakrishnan, and a panel discussion by current students in the GHD program, followed by a Q&A session.

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Please contact Joan Lynfatt to learn more about this new program.

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• PhD Global Health

The structured PhD program Global Health at the Charité is a collaboration between seven partnering institutions. It aims to train excellent scientists for leadership positions in global health. The program imparts an interdisciplinary  perspective on health and a sensitivity to inter-cultural factors affecting health.

Applications are accepted from June 20 to August 20, 2024!

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Key Facts - PhD Global Health

Seven collaborating partners in Berlin

• Enrollment at the Charité
• Language of instruction is English
• University degree conferred: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Standard period of study 3 years / 6 semesters

• 30 ECTS course work
• 150 ECTS scientific research work (dissertation)

Admission of 15 doctoral candidates per year

• Eligibility requirements are a master’s degree or equivalent
• Application period 2024 TBA
• First PhD Cohort starting October 2024

The structured PhD Global Health is tuition free

Cooperating Partners - PhD Global Health

The structured PhD Global Health is a joint doctoral program hosted at the Charité. It brings together the outstanding expertise in Global Health of the following seven cooperating partners (in alphabetical order):

• Charité -  Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Freie Universität Berlin (FU)
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU)
• Robert Koch-Institut (RKI)
• Technische Universität Berlin (TU)
• Universität Potsdam
• Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (WZB)

PhD candidates are enrolled at the Charité. The degree awarded upon completion of the three year program is PhD in Global Health. The program requires participants to complete 30 ECTS of coursework divided over the 6 semesters and work on a research project (equivalent to 150 ECTS / 5 Semesters) that will result in publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals (doctorate by publication). The program concludes with an oral defense.

The thematic focus of the doctoral program is based on the health-relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The topics we wish to address include communicable and non-communicable diseases, the prevention and control of disease outbreaks, global health security, migration and health, universal health coverage, the role of climate and the environment as determinants of health, One Health, governance and health policy, health economics, community engagement as well as digitalization in healthcare. The doctoral program approaches research topics from an interdisciplinary perspective and incorporates a variety of methodological and conceptual approaches. Through the close exchange between teachers, supervisors and doctoral students, we support the critical examination of institutional and political constellations in the field of global health.

Modes of Study

The PhD Global Health seeks to develop expertise around the globe. We hope to provide prospective students with modes of participation that match their needs and their lifestyles, regardless of where they are from. You can chose to relocate to Berlin for the program or you can stay in your home country and travel to Berlin to participate in coursework and for temporary research stays.

Sandwich PhD

• The sandwich PhD allows you to conduct research in your home country under the co-supervision of researchers from the Cooperating Partners and your home institution.
• Sandwich doctorates limit the time spent in Berlin to research stays of 3 months or less while completing coursework.
• This path requires you to secure funding for travel to and from Berlin but is often more convenient for non-EU candidates as it reduces overall costs and eases visa requirements.

Berlin-based PhD

• The Berlin-based PhD allows you to live in Berlin and expects you to travel for field research, research exchanges or conferences. This path is often more convenient for EU candidates.

What is Global Health?

Global Health is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field dedicated to addressing health challenges on a global scale. Focused on promoting well-being, preventing diseases, and improving healthcare access for all , it transcends national borders to tackle complex health issues that affect diverse populations worldwide. Global Health professionals work collaboratively to understand and address the social, economic, and environmental determinants of health, striving to create equitable and sustainable solutions.

From infectious diseases to non-communicable illnesses, Global Health emphasizes the importance of international cooperation, research, and policy development to build resilient healthcare systems and foster a healthier future for communities across the globe.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide the major themes of  PhD Global Health program. Program participants are encouraged to approach their research from conceptually and methodologically innovative perspectives. The topics to be addressed include communicable and non-communicable diseases, pandemic intelligence, monitoring, surveillance and prevention, migration and health, universal health coverage, the role of climate and environment as determinants of health, One Health, governance and health policy, as well as digitalization and health. The PhD Global Health aims to approach research from an interdisciplinary perspective, incorporating a variety of methodological and conceptual approaches. Close exchanges between faculty, supervisors and doctoral candidates encourage critical thinking and innovation in Global Health.

A PhD in Global Health opens the door to a myriad of impactful and diverse career prospects at the intersection of healthcare, research, and policy. Graduates are well-equipped to take on leadership roles in international organizations, governmental agencies, non-profit institutions, and academic settings. As researchers, they contribute to advancing our understanding of global health challenges, developing innovative interventions, and shaping evidence-based policies. Professionals with a PhD in Global Health may also engage in fieldwork, implementing health programs and strategies in diverse communities around the world. Additionally, opportunities exist in academia, where individuals can contribute to the education and mentorship of the next generation of global health leaders. With a unique skill set that combines research, critical thinking, and cross-cultural understanding , those with a PhD in Global Health are poised to make a meaningful impact on global healthcare disparities and contribute to the development of sustainable and equitable health systems worldwide.

Further information

• Online MSN to DNP
• Online BSN to DNP Health Care Leadership Administration
• Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership
• Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership
• Master in Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Applied Data Science (MADS)
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• Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree in Digital Curation and Management
• Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences
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• Master in Clinical Laboratory Science
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• Master of Social Work (MSW)
• MSN Health Care Leadership & Administration
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• Paralegal Certificate
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• Coding Boot Camp
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• Emergency Management Certificate
• Global Health Certificate
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PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

UNC Online / Online Doctoral Programs / The Online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership

The Online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership

From the gillings school of global public health at the university of north carolina at chapel hill, effect positive change in local and global health care.

If you’re ready to step into higher leadership roles in health care, consider the online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH) Program.  

The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health — ranked the No. 2 public school of public health in the United States 1 — designed this online program to teach mid- to senior-level public health professionals how to develop their own leadership philosophy and use it to shape public health policy in a wide range of organizations around the world. 

The Gillings School is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health and the University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership at a Glance

49 credits (9 courses)

3 years to complete (part time)

1 practicum project in a relevant organization

1 dissertation (on a current or past public health issue)

Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership Curriculum

The online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership curriculum teaches students how to conduct and capitalize on practice-based research. During the first two years, you will complete online coursework that focuses on three content areas: leadership, public health and research. 

In the spring or summer of your second year, you will be asked to present and defend your dissertation proposal. At the end of the second year summer, you will take your written comprehensive exams. You will concentrate on your dissertation research in the third year.

Course Highlights

Core research and skills courses include:

• Population Perspectives for Health — Identify important population health problems, some of which may be appropriate as dissertation topics.
• Essentials of Practice-Based Research — Master fundamental quantitative and qualitative research skills, including formulating research questions, the pros and cons of different study designs, basic statistical techniques and sources of secondary data.
• Fundamentals of Research Analysis — Consider alternative research methodologies and analytical techniques for different research questions. Focus more heavily on qualitative research, and prepare your formal dissertation proposal.
• Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy for Leaders — Learn the policy analysis and policy making process. Identify strategies you may consider in your dissertation.

Admissions: Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership

The Gillings School of Global Public Health values a diversified cohort that represents a variety of perspectives and experience. The admissions committee evaluates each applicant holistically. GRE scores are not required. Note that meeting the minimum requirements does not ensure admission. 

Admissions Requirements: 

• A prior master’s or doctoral degree (not necessarily in public health)
• GPA of at least 3.0 in prior graduate study
• Full-time employment in the field
• At least five years of post-graduate experience in the health field, with significant management or leadership responsibilities at the mid- to senior-level

Review a complete list of application requirements and deadlines for the Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership.

Deepen Your Knowledge With Key Leadership Skills

The online Executive Doctoral Program in Health leadership will prepare you for high-level leadership roles in health care, with 28 competencies related to management and government; data and analysis; policy and programs; and education and workplace development.

The Online Learning Experience

Students in this program study completely online. You will receive material (recorded videos, narrative case studies, datasets, readings, etc.) online each week, study these materials on your own time and complete tasks before the weekly, live sessions.  

You will, however, be expected to come to campus three times a year during the first two years, for a total of six on-campus visits during the program. One of the six on-site visits may be to an international site or to another location in the U.S. 

First-year students will attend classes on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Second-year students attend classes on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time. 

Additional Online Offerings From UNC-Chapel Hill

In addition to the Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership, UNC-Chapel Hill offers other online education options in health care.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

• Master of Public Health

CERTIFICATES

• Certificate of Community Preparedness and Disaster Management  
• Certificate in Field Epidemiology
• Certificate in Global Health
• Certificate in Public Health Leadership

• E is for Epidemiology
• Introduction to Public Health in North Carolina
• Public Health Ethics

Drive Meaningful Change in Global Public Health Practice

If you’re ready to invest in yourself and in the future of public health as an influential leader, apply to our online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH) today.  

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1  Best Public Health Schools. (2023). U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved October 2023. arrow_upward Return to footnote reference

PhD in Global Leadership and Change

The Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership and Change degree program prepares students to become visionary leaders and agents of change in strategy and policy for nonprofit, government, for-profit, and academic institutions.

Pepperdine University's selective Global Leadership and Change PhD program employs the researcher-scholar model of doctoral training, in which academics and research are conjoined. Three years of rigorous coursework incorporate national and international trips, providing students with a global perspective on leadership and policy and access to prominent global experts, followed by a one-to-two-year dissertation process*, where each student will contribute new knowledge to the field of their selected topic of research.

Program Benefits

Global access format.

This highly selective doctoral program's hybrid format, which is 60% face-to-face and 40% online, is formatted to be ideal for working professionals.

Values Centered

Students are empowered to make a lasting impact through GSEP's core values of academic excellence, social purpose, and meaningful service.

Quick Facts

Cohort Model

Enables students to build upon leadership skills while forging valuable relationships with colleagues.

Outstanding Faculty

Scholar-practitioners with exemplary academic achievements and professional expertise. Direct and personalized feedback from PhD faculty mentors.

Comprehensive Curriculum

Incorporates core courses shared between all doctoral offerings, program-specific classes, and elective options to customize your learning experience.

Reputable Program

Highly selective doctoral program at one of the top universities in the US, committed to the highest standards of academic excellence.

Small Class Sizes

Provide an environment for faculty mentorship

Scholarships Available

Policy Trip

International Trip

Course Format

Take the Next Step

Reach out to us to learn more about Pepperdine's PhD in Global Leadership and Change program.

Get in Touch

Fill out the Request Information form to learn more and get in contact with an enrollment officer.

Attend an Info Session

Experience an in-depth overview and meet program leaders.

Start Your Application

Submit the application form early to meet scholarship and enrollment deadlines. It takes fewer than 15 minutes.

Request Information

Program deadline.

Fall 2024: Application Complete - Submit all supplemental application materials . 

Information Sessions

Program Details

• Offering the Global Access Hybrid format, this PhD in Global Leadership program is ideal for working professionals to take advantage of the best features of both face-to-face and online modalities. The online portion provides flexibility, while the classroom component offers an enhanced experience, a personalized/hands-on approach, relational interaction with peers, and increased quality of learning.
• Robust online modules feature engaging synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences.

Face-to-Face classes are conveniently located on our West Los Angeles Graduate Campus, close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and just off the 405 freeway.

• Cohort model designed to build upon leadership skills, peer support, and lifelong relationships with colleagues.
• Small class sizes and a low faculty: student ratio provides a supportive learning environment, meaningful student-faculty interactions, and long-term professional and personal relationships.

Curriculum Overview

This doctoral program includes 66 units of coursework and a dissertation. You will experience a curriculum focused on preparing leaders with well-rounded and unparalleled global leadership theory and practice courses, research, policy development, funding, economics, entrepreneurship, and many others. Research methods and applications are accomplished through both coursework and a final dissertation. To gain an international perspective on policy development, students will visit an international location, meet local and national leaders, and observe and examine industries and organizations.

Program Learning Outcomes

GSEP is committed to a learner-centered approach in the programs we offer. Each program has a set of objectives that a student graduating from the program is expected to achieve. The knowledge and skills taught in the program might be introduced in some courses. In other courses, students are asked to apply knowledge by practicing skills and demonstrating their abilities. Within the program, the values and dispositional attributes important for individuals entering the profession are emphasized. Graduates of the PhD in Global Leadership and Change program.

International Student Opportunities

• This program is approved for international students perusing an F-1 or any other type of visa.
• A dedicated Enrollment Services Officer will make your admissions process easy and comfortable with experience in supporting both international and domestic students.
• Integration of domestic and international students across campuses. Dedicated support for international students is provided through the Office of International Student Services (OISS) .
• Opportunities to participate in university social, sporting, cultural, and spiritual events.
• Robust alumni network.
• Partnerships with professional networks and conferences.

Career Outcomes

This PhD from Pepperdine provides a strong opportunity for employment growth and earning potential. As a graduate, you will be prepared to increase your earning potential and help make a lasting difference in a variety of business and academic roles.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Pepperdine GSEP generously offers over $6,000,000 in scholarships every year, with the majority of students receiving financial assistance . There are numerous scholarship opportunities that are both merit and need-based in addition to discounts for meeting application deadlines .

GSEP welcomes federal and state aid eligibility and veteran benefits which may further reduce tuition cost.

The Financial Aid Office is available to answer questions and help you navigate funding your education at GSEP through numerous scholarship, grant, loan, and other opportunities. 

To help determine your total cost of tuition and living expenses for this specific program, please refer to our GSEP tuition calculator . 

Alumni and Faculty Spotlight

"What led me to Pepperdine was initially the face-to-face. I really enjoyed being able to start off by coming in every week to class and meeting with my peers and my professors, and building a camaraderie. Being able to connect with everybody, knowing that there’s such a huge diversity, I think that really exceeded my expectations." - Dr. Asia Ghazi, Alumni

What Our Alumni Are Saying

"I have become a better leader and help people on my team lead better, which is the greatest joy I derived from the program."

- Frederique Covington Corbett, PhD in Global Leadership and Change '21

"I enjoyed the setup of the cohort system implemented in the program because it was an extra layer of accountability, which helped all of us get through the program."

- Victoria Queen Brown, PhD in Global Leadership and Change '21

Why Pepperdine

Passion and purpose driven, reputable university, distinguished faculty, alumni network, student and career support, veteran and military support.

Since our founding in 1937, Pepperdine University has had one mission: to strengthen students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership in a learning environment where academic excellence is rooted in a Christian faith and values.

Our graduate programs empower students to transform into the best possible expression of themselves for meaningful work and purposeful lives. That legacy is alive today more than ever, as we help students all over the world gain the skills they need to achieve personal fulfillment, lead with purpose, and make a lasting impact in the lives and communities they serve.

GSEP offers prestigious programs at one of the top universities in the US, committed to the highest standards of academic excellence. Consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful places to study, Pepperdine is where you're inspired to learn as you learn to inspire.

Best-Value Schools

U.S. News & Report

Best College Value in the West/SW

Most Entrepreneurial Universities

• GSEP faculty are nationally-recognized scholar-practitioners with exemplary academic achievements, industry expertise, educational experience, and scholarly credentials.
• Professors are accomplished professionals who balance theory and real-world application in a practitioner-based curriculum informed by their desire to prepare students to make a difference.
• Average class size of 14 students and a 12:1 faculty-student ratio provides a supportive educational setting, meaningful interactions, and long-term professional and personal connections.
• Extensive Pepperdine alumni network creates influential business connections with more than 110,000 professionals. Our alumni network has 32 chapters and affinity programs in the U.S. and abroad.
• Pepperdine alumni, faculty, staff, and parents make themselves available to offer the resources you need and help graduates build professional, personal, and purposeful relationships with Pepperdine people all over the world.
• As a Pepperdine alumnus, you have exclusive access to the PeppConnect Mentoring Program, a global network of alumni who are willing to mentor and offer career or industry advice.
• GSEP Student Services supports our rigorous curricula through academic advising, records, writing support, library, student groups, and much more.
• Students are further supported through our Office of Student Accessibility, world-class facilities, and highly competitive programs, all of which contribute to our exceptional programs and rankings.
• GSEP Career Services operates from an innovative model of career education and holistic career counseling for today's rapidly changing job market helping students and alumni construct their career narrative, build lifelong employability skills, and connect with alumni and industry leaders.
• The Office of International Students Services (OISS) values our international students for what they bring to our campus—diversity, global perspective, cultural respect, determination, and a wonderful sense of adventure. We welcome students from all nationalities, faiths, and education systems, as they provide a diverse perspective in our classrooms.

Pepperdine has served veterans and their family members for over 75 years and is proud to support nearly 500 enrolled veterans, service members, and dependents. 

As an active participant in the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program , we proudly offer tuition support to Yellow Ribbon-eligible students. Pepperdine invests almost $3M annually to help cover 100% of tuition costs for eligible students.

Under the Yellow Ribbon program, Pepperdine in the VA matches all remaining tuition costs. Pepperdine also does not limit the number of eligible students who can utilize the Yellow Ribbon program. 

Accreditations and Recognitions

Inva Lumi Enrollment Officer Pepperdine GSEP

310.568.5532 Email   Schedule an Appointment

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Related Programs

• EdD in Organizational Leadership
• EdD in Educational Leadership Pre-K to 12

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Global Health

For undergraduates, the department offers an undergraduate minor, and collaborates with the School of Public Health to support a Global Health Option within the Public Health-Global Health undergraduate major. For graduate and professional students, the department offers a Master of Public Health, a Doctor of Global Health Leadership & Practice (DrGH), and two PhD options: Global Health Metrics & Implementation Science and Pathobiology. Three graduate certificate offerings are available for graduate students, as well as a global health pathway for UW medical students. The department applies a strong cross-cutting focus on social justice and equity to its current and emerging focus areas, including: global environmental change; health economics; health metrics and evaluation; health system strengthening and implementation science; infectious diseases; injury and violence prevention; laboratory sciences; medicines safety; mental health; and women’s, adolescents’ and children’s health.

 Undergraduate Program

 program of study: minor: global health.

The Global Health Minor provides undergraduate students with an overview of the major problems and policy issues in global health. Students are able to understand and discuss the determinants of global health and global responses to health problems, and to engage actively in efforts to improve health as global citizens. Students graduating with a Global Health Minor demonstrate a basic understanding of the following for both developing country and other low-resource settings: the burden of the most important health problems contributing to excess morbidity and mortality; major historical, political, social, environmental, and economic determinants of adverse health; the pathophysiology of the most prevalent infectious and chronic diseases and medical and public health approaches for prevention and treatment; the current and historic health programs and policies designed to address major health problems; and how to critically analyze relevant topics in the literature and popular press.

• Minor in Global Health

 Minor in Global Health

The Global Health Minor provides undergraduate students with an overview of the major problems and policy issues in global health. Students are able to understand and discuss the determinants of global health and global responses to health problems, and to engage actively in efforts to improve health as global citizens. Students graduating with a Global Health Minor demonstrate a basic understanding of the following for both developing country and other low-resource settings: the burden of the most important health problems contributing to excess morbidity and mortality; major historical, political, social, environmental, and economic determinants of adverse health; the pathophysiology of the most prevalent infectious and chronic diseases and medical and public health approaches for prevention and treatment; current and historic health programs and policies designed to address major health problems; and how to critically analyze relevant topics in the literature and popular press.

30 credits:

• Required courses (9 credits): G H 101/GEOG 180/JSIS B 180; G H 201; and G H 210 or G H 410
• Perspectives in global health series (2 credits): G H 401 and G H 402
• Electives (to bring total to 30 credits): Minimum of one elective course from each of the four content areas selected from a list of approved courses available from the Department of Global Health website
• Minimum 15 credits outside the student's major
• Minimum 15 credits completed through the UW
• Minimum 15 upper-division credits
• Minimum 2.0 grade in courses applied to the minor

 Graduate Programs

 program of study: doctor of global health (leadership and practice).

The DrGH addresses a documented need for advanced degree programs that generate practice-based leadership skills for global health settings as opposed to more commonly available programs that focus largely on research skills. The DrGH degree program will improve the skills of global health leaders in planning, catalyzing resources; motivating teams; strengthening national policy; and, implementing, managing, and evaluating evidence-based programs in a variety of global health settings. DrGH graduates will gain the ability to understand and successfully navigate and work across diverse organizations and settings, including Ministries of Health (MOH), multilateral and bi-lateral agencies (e.g., the World Health Organization [WHO], the US Agency for International Development [USAID]), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, academic institutions, and private sector organizations.

• Doctor of Global Health (Leadership and Practice)

See this program's Graduate Admissions page for requirements.

 Doctor of Global Health (Leadership and Practice)

• Qualitative & Quantitative Methods courses (12 credits): Course list maintained by the program.
• Leadership Policy Management Series & Implementation Science (13 credits): G H 521, G H 522, G H 523, G H 541
• Year 1 Seminar (9 credits) : G H 585, G H 586, G H 587
• Year 2 Seminar (3 credits) : G H 588
• Health Economics
• Health Promotion & Health Behavior
• Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)/"Data & Strategic Information"
• Policy & Advocacy
• Mentored Leadership and Practice Experience (LPEs) (24 credits): GH 610
• Practice Doctorate "meta project" (12 credits): GH 801

 Program of Study: Doctor of Philosophy (Global Health: Global Health Metrics & Implementation Sciences)

The Department of Global Health, in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Health Alliance International, have developed a PhD program in Global Health that is the first of its kind, building on the expertise of our faculty in the areas of metrics and implementation science. The PhD program provides students with the latest and most innovative tools to advance global health solutions that are critical for decision-making and priority setting.

• Doctor of Philosophy (Global Health: Global Health Metrics & Implementation Sciences)

 Doctor of Philosophy (Global Health: Global Health Metrics & Implementation Sciences)

• Global Health: PABIO 550, GH 511, GH 535, GH 536, GH 537, GH 541
• Seminar: GH 580 (4 credits)
• Epidemiology: EPI 512, EPI 513
• Quantitative Methods: 8 credits of coursework. Course list maintained by the program.
• Leadership, Policy and Management: 1 course from a list maintained by the program.
• Advanced Health System Research Methods: 8 credits of coursework. Course list maintained by the program.
• Operations Research and Modeling: 3 credits of coursework. Course list maintained by the program.
• Dissertation (27 credits): G H 800
• Electives (to meet required credit total): 500- and/or 600-level coursework

 Program of Study: Doctor Of Philosophy (Pathobiology)

As a discipline, Pathobiology ties together the fundamental concepts of biology, medicine, and public health, particularly as applied to global health issues. The program applies a multidisciplinary approach as well as the latest research technologies to the study of public health problems such as viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases, as well as other conditions such as cancer. By investigating the mechanisms underlying multifactorial diseases, our program emphasizes the preventive as well as the curative, and a broader view of disease etiology. The program applies the research tools of immunology, molecular biology, pathology, and genetics to the detection and characterization of cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and respiratory and parasitic infections.

• Doctor Of Philosophy (Pathobiology)

 Doctor Of Philosophy (Pathobiology)

• Required Courses: PABIO 551, PABIO 552, PABIO 553, PABIO 580 (4 credits), PABIO 581 (3 credits), PABIO 582 (3 credits), PABIO 590 (4 credits), PABIO 598 (2 credits), PABIO 500 (3 credits)
• Dissertation (27 credits): PABIO 800
• Global Health Doctoral Seminar: G H 580 (2 credits)
• Epidemiology Course: EPI 511
• Immunology Course: IMMUN 441 or IMMUN 532
• Electives (18 credits): PABIO coursework numbered 500 to 700

 Program of Study: Graduate Certificate In Global Health

• Graduate Certificate In Global Health

Contact department for requirements.

 Graduate Certificate In Global Health

 program of study: master of public health (global health).

• Master Of Public Health (Global Health)
• Master Of Public Health (Global Health: Health Metrics And Evaluation)

 Master Of Public Health (Global Health)

 master of public health (global health: health metrics and evaluation),  program of study: master of science (pathobiology).

The Pathobiology Graduate Program is not currently accepting students directly into the MS program. However, the MS program remains an option under specific circumstances, such as failure to pass the General Examination or changes to academic goals.

• Master Of Science (Pathobiology)

Admission to this program is not available. Program is only available to students enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy (Pathobiology) program.

 Master Of Science (Pathobiology)

• Required Courses: PABIO 551, PABIO 552, PABIO 553, PABIO 580 (1 credit), PABIO 581 (1 credit), PABIO 582 (1.5 credits), PABIO 590 (1 credit), PABIO 500 (3 credits)
• Electives (21.5 credits): PABIO coursework numbered 500 to 700
• Thesis (9 credits): PABIO 700

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Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)

Quick links.

The Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH) Program is designed for mid- to senior-level professionals who seek the skills to assume greater leadership roles in either public or private sector settings at the local, national and international levels. Our program enables students to learn – from anywhere in the world — how to shape public health policy, lead and effect change in a wide range of organizations and institutions, and conduct and capitalize on practice-based research. Our small, diverse cohorts, renowned faculty and innovative teaching and learning environments create a rewarding and stimulating student experience. This three-year distance program, with six five-day on campus sessions over two years, confers a DrPH in Health Leadership.

The Program seeks individuals working full-time in the U.S. or internationally with substantial leadership responsibilities in communities, organizations and institutions. Examples include domestic or international health directors, managers in government agencies or foundations, leaders within nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, program officers and other mid-level or senior managers, and others working within the health field, including entrepreneurs and individuals working in nontraditional settings affecting the health of the public.

With the exception of three on-site visits/year, students work from home and offices as they complete their degrees. Students are expected to come to campus three times/year during the first two years. One of the six on-site visits over the first two years may be to an international site or to another location in the United States. Students complete their coursework in the first two years, followed by one-to-three years to complete their dissertation.

Students connect to faculty and peers mainly via computer, making substantial use of technology that allows students and faculty to interact productively and which supports live video, audio, and data sharing.  Additional details about the curriculum, dissertation, admissions criteria and instructional delivery are available at the links at the top of the page.

CAHME serves the public interest by advancing the quality of healthcare management education.

The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and organizations dedicated to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is a cancer research and treatment center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Serving patients at the N.C. Basnight Cancer Hospital, UNC Lineberger is the only public comprehensive cancer center in the state of North Carolina.

Inaugural “North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card” provides snapshot of most pressing issues affecting men statewide

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Systems

Offered By: Department of International Health

Onsite | Full-Time | 4 years

• MAS Application Fee Waiver Requirements
• Master of Arts (MA) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Master of Arts and Master of Science in Public Health (MA/MSPH)
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About the PhD in Health Systems Program

The PhD program is designed to equip students with the technical skills for carrying out cutting-edge health policy and systems research and preparing them to take leadership positions in global health settings.

Through a combination of coursework and research mentoring, graduates will have a robust understanding of diverse methods (both qualitative and quantitative) for health systems research.

This is a  STEM designated program . Eligible F-1 visa students can receive an additional 24 months of work authorization, beyond the initial 12 months of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

PhD in Health Systems Program Highlights

Through a combination of coursework and research mentoring, graduates will have a firm understanding of the wide array of methods for health systems research.

GLOBAL NETWORK

Field sites around the world

HEALTH EQUITY

Study how to expand access and improve equity in low- and middle-income countries

HEALTH POLICY

Examine institutional capacity, sustainability, and systems governance

STEM DESIGNATED

Eligibility for a 24-month STEM OPT extension

Meet our PhD alumni

Seema parmar, phd '12.

Current employer:  McKinsey & Company

Job title:   Sr Expert & Associate Partner

Job description : Serve a range of payer and provider clients in the US and globally on issues related to payment reform, innovative care delivery models, and social determinants of health

Academic advice to prospective PhD students : Getting through your PhD requires more self-discipline than almost anything else you will do, so make sure your dissertation is linked to what motivates you (e.g., passion, people, skills) and then don’t give up.

Dissertation : An assessment of maternal health service needs of immigrant women living in east Calgary, Canada

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Health Systems?

Health Systems graduates enjoy careers in academia, government and nongovernment sectors, and industry. Alumni hold faculty appointments at leading universities and ministries of health and positions at major global health organizations, including WHO, CDC, and the World Bank, among others. Visit the  Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes DashboaRD

3MDG Fund Head of Health Systems

Abt Associates, Inc, Principal Associate

Catholic Relief Services Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, & Learning

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer Epidemiologist

Centre for Health Economics, University of York Research Fellow

Chulalongkorn University Faculty, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine

GAVI Alliance Head of Monitoring & Evaluation

The World Bank Director, Global Practice, Health, Nutrition & Population

World Health Organization Executive Director, The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research Manager, The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research

Curriculum for the PhD in Health Systems

Students will develop the professional skills necessary to work effectively in academic, research, programmatic and policy settings around the world.

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue , explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory , and find many more details in the program's  Academic Guides .

• Recent dissertations
• Student timeline

Courses Available in the Following Areas:

• Digital health
• Implementation science
• Health economics and financing
• Health outcomes and burden of disease 
• Health policy analysis
• Health systems research and systems thinking
• Injury prevention and control
• Maternal, neonatal and child health
• Non-communicable diseases
• Primary health care
• Public health ethics
• Refugee and humanitarian health
• Systems science

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the  How to Apply  page. This specific program also requires:

Prior Graduate Degree

Master's degree in related field

Prior Work Experience

Not required but highly desirable

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores (GRE) are  optional  for this program. The admissions committee will make no assumptions if a standardized test score is omitted from an application, but will require evidence of quantitative/analytical ability through other application components such as academic transcripts and/or supplemental questions.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all application components.

Program Faculty Spotlight

Abdulgafoor M. Bachani

Abdulgafoor M. Bachani, PhD '11, MHS '08, studies how to address burden of and preventing injury and disabilities, and to expand access to rehabilitation services.

Sara Bennett

Sara Bennett, PhD, MPhil, examines health policy and systems in low- and middle-income countries with a focus on institutional capacity, sustainability, and systems governance.

Krishna Dipankar Rao

Krishna D. Rao, PhD '04, MSc, finds ways to improve access to quality health services and financing of health care in low and middle-income countries.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms.

All full-time PhD students will receive the following support for the first four years of the program either through endowments, grants, or research projects: full tuition, individual health insurance, University Health Services clinic fee, vision insurance, and dental insurance.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help.

Elisabeth Simmons, MEd Academic Program Administrator [email protected]

Abdulgafoor Bachani, PhD Associate Professor PhD in Health Systems Concentration Director [email protected] 

Public Health / Education / Graduate Programs and Certificates / Master of Public Health Concentration in Global Health Leadership

Master of Public Health Concentration in Global Health Leadership

An unrivaled opportunity for passionate individuals seeking to make a real difference! Build your career on the values of social responsibility and ethical leadership that are crucial in shaping a more equitable and healthier global community.

Program Snapshot

• Summer Term Start Date May 20, 2024
• Application Deadlines Visit the Graduate College Page for application deadlines
• Tuition See Master of Public Health under the 2023-24 Graduate Programs with Alternate Pricing section of the Student Financial Services website .
• Learning Format Online, asynchronous
• Program Duration Flexible - not to exceed 5 years
• VA Benefit Eligible Yes
• Scholarships No
• GRE Not required

Mission  The program’s mission is to prepare skilled and versatile graduates dedicated to improving public health through practice, research, education, and leadership

Advancing Health through Education: Innovative. Accessible. Worldwide.

• Foundation of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Innovation in education
• Grounding in evidence-based public health
• Interdisciplinary learning and practice
• A culture of lifelong learning

Public health for everyone — equally

If you’re committed to improving health outcomes for everyone — and passionate about improving health access and equality — then the field of Public Health needs you. When you join UVM’s top-ranked online Public Health program, you’ll learn to ask provocative questions about the ways in which housing, racism, health policy, and the environment impact population health. And you’ll explore how an interdisciplinary approach that blends public policy, research, and population health science is critical to implementing public health interventions that prioritize the lived experiences of diverse populations.

Studying with classmates from diverse regions, backgrounds, and life experiences adds invaluable richness to the online learning experience.

Make a difference in diverse fields

Developed in collaboration with the Larner College of Medicine, the UVM 42-credit online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a Concentration in Global Health Leadership prepares skilled and versatile graduates dedicated to improving public health through practice, research, education, and leadership.

The Global Health Leadership curriculum explores timely public health and policy issues to build a strong foundation in population health sciences for success in diverse Public Health career settings, with further emphasis on broader global issues including climate change and human health; international collaborations, systems, and structures; and public health leadership in a global environment.

Practice Goal

• Ensure graduates are prepared for public health practice

Research Goals

• Cultivate a scholarly program environment through active faculty research, scientific inquiry and scholarly endeavors
• Encourage student scientific inquiry
• Students gain a strong foundation in quantitative health sciences applicable to research and evidence-based health practices

Education Goals

• Increase access to public health education through quality online learning
• Develop a learning environment that promotes diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence
• Promote life-long learning

Ready to Get Started?

Contact Us Today!

We’re here to answer any questions you may have about public health.

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The Best 20 Online Doctorates in Healthcare Leadership Degrees

Find your degree.

If you’ve been working in healthcare administration or management, and have earned a master’s degree , a doctorate in health leadership can do wonders for your career, whether you want to work in academia as a professor or administrator, researching vital areas and questions in healthcare, or working in practice, leadership roles in government agencies, for-profit companies, non-profits, and other medical organizations.

Doctorates in health leadership help you by building your skills in:

• Management and leadership.
• Working within bureaucracies to make substantive changes that address the current failings of healthcare systems.
• And much more.

These programs will also help you gain a better understanding of:

• Health economics
• Health entrepreneurship
• Behavioral intervention
• Ethical and legal issues in healthcare
• Among many other outcomes.

• Health policy
• Strategic change management

The programs on this list are mostly delivered through online courses, but often require students to attend in-person intensives on their campuses. There are different in-person requirements for various programs, and there are some that need no in-person participation whatsoever. You’ll also find there’s a vast difference between how long these programs take to be completed, ranging from 2-5 years, depending on your bandwidth to take classes while you continue meeting your current job and life responsibilities.

Methodology

To discern the best online doctor of health leadership degrees, we’ve used the following methodology :

• Academic Quality of Parent Institution (33.3%) : a multivariate metric including student success and support metrics such as acceptance rate, student-to-faculty ratio, financial aid offerings, research rank of the university, and more.
• Academic Quality of Program in Question (33.3%) : range of electives, research rank of faculty, and overall support services for careers in health science.
• Flexibility of Program (33.3%) : a measure of a variety of offering types that enable those juggling work, life, and school to obtain the education they desire.

No matter what you’re looking to do with these doctorate degrees in health leadership, you’ll gain significant skills and knowledge that can lead to a host of new job and career opportunities. When you find a school that you feel is a good fit, do yourself a favor and reach out to them directly. You can request more information about the following programs and get help with the application process from eager support staff professionals that will often be happy to help you in your pursuit of a doctorate in health leadership. Let’s get into it!

Note: The estimated costs are based on the most recent information available on the NCES website for tuition and fees, selecting in-state and graduate student options where options were available.

Online Doctor of Behavioral Health Management

Arizona State University is a public, metropolitan institution with five campuses in the Phoenix metro area, many regional centers throughout Arizona, and a thriving online wing. It’s one of the largest state-funded higher education institutions in the country. Its Tempe campus alone has over 51,100 students who enjoy a 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

ASU was founded in 1885, and in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 rankings it ranked first in the ranking of the Most Innovative Schools in America (for the fourth year in a row). ASU’s online offerings include undergraduate and graduate degrees that include master’s degrees in legal studies, nutrition, English, electrical engineering, and doctoral degrees in behavioral health, health leadership, and more. The school’s online resources include academic advisors, enrollment coaches, and success coaches. Arizona State University Online also lets students choose from six start dates each year.

ASU offers an online Doctor of Behavioral Health program with an emphasis in management aimed at preparing current and future healthcare managers for an evolving healthcare landscape. It prioritizes evidence-based, cost-effective interventions, and works to prevent under or overcare, and other bad outcomes for patients and healthcare managers. This program requires 14 total classes, 84 credit hours, and each class is conferred in 7.5-week sessions. 30 of the credits for this program will come through a student’s Master’s degree.

The program is specifically focused on building management and leadership skills within healthcare, and its curriculum covers health economics, entrepreneurship, ethical and legal issues, behavioral intervention, and much more. Students will also do research (or electives) and a significant internship as part of this program.

Online Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

USF is a public research university with a headquarters in Tampa, Florida. It’s a member of the state university system of Florida and was founded in 1956. It offers over 80 undergraduate majors and more than 130 graduate, specialist, and doctoral-level degree programs through its 14 colleges.

USNR’s 2019 edition ranked USF 124th in National Universities. It’s generally known for its graduate programs in Education, Public Health, Criminology, and Library and Information Studies. All of the previous programs place in the top 5 in USNR’s graduate school rankings. Over 43,500 students attend USF, which offers a 22:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

USF offers a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) that will prepare students for leadership roles in a number of organizations, including “health departments, non-profit organizations, health service, international agencies, and community-based organizations.” The program is conveyed through online and on-campus instruction.

The program offers concentrations in Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health, and Public Health and Clinical Laboratory Science and Practice. In this program, you’ll do significant research, gain practical skills and come to understand health management without having to interrupt your current career and responsibilities.

Online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)

UNC at Chapel Hill is a public research university and the flagship university in the UNC system. Nearly 30,000 students attend the school, which offers a fantastic 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. UNC was founded in 1789, making it one of (if not the) oldest public university in the country.

UNC offers 71 bachelor’s, 107 master’s and 74 doctoral degree programs. U.S. News & World Report ranks it 30th among national universities. Most importantly, its public health school is regularly ranked 3rd in the nation or higher by USNR.

UNC offers a mostly online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH) aimed at creating future leaders in public health. The program requires at least 45 credit hours and approximately three years of study. For two of the three years, students will need to make three trips to UNC’s campus for 3-4 days each on each visit.

This program is intended for health officials, entrepreneurs, and others that are in the middle of their careers and are looking to advance their professional opportunities and build significant management skills. The program requires a doctoral dissertation, but no internships, practicums or fieldwork.

Online Doctor of Public Health Leadership

The University of Illinois is a public research university with campuses throughout the state. The Chicago campus is the second in its network and is the largest college in the Chicago area. It was founded in 1859. Over 30,000 students attend UIC Chicago, which has a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

UIC schools are especially known for their influence on health in Illinois. Approximately one in eight doctors in the state are a graduate of the UIC system. USNR has ranked UIC Chicago the 129th best national university and the 61st best national public university in 2019.

UIC Chicago offers an online Doctor of Public Health (DrPH in Leadership) that aims to build leaders in local, national, and global public health. The program is intended for public health professionals with significant management experience. There’s only one required campus visit for this program. There’s a minimum of 96 credit hours required in this program, which builds towards a DrPH thesis. There are also opportunities to earn credit through fieldwork.

Graduates will work to revolutionize the public health system at all levels, working on policy, analyzing major public health issues, and find positions in government, non-profits, and in academia, among other organizations.

Online Doctor of Health Administration

The University of Mississippi was founded in 1848 and is often called Ole Miss. It’s a large public research university in Oxford that has been designated as an R:1 Doctoral University by Carnegie. There are over 23,100 students at the school, which has an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

USNR ranks it 152nd among National Schools. Its research centers include the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, National Center for Physical Acoustics, and the Mississippi Law Research Institute, among many others. Its University of Mississippi Medical Center is an invaluable part of the state’s medical services and education, offering programs in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Health Related Professions, Health Sciences, Population Health, and Pharmacy.

Ole Miss offers a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) which helps leaders in education, research, and other health areas adapt to a changing health care landscape and advance their careers. It can be completed in three years, and students are chosen in groups of 10-15 per cohort. The program leans heavily on online coursework, with minimal mandatory in-person sessions at the Ole Miss campus.

Students will take courses in health policy, strategic change management, and much more, and will graduate prepared for incredible positions in academia, health care practice, or health care administration. The program utilizes industry leaders and universally respected faculty to give students a wealth of practical and academic skills and knowledge.

Online Executive Doctor of Science (DSc) in Healthcare Leadership

UAB is a public university founded in 1969. Over 20,900 students attend UAB, enjoying a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and it’s attended by students from 110 countries.

The school offers 140 distinct academic programs through 12 academic divisions, and bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees. Top areas of study include social and behavioral sciences, the liberal arts, business, education, engineering, and health-related fields. It’s ranked 157th among all National Universities, and 80th among Top Public Schools by USNR.

UAB offers an Executive Doctor of Science (DSc) in Healthcare Leadership focused on giving healthcare leaders the practical skills they need to take further steps in their careers. You’ll build peerless analytical and strategic management skills through applied research and active assignments in the field.

This program may be completed in three years mostly online (three eight-day on-campus intensives each year). There are two years of coursework, and one is spent on dissertation research. Sample courses include Comparative Health Systems, Macro-environmental Analysis, and Quantitative Methods in Health Services Administration.

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Online D.B.A. in Healthcare Management

Liberty is a private, non-profit, mostly online Christian doctoral research university. It’s headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia and was founded in 1971. Over 75,000 students attend Liberty, which has an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

USNR ranks it in the 230th-301st bracket among National Universities. Liberty believes the secret to success lies in a solid commitment to biblical truth. It advertises itself as the nation’s largest nonprofit online university and has pioneered distance learning since 1985. Liberty’s online programs include over 280 different degrees in areas like business, health, theology, legal studies, and more.

Liberty offers a completely online D.B.A. in Healthcare Management with optional in-person intensives. It promises training in professional management, human resource development, and quality control. Students can complete this program in 3.5 years and it requires 60 credit hours, 15 of which can be transferred in.

You’ll tackle areas like global healthcare systems, technological advances, innovations in healthcare administration, and much more. This program falls under Liberty’s school of business and features an applied dissertation relating to a business problem in healthcare.

Online Doctor of Health Science

Nova Southeastern University is a private, nonprofit university in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in 1964. Their slogan is “engage, inspire, achieve.” NSU is divided into 16 colleges, featuring 150 programs and more than 200 majors. Their programs include offerings in law, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, business, osteopathic medicine, allied health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing.

Almost 20,800 students attend Nova, which offers a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. NSU his only one 1 of 50 universities in the country to be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also known for its significant contributions to research. USNR ranks it tied at 191st among all National Universities.

Nova offers a distance-based Doctor of Health Science for clinical professionals, public health workers, and medical administrators. It focuses on global health issues, policy, education, epidemiology, and service delivery in America and around the world. This program includes an internship, practicum, doctoral analysis, and two one-week on-campus visits. There is no dissertation.

Students can choose between concentrations in global health, education in the health care professions, and telehealth. By taking one class a semester the program can be completed in 3.5 years, but if students opt to take two per semester it can be completed in just over 2 years.

Online DrPH in Global Health Leadership

IUPUI is a public research university in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was founded in 1969 and is a cooperative product of Indiana University and Purdue University. The school offers over 250 degree programs in art, education, business, law, medicine, and more.

Nearly 29,800 students attend the school, which has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. USNR ranks the school tied at 194th among National Universities. They also note its “well-regarded” graduate programs in the medical and health fields.

IUPUI offers an online DrPH in Global Health Leadership that will prepare leaders in the field to grapple with the most challenging and complicated public health issues currently impacting people worldwide.

This program takes three years to complete and requires three in-person sessions in the first two years of the program. These sessions will often take place in Indianapolis, although they can happen elsewhere in America, and the world at large. The last year of the program is used to complete a dissertation.

The program accepts 12-15 students in each cohort and chooses students with at least a master’s degree (a public health degree isn’t required), and at least several years of experience in healthcare management.

Online Doctor of Strategic Leadership in Healthcare Leadership

Regent is a private interdenominational Christian research university that operates from Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was founded in 1977. It offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in over 70 different programs through eight different schools.

Nearly 9,500 students attend Regent, which offers a 42:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It’s Chancellor is noted media mogul and conservative Christian spokesman Pat Robertson, who has been affectionately nicknamed P-Rob by the students. USNR ranks it tied at 201st among National Universities in its 2019 rankings.

Regent offers an online Doctor of Strategic Leadership in Healthcare Leadership focusing on the theoretical and practical elements of a wide variety of leadership positions in healthcare. It was the first school to offer an online doctorate in strategic leadership, beginning in 2001. The program requires 60 credit hours, and two, four-day residencies in Virginia Beach.

The program is run by Regent’s Business school, and offers core business courses, before building towards the healthcare concentration. Healthcare Leadership courses include Healthcare: Issues, Trends & Forecasting, Healthcare: Self Leading & Professionalism, Healthcare: Team Leadership & Engagement, and Healthcare: Theory & Practice.

Online Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Franklin University is a private university founded in 1902, based out of Columbus, Ohio. It has 25 locations in the midwest and a robust selection of online degree options. In total Franklin offers 30 bachelor’s degrees and five master’s degrees, all online.

Over 4,700 students attend Franklin which has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Franklin places emphasis on recruiting talent, and you can expect professors there to have terminal degrees in their practice, along with excellent real-world experience in their respective fields.

Franklin offers a Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA) that will help healthcare leaders find solutions to complex problems in the field. You’ll learn how to make policies, strategize, and continue your career in this evolving area. This program can be completed in three years, and up to 24 hours of credit can be transferred in.

The program features significant research, a dissertation, and 12 credit hours of electives. Sample courses include Healthcare Economics, Resources & Finance, Healthcare Quality, Process & Improvement, and Advanced Health Information Governance.

Online Doctor of Education in Leadership

NU is a private, nonprofit university in La Jolla, California. It was founded in 1971. Nearly 17,100 students attend the school, which has a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio. NU offers degrees in its College of Letters and Sciences, the Sanford College of Education, the School of Business and Management, the School of Engineering and Computing, the School of Health and Human Services, and the School of Professional Studies.

Its online programming was created to facilitate engagement and interactivity and features streaming videos, real-time discussions, multimedia learning material, along with online classrooms. Its online programs are often concentrated (with some taking only 4 weeks to complete), so you can quickly earn credits without interrupting your schedule too much.

NU offers an online and on-campus Doctor of Education in Leadership that covers how education, business, public administration, and healthcare. It’s offered in conjunction with the City University of Seattle.

Students can choose from several concentrations, including Organizational Leadership, Educational Leadership – Principal or Program Administration, Educational Leadership – Superintendent Certification, Higher Education, and Specialized Study, in which you help design your focus. This program will help you build strong leadership skills that can apply to your work in healthcare, other areas, and prepare you for many intersecting roles in exciting and diverse organizations.

CMU is a public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that was founded in 1892. Over 23,000 students attend CMU, which provides a 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

CMU has over 200 undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral programs offered through colleges of Arts and Media, Business Administration, Health Professions, Education and Human Services, Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, Medicine, Science and Engineering, and Graduate Studies.

Thousands of students attend CMU through its online programs, which are offered from 60 locations worldwide. USNR ranks the school at 205th among National Universities.

CMU offers a mostly online Doctor of Health Administration which will build analytical skills and give students advanced practical experience that will help them become better leaders in the field. The program focuses heavily on research and problem-solving current health care issues.

As part of the program, students will complete six two-and-a-half-day intensive seminars students attend in person, 15 online courses, a comprehensive examination, and a dissertation (and its defense). It requires 63 credit hours and can be completed in three to five years (depending on your scheduling requirements).

Online Doctor of Education in Health Care Organizational Leadership

GCU is a nonprofit private liberal arts school in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in 1949. GCU serves nearly 83,300 students online with a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The school offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in liberal arts, education, business, science, engineering, math, Christian theology, and health care. GCU is a major player in Arizona’s economy. An economic impact study conducted in 2015 found the school generates $1 billion that goes into the Arizona economy each year.

GCU offers a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Health Care Administration that is aimed at preparing the next generation of healthcare leadership to deal with the multi-faceted, evolving field.

The program offers online and evening cohort options. Students will begin their dissertation process from the first course and use evidence-based research, indoctrination in common values and more to lead health organizations towards success.

This program requires 60 credits and courses can be completed in 8 weeks of online study. There are frequent online start dates. You will be prepared to work in government, private practices, non-profits, and more.

Online PhD in Leadership and Change

Antioch is a private, non-profit liberal arts university based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 1972. It’s a campus under the umbrella of Antioch University in Ohio. Under 900 students attend the school, which offers a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The school is known for its Bridge Program, which offers a year of humanities education for college credit at no cost to students who haven’t been able to attend higher education. Students accepted into the program are given “textbooks, instruction, tutoring, transportation, and meals.”

Antioch LA offers an online PhD in Leadership and Change that will prepare graduates to create a positive impact in schools, communities, workplaces, and more. In this four year program, you’ll attend three residencies per year (for the first three years), while being able to work full-time as you study.

The program allows a great deal of flexibility towards students’ experience and interests and features online seminars. It builds towards a dissertation made up of original, scholarly research, which makes up the final year of the program. It takes evidence-based approaches that show graduates how to practice and create change, no matter what organization they work for.

Online Doctor of Health Administration Degree

A.T. is a non-profit, private, graduate school specializing in health science. It was founded in 1892 and is based in Kirksville, Missouri, United States, (with a second campus in Arizona). The school offers residential programs in athletic training, audiology, biomedical science, dentistry, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy.

Online degrees are offered in health science, public health, and transitional doctoral programs in a number of health professions. In total there are 30 graduate and post-professional programs available to the more than 3,700 students that attend A.T.

A.T. offers an online Doctor of Health Administration Degree that prepares creative leaders to solve problems plaguing the healthcare industry. It mixes practical skills and theoretical knowledge to give students a complete understanding of how they can improve healthcare administration systems.

The program blends business strategies with healthcare innovation to give students a depth of education that can be applied in many roles across diverse organizations. Students will study quantitative methods, health policy, healthcare law, medical economics, and much more. This program can be completed in three years (two years of study and the last year spent on a dissertation).

Online Doctor in Health Care Education & Leadership (Ed.D.)

Clarkson is a private college in Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 1888. It began as the first nursing school in the state. Clarkson serves almost 1,300 students, with a 13:1 student to faculty ratio. It’s affiliated with the Episcopal Church and Nebraska Medicine.

Clarkson offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in the health sciences, including health care education & leadership, health care business, health information management, physical therapist assistant, health care services, professional development, among other degrees.

Clarkson offers an online Doctor in Health Care Education & Leadership (Ed.D.) that focuses on interdisciplinary education to prepare researchers, academics, and healthcare professionals at the highest levels in an array of healthcare organizations. It puts a strong emphasis on applied research and designing and enacting health care policy.

The program builds towards a dissertation that showcases your ability to use scientific research to improve results in health care practices. Its coursework covers health economics, law, finance, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior and change management, advanced health care policy, and more. The program requires 44 semester hours, and can be taken full-time (in 8 semesters), or part-time (14 semesters).

Online Doctor of Health Sciences (DHS)

The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private, non-profit school specializing in medical programs. It’s in Boston, Massachusetts, but has expanded to campuses in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire.

MCPHS founded in 1823. It has 14 different schools, including Nursing, Healthcare Business, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, and more. MCPHS offers traditional and accelerated programs. The school currently serves over 7,200 students and boasts a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

MCPHS offers an online Doctor of Health Sciences (DHS) that will help you influence the future of healthcare for the better. Students can choose between concentrations in Health Systems Administration, Educational Leadership, or Global Health. It can be completed in nine semesters of part-time, online study.

You’ll learn to apply research, do varied analysis, problem-solve, and more as part of this program. This program builds towards a Capstone (9 credits of the 45 required semester hours). Graduates will be able to make sustainable change in healthcare organizations using research in practical ways.

MUSC is a public medical university in Charleston, South Carolina. It was founded in 1824. Nearly 3,000 students attend MUSC, which offers a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The school has seen phenomenal growth since its founding, especially in the past 40 years. MUSC runs a hospital and a research center. MUSC offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs through colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Graduate Studies, Dental Medicine, and Health Professions.

MUSC offers an online Doctor of Health Administration that builds critical thinking and leadership skills. Students spend one long weekend on MUSC’s campus each semester, and in the second year of the program spend a week in Washington D.C. to meet with and learn from national health policy experts.

Successful candidates can choose between an Executive Leadership & Policy track and an Interprofessional Leadership & Policy track. The former focuses on creating leaders in healthcare administration, health policy, strategic management, and other roles, while the latter produces leaders in clinical care, social work, health information systems, and healthcare quality.

Online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Health Care Administration

Northcentral is a private, online, non-profit university founded in 1996. It’s classified as a Doctoral Research University and headquartered in San Diego, California.

Northcentral serves almost 10,800 students and has a 1:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It was previously a for-profit university, but was acquired by the National University System in January 2019, and converted to a non-profit model.

Northcentral offers undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral degrees in Business, Technology, Health Sciences, Education, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The school’s motto is “One-to-One Education By Experience.”

Northcentral offers an online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Health Care Administration that prepares you to continue your career in health care management. It can be completed in 39 months and requires 54 credit hours (18 courses).

The program covers strategic planning in health care, managing systems, analysis of health care systems, and strategic quality management in health care. You’ll become adept at recognizing and solving problems, analyzing and intervening on administrative issues, and understanding the limitations to delivery systems, among many other outcomes.

Q&A about Doctorates in Health Leadership

Is there a ph.d. in health care administration.

However, if you’re looking to work in more practical, front-facing roles, another type of doctorate might be best for you. People who hold Ph.D.’s obviously work in many different positions, and can cross over to leadership roles in health care administration, but are more likely to be found working at research centers, or colleges and universities.

Carefully consider what you want to do with your degree. Do you want to educate health care professionals and be part of research that will deeply impact the field? Or would you rather take research and work done by academics to make evidence-based decisions in healthcare organizations that work on the front lines of health care delivery, among other services? There’s a lot of diversity in programs on this list, so you have plenty of options to satisfy your career goals.

What is a PhD in Health Services?

You might specialize in occupational health, health systems research, health economics, evaluative sciences and statistics, health behavior and social determinants of health, among other concentrations when participating in these programs. You’ll likely need 3-5 years to complete these programs. By pursuing one of the online options available for these degrees you can build an education schedule that fits into your current work and life obligations, with minimal interruption. However, you’ll likely need to do some in-person intensive sessions as part of these programs, so make sure to weigh the distance between where you live and work and any program you’re applying to.

At their core, Ph.D.’s focus on creating original research. Other related healthcare doctorates take that research to solve healthcare problems in many settings.

What Jobs Can I Get With a Ph.D. in Health Care Administration?

There are many different roles a Ph.D. in Health Care Administration will prepare you for. Some of the most common include working as a:

• Healthcare Professor: In these roles, you’ll educate the next generation of healthcare professionals, whether they’re working in public health, health administration, clinical roles, and much more.
• Researcher: Here you’ll work to create the information that will influence decisions made across the healthcare landscape.

• Clinical Manager: These are the shock troops of health care administration. You’ll need a detailed understanding and experience in the health industry. People in these roles often have tremendous managerial skills and experience working in a role like nursing in addition to their education. You’ll write reports, design budgets, implement policy, train personnel, and much more in a vast array of settings.

What does DHSC stand for?

DHSC stands for Doctor of Health Science (D.H.S. or D.H.Sc.). These are post-professional degrees that prepare graduates to work at the highest levels of medical clinical practice, health education, research, and administration. You’ll likely need a master’s degree, and at least two years as a healthcare worker, teacher, administrator or researcher to enter these programs.

You might find DHSC degrees that specialize in one particular type of health professionals, like physical therapy. You might also take courses in areas like medical screenings, medical imaging, health information, pharmacology, and more. These degrees can help qualify you for many diverse roles in healthcare, and earning one now will inundate you in the latest technologies, methods, and challenges within the field.

Before we close out, let’s take a look at what people who earn these degrees go on to do:

What Does a Doctor of Health Science Do?

Doctors of Health Science occupy many different roles throughout the healthcare landscape. As we previously discussed, you could work as a medical/health service manager or administrator. In these roles, you’ll supervise operations, personnel, services, and information, among other responsibilities. You’ll work to guarantee your facility runs as effectively as possible while meeting standards you’ve set and complying with laws and regulations. You’ll recruit staff, manage finances, maintain facility records, and much more.

Another familiar role for DHSC holders is working as professors teaching college-level courses that prepare future healthcare workers and leaders to do their jobs successfully. In these roles you’ll advise students, create teaching plans, measure students’ work, do vital research and help your students do the same.

Finally, DHSC holders can work in health care policy or advocacy for a government agency or non-profit, taking their in-depth knowledge of the field and applying it to help legislators and agencies make better decisions that improve outcomes for people across the country and the world.

We hope you’ve found this guide and ranking useful. Remember, if you see a program that feels like a good fit, it’s helpful to reach out to it directly to get more information. Best of luck!

Executive Leadership in Health Care | Certificate of Specialization

Advance your career in health care with the Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Executive and Continuing Professional Education.

Associated Schools

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

What you'll learn.

A Certificate of Participation is awarded to participants who complete individual programs at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Executive and Continuing Professional Education, and a Certificate of Specialization is awarded to those who complete multiple courses in a specific subject area. Both credentials signify a commitment to professional development, and a Certificate of Specialization takes it a step further by showcasing your expertise in several areas of health care leadership.

In an ever-changing industry like health care, developing new skills and learning the latest best practices can help accelerate your career, aid in your personal development, and provide valuable lessons that will benefit you and your organization. A Certificate of Specialization signifies to current and future employers that you have taken the initiative to hone your skills in several key disciplines.

Course description

Advance your career in health care with the Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Executive and Continuing Professional Education. Choose three* programs from our roster of health care leadership programs, listed below, and complete the programs within five years to earn your certificate.

The Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization consists of three* Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health ECPE programs chosen by the participant from nine programs that are taught online, on-site on our Boston, Massachusetts campus, or both. Many of the wide variety of topics covered will help health care executives, managers, and administrators deal with a variety of issues they experience day-to-day, like finding common ground with finance personnel, finding a solution to health care inequity, dealing with internal departmental conflict, and more. There are also health care executive programs that deal with specific issues, like those for chairs of major clinical departments in teaching hospitals, women in executive health care roles preparing for the next stages of their careers, and health care managers and administrators looking to build their leadership acumen to achieve individual and organizational objectives.

The programs in the Executive Health Care Leadership Certificate of Specialization are all taught by Harvard faculty with years of experience in training health care executives, managers, and administrators to find their style of leadership. Additionally, whether the program is online or in person, meeting and networking with other like-minded participants gives you an understanding of different perspectives that can help you later in your career. Whichever three programs* you choose, we know that they will inspire you to lead your team, department, or health care system to success.

*Both Program for Chairs of Clinical Services and Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers count as two programs toward the certificate due to their extensive time commitment.

• Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives  
• Emerging Women Executives in Health Care  
• Leading in Health Systems  
• Leadership Development to Advance Equity in Health Care  
• Conflict, Feedback, and Negotiation in Health Care  
• Financial Management in Health Care for Non-Financial Managers  
• Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers  
• Program for Chairs of Clinical Services  
• Health Care Project Management  

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• Open access
• Published: 01 July 2024

Women’s leadership matters in education for planetary health

• Jessica Abbonizio 1 , 5 ,
• Susie Siew Yuen Ho 2 ,
• Alan Reid 4 &
• Margaret Simmons 3  

Sustainable Earth Reviews volume  7 , Article number:  21 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Women in higher education are in critical positions for preparing future healthcare professionals to support the health of people and the planet. However, women’s leadership remains an under-explored area in education for planetary health (EPH) literature. This article articulates, through a review of empirical and theoretical literature, that it is vital to highlight women’s perspectives as leaders of EPH. We argue that women are well positioned for developing and delivering EPH, and that exploring women’s leadership in EPH will nuance understandings of the gendered challenges that leaders in this field face. We propose that women’s leadership in EPH can be enhanced through celebrating role models as well as improving access to partnership, funding, and research opportunities. This article adds women to the agenda of the diverse voices that need to be heard for advancing EPH, inspiring others to join the growing collective of educators partnering for the health of people and the planet.

Introduction

The field of planetary health has emphasised environmental determinants of health, particularly with regard to how global environmental changes, such as climate change, deforestation,pollution, and extreme weather events, threaten human health [ 81 ]. There is a broad range of direct impacts, such as harm from floods and heatwaves, as well as indirect impacts such as increasing the prevalence of infectious diseases, and food insecurity [ 81 ]. These climate-health impacts are already increasing the burden on emergency departments, hospital admissions and ambulances services [ 66 ]. To illustrate, an overview of 94 systematic reviews on the health effects of climate change found a strong association between heat and stroke, cardiovascular and respiratory-related mortalities [ 66 ]. The impacts for the healthcare sector are expected to worsen with ongoing climate change, and therefore require urgent action [ 5 ].

Health professionals will be at the forefront of managing and addressing climate-health issues within the sector and broader community. This has been recognised by the World Health Organization [ 82 ], the United Nations and its focus on Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals [ 75 ], many health professionals globally [ 40 , 44 ], and national medical bodies from around the world [e.g. 1 , 3 , 14 ]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build capacity in our healthcare system.

Universities have a leading role to play in rapidly preparing future healthcare professionals to address climate-health impacts. In addition to managing worsening health outcomes and impacts in communities as well as increased strain on the system, health professionals require adaptive education that develops their capacity to act as role models and community leaders in managing climate-health issues [ 2 , 41 ]. For example, health professionals require knowledge and skills for decarbonising the healthcare sector [ 17 , 23 , 28 ] and influencing climate policy to support social and ecological well-being [ 25 , 31 ]. As such, higher education has a critical role to play in building not only future health professionals’ technical capacity but also their climate change awareness, action, and advocacy skills [ 27 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 47 , 54 ].

There is a growing body of literature on conceptualising, mapping, planning, designing and implementing education for planetary health for students in health professions [ 12 , 27 , 37 , 52 , 59 , 73 , 78 ]. The scholarly literature defines education about, and for, the health of people and the planet with a variety of terms, including sustainable healthcare education [ 12 , 78 ], education for sustainable healthcare [ 27 , 63 ], health-related education for sustainability [ 59 ], and climate-health education [ 37 ]. These terms tend to vary across health professions (i.e., medicine, nursing and allied health), therefore, this article uses the term education for planetary health (EPH) to refer to the broad purpose of this form of education across these various health professions.

Best-practice EPH is multidimensional and transdisciplinary, informed by Indigenous knowledges and the Sustainable Development Goals [ 74 ]. EPH aims to support learners’ cognitive awareness, empathy and responsibility for planetary health issues and socio-ecological justice [ 27 , 63 , 68 ]. Socio-ecological justice issues emphasised in EPH literature include how settler colonialism and human-centric Western paradigms have driven widespread ecological degradation with disproportionate health impacts for Indigenous peoples [ 27 , 63 ]. Another socio-ecological justice theme in EPH is the gendered health inequities of planetary crises [ 27 , 61 , 64 ]. For instance, women and pregnant people have been found to be disproportionately affected by extreme weather events, heat stress, poor air quality, as well as food- and water-insecurity and vector-borne diseases [ 70 ]. Additionally, drought-related financial hardship and household stress are understood to increase women’s risk of gendered violence [ 19 ]. In brief, EPH should include socio-emotional concepts to support students’ transformative learning and ethical understandings [ 27 ]. Developing transformative and transdisciplinary curriculum is complex and requires significant leadership. Therefore, while the focus of the EPH literature has typically been on the what and how of EPH, attention is slowly turning to who is leading the development and implementation of EPH [ 50 , 51 ].

Health educators leading change for planetary health

The concept of leadership is important in EPH because, while health educators have been increasingly making efforts to develop and implement EPH [ 49 , 65 , 80 ], there is still a lack of EPH globally. This is evident in studies noting a dearth of EPH in coursework across the world, including public health students in Canada [ 21 ], health professions students in Latin America [ 58 ], dietetics students in Australia [ 18 ], as well as medical students in North America [ 34 ], the UK [ 34 , 36 ], Australia [ 48 ], and across 112 countries globally, including Cameroon, and Ecuador [ 57 ]. Considering the widespread lack of EPH, scholars are calling on health educators to become ‘eco-ethical leaders’ to seed urgent, large-scale change for EPH [ 50 , 51 ].

The concept of eco-ethical leadership, in the context of EPH, has been developed through the work of McKimm and McLean [ 50 ] and McKimm et al. [ 51 ], informed by understandings of leadership as a complex practise of lived experience, self-expression [ 71 ], and ethical change-making [ 8 ]. Some of the features of eco-ethical leadership in EPH include self-accountability, empathy and transdisciplinary collaboration [ 50 ]. In practise, eco-ethical leadership might materialise as health educators co-developing EPH resources and curricula, role modelling pro-environmental behaviours, working for systems change by promoting transdisciplinary partnerships, changing organisational cultures and mindsets in health professions towards socio-ecological perspectives of wellbeing, as well as engaging in relational, collaborative leadership styles [ 50 ].

Leadership principles for EPH emphasise the need for bringing together multiple diverse perspectives in developing EPH strategies that are inclusive and equitable [ 51 ]. Several articles have covered the vital need for Indigenous leadership in EPH given Indigenous peoples’ long held understandings and wisdom of human and nonhuman relationalities [ 27 , 62 , 63 ]. Additionally, youth and students feature as key change-agents in much of the EPH literature since they have been vocal in demanding that EPH urgently be ramped up if they are to properly care for the community in a changing climate [ 34 , 61 , 77 ]. However, women’s stories of leading change for EPH have thus far been under-explored in the scholarly literature. One reason for the lack of specific focus on women’s leadership in EPH literature may be that its role appears somewhat opaque. Therefore, this article articulates that women’s perspectives are valuable because they can shed more light on women’s roles in EPH and the challenges for developing EPH. Additionally, we provide suggestions for how these challenges might be addressed to continue advancing EPH.

The importance of women’s leadership in education for planetary health

Women’s leadership matters for EPH because women are likely playing a leadership role to develop and deliver EPH. Indeed, women already tend to occupy lower ranked, teaching-focused faculty positions. For example, in a study of 15 leading public health institutions in the USA, women occupied around 60% of the junior public health faculty positions, but only approximately 35% of the senior faculty roles [ 39 ]. Another study in North America found that within public health academia, women occupied most of the lower ranked faculty positions (54%) and produced significantly less research output than men [ 43 ]. Similar findings were evident in samples across several disciplines from Australia [ 22 ], New Zealand [ 15 ] and the Netherlands [ 76 ]. Since both lower research output and lower academic rank are associated with higher teaching-focused and curriculum-development roles in academia [ 56 ], women are therefore likely to be performing key roles in teaching, if not leading change for EPH.

Although women are not the only health educators in positions to lead EPH, research has found that women appear to be more concerned and engaged with sustainability and climate-related issues than men. To illustrate, a study of 280 medical, nursing, and physician assistant students at Yale University found that women constituted most of their sample and expressed more desire to action planetary health issues in their healthcare practices [ 67 ]. Other studies have shown that women are more likely to recycle and make more eco-friendly purchases [ 16 , 38 , 83 ]. Additionally, a grey literature report on gender differences in public understanding of climate change in the USA found that women perceive climate change risks as higher, more immediate, and more personally affecting than men [ 4 ]. As such, women health educators may be more interested and willing to engage in efforts to develop and deliver EPH. Notably, non-binary and gender diverse perspectives are vastly overlooked in the planetary health and EPH literature and more research is needed to illuminate their leadership practices therein.

There are several challenges that leaders in health education face in ramping up EPH. Some of these challenges are characteristic of curriculum change generally, for example the already crowded health curriculum [ 42 ], and the time, effort, and iterations necessary for curriculum reform [ 7 , 79 ]. Some challenges also surround the transdisciplinary nature of EPH, namely the disciplinary silos hindering educators’ collaborations to work with academics in other health professions and environmental sustainability fields [ 68 ]. Other challenges are more person-centred, such as the lack of health educators’ self-efficacy to teach environmental sustainability content [ 11 , 79 ]. To develop a richer analysis of priority areas to address, leadership principles in EPH emphasise the value of listening to stories of diverse stakeholders.

Indeed, our understandings of some of the challenges for EPH can be further nuanced through women’s storytelling and feminist theories. For instance, sharing women’s stories can provide a closer look inside what the challenges of transdisciplinary collaboration [ 68 ] feel like for women, especially when collaborating with co-workers in disciplines that are typically more dominated by men, such as climate science [ 29 ]. Women scholars have practised collective storytelling for understanding how certain academic collaborations can produce specific adversarial atmospheres that affect what women can say and do [ 72 ]. Additionally, feminist literature on women’s leadership in higher education [ 6 , 13 , 46 ] critiques academic institutions for (re)producing the ideal leader subject as traditionally'masculine', ambitious and heroic. As such, health educators’ lack of self-efficacy to teach EPH [ 11 , 79 ], might be a challenge that is angled in specific ways for women who are trying to lead EPH in academic environments that value what are perceived as confident and authoritative leaders [ 13 ]. To that end, exploring women’s stories as leaders in EPH can develop insights of the role that gender plays in the challenges for developing EPH.

Finally, while sharing stories can develop collective understandings of how women health educators navigate challenges, sharing stories is also valuable for amplifying role models and inspiring others to become part of leadership efforts in EPH [ 50 ]. There are many such role models within the global community of women who have long been working towards climate action and justice [ 10 , 60 ]. Some of these cohorts of women include Aboriginal women leading anti-mining resistance to protect their land in Australia, such as Jacqui Katona [ 26 , 35 ]; the Indigenous woman, nurse, health educator, and climate activist in Brazil, Sônia Guajajara [ 53 ]; the biologist, Rachel Carson who authored the seminal book Silent Spring [ 20 ] on the harm of DDT on natural habitats and human health; Wangari Maathai, the first black African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize, and her conservation campaign mobilising action for tree planting in Kenya [ 45 ]; and youth activist, Greta Thunberg leading global school strikes for climate action [ 55 ]. Women role models who are making waves can similarly be celebrated for their stories and achievements in EPH to inspire others to join the growing collective of health educators working for planetary health.

Supporting women’s leadership in education for planetary health

While women in health education are well positioned for developing and delivering EPH, we argue that there needs to be greater understanding and support for women’s leadership in EPH to explore the challenges they face and amplify their voices. Some such avenues may include exploring opportunities for:

growing the community of women leaders in EPH through celebrating role models, and enhancing mentoring, peer support and partnership opportunities [ 9 , 69 ]

valuing women’s achievements and change-agency for planetary health through awards and funding opportunities in EPH [ 27 ]

supporting women-focused organisations, such as Women Leaders for Planetary Health, launched at the 2019 United Nations Climate Summit [ 24 ]

engaging intersectional and eco-feminist theories in further research of how (women) health educators are practising leadership in EPH, and how they feel challenged or supported as leaders in EPH.

Conclusions

Leadership from health professions educators is urgently needed to transform current educational practices and prepare future health professionals in the changing climate. Through the literature, we found that women in higher education are particularly well positioned to practise leadership for EPH and are likely already driving forward or advocating for curriculum reform. However, women’s perspectives are presently under-explored in the EPH literature. As such, little is known about their experience of making curricular change and how best to support their integration of EPH. Additionally, several challenges stand in the way of health educators’ capacity to make the swift changes for EPH that are required, such as transdisciplinary collaboration and reported lack of self-efficacy to teach EPH. As such, further research is vital to understanding avenues to amplify women’s leadership in EPH such as promoting partnership and funding opportunities, supporting women-focused organisations, celebrating women role models to inspire others in joining the growing community of health educators working for planetary health, and engaging intersectional and eco-feminist theories in EPH research.

Data availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

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10 executive leadership programs that should be on every business leader’s radar

Many executive leaders spend much of their days in meetings with other people—and yet, their lives can also be very isolating.

“The whole saying, ‘It’s lonely at the top,’ is really true,” says Mike Malefakis, Wharton’s former executive education CEO and associate vice dean. Even though he recognizes this reality, Malefakis also champions the value of continuing education for execs. 

Yale - Accelerated Management

Explore fundamental management topics such as decision-making using quantitative models, developing a competitive strategy and leveraging social networks, with industry insights from Yale SOM faculty.

These programs provide an opportunity for connecting, learning, and growing with others holding C-suite positions . The programs freshen up your leadership approaches, and some even offer a sabbatical from typical work life.

If you are especially looking for training that is not as extensive as an executive MBA , many of the nation’s top business schools offer courses and programs tailored for executives that align with leaders’ demanding schedules. Below are 10 executive leadership management programs (some all-online, hybrid, or all in-person) tailored for the C-suite covering topics including risk management, competition, and brand reputation.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

C-suite life means long workdays, yet little time to reflect and learn from others. “That’s why the five weeks is critical to almost take a sabbatical from what you’re doing on a regular daily basis and invest in yourself,” Malefakis says. During the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania ‘s five-week, on-campus Advanced Management Program , you’ll attend breakout sessions, simulations, and experiential learning (think: team rowing exercises to practice communication and coordination) with fellow execs. You’ll leave with a methodology to pause, reflect, learn, then act in future business situations. Wharton also offers a hybrid version of the program in which executives make two bookend trips to Philadelphia and complete online courses. Both the on-campus and hybrid options cost $72,500.

Stanford University Graduate School of Business

The Black Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business is tailored for Black business leaders or those executives looking to advance Black leadership. The weeklong program focuses on race and leadership, power, negotiations, relationships, communication, and networking. The in-person program also provides a space to discuss barriers to leadership and Black identity in the workplace. Following the sessions, you’ll work on a capstone project focused on career advancement, with peer coaching and feedback along the way. Program director Brian S. Lowery’s research focuses on perceptions of inequity and how to reduce it. The Black Leaders Program costs $15,000 to attend, and you’ll receive a certificate of completion at the conclusion. 

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Kellogg’s yearlong Women’s Senior Leadership Program for top women leaders includes four sessions (three in-person, one live virtual reunion) focused on decision making, negotiation skills, ethical challenges, and external management. The jewel in the crown of this program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is a 360-degree assessment that provides feedback about your leadership style free of bias from your own organization. The assessment is made specifically to assess women’s leadership traits, taking into account your individual challenges. Leadership consultants provide check-ins throughout the year to help set your development goals and follow progress. Graduates of the program are CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and presidents of organizations. Participants pay $25,150 to attend, which includes lodging and meals. 

Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College

Dartmouth’s two-week, on-campus Advanced Management Program moves beyond the basics, offering a deep dive into strategy, competition, globalization, and brand management for senior executives. The program at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business is designed for executives with at least 12 years of work experience , and includes a hearty mix of lectures, discussions, excursions, and workshops. You’ll also work on a management action plan project to take back to your organization. Projects could be focused on addressing business challenges or new growth opportunities. “At the end of the day, it’s really all about impact,” says Phil Barta, executive director of Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth. “That’s what these organizations are looking to see from their leaders when they send them.” Tuck’s Advanced Management Program costs $29,000.

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The Executive Program: Strategic Leadership at the Top , hosted by the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business , includes in-person modules and online sessions on topics ranging from strategy to personal wellness, entrepreneurship, and risk management. While all participants of this six-month program are senior leaders, they come from backgrounds spanning financial services, government, education, health care—and even aerospace. “You open your mind to different ways of doing things and how people live and think,” says Elton “Neil” Wright Jr., a program quality executive with Boeing who participated in the program, adding that TEP gave him a better sense of the world economy. You’ll meet in person over two, two-week sessions in Charlottesville, VA or Washington DC. The Executive Program costs $53,350 to attend, and graduates can receive a discount on further executive education courses at Darden.

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School offers a multi-week training that seeks to transform executives through a “life-altering program.” The Advanced Management Program: Prepare for the Highest Level of Leadership begins and ends with around three-week stints on-campus at HBS, with a virtual, live online and self-paced module in the middle. Overall, it is designed to empower executive to create change and renew competitive advantage within their own organizations. Past participants have include executives from companies like Marriott, Coca-Cola, and Maersk. The program fee of $92,000 covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

Yale School of Management

Yale School of Management ‘s 8-month Global Executive Leadership Program (GELP) is taught in three, multi-day modules, allowing participants to apply course material at their respective organizations during intermissions. GELP — which is designed for executives with at least 20 years of work experience—focuses on three pillars: leadership in business and society, global perspectives, and executive toolkit. Students attend classes focused on personal insights, marketing, negotiations, and entrepreneurship. You’ll also be invited to Yale’s CEO Summit, which brings together global executive leaders. Upon completion of the program, you’ll be a Yale alum. “They are ready for big thoughts, big changes, and exciting new initiatives,” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, faculty director of the program, says of attendees. The cost of the program is $60,000, which includes lodging and most meals.

Columbia Business School

You have a strategic mindset, natural leadership ability, and finance fundamentals under your belt, but numbers may not be your forte or your career focus. A solution? Columbia Business School ‘s five-day Finance and Accounting for the Nonfinancial Executive course, which caters to creative or technical leaders and covers managerial and financial accounting, ratio calculation, forecasting and valuation, and shareholder value management. This course, which can be completed online or in-person, can also serve as a good refresher for those people who previously held finance or accounting jobs but have since changed roles. Typically, about one-third of the participant mix holds general management roles. The in-person option is $11,950.

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

During Pepperdine University (Graziadio) ‘s three-day, six-session Executive Leadership Essentials certificate program, participants will learn both virtual and in-person methods to engage stakeholders, recruit, and solve problems strategically through the lens of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity). Participants are invited to complete a 360-degree leadership assessment, which allows them to reflect on personal leadership qualities. Attendees leave the program with a personalized leadership development plan crafted specifically to your organization during the final session. The in-person program is advertised to cost $3,599 but is on discount for $2,999.

MIT Sloan School of Management

MIT’s Sloan School of Management is inviting board members, the c-suite, and other senior executives to learn more about cybersecurity—one of the top worries of business leaders —in its course, Cybersecurity Governance for the Board of Directors . The two to three day online or in-person training seeks to teach individuals the best practices of cyber frameworks and regulation, including data protection and privacy concerns. The course also touches on cyber vulnerabilities like human engineering and supply chain. The price of the program is $4,700.

Frequently asked questions

What is an executive leadership program.

Executive leadership programs are advanced training programs for those working to run some of the world’s top businesses. The specialized trainings are designed to challenge executives to think outside of the box and freshen leadership approaches. 

Are executive leadership programs worth it?

Executive leadership programs can be a great way to not only refresh skills in the business world, but it is also an opportunity to hear fresh perspectives from leaders in academia as well as peer executives. While they can seem costly, the program prices often include lodging, meals, and other amenities.

Which executive education is best?

Most top business schools offer executive leadership training. While there is no one best program, prospective learners should pick the program that best aligns with professional growth opportunities.

Mike Malefakis has since left his role at Wharton .

See how the schools you’re considering landed in Fortune’s rankings of the best  master’s in public health programs ,  business analytics programs ,  data science programs , and  part-time ,  executive ,  full-time , and  online  MBA programs.

• Choose from our rankings of the best MBA programs to find the next phase of your educational journey.
• This list helps those looking for MBA program options that do not require submission of test scores to apply.
• Our directory of the most affordable online MBA programs can help you find the school that best fits your budget.
• You can work towards your career goals on your own time by selecting from our list of the best part time MBA programs .
• To help you pick the program that’s the best fit for you, we made this list of the best executive MBA programs .
• Interested in earning your MBA online? Here’s our ranking of the best online MBA programs .

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Harvard Business Analytics Program

The Harvard Business Analytics Program is an online certificate program designed for established leaders in any industry. The program leverages a rigorous cross-disciplinary curriculum to help students not just analyze data but understand it, translate it, and incorporate it into strategy at the top levels of their organizations.

• Open access
• Published: 03 July 2024

Healthcare leaders navigating complexity: a scoping review of key trends in future roles and competencies

• Samantha Spanos   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3734-3907 1 ,
• Elle Leask   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1698-9151 1 ,
• Romika Patel   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0000-6523-8798 1 ,
• Michael Datyner 1 ,
• Erwin Loh   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7157-0826 2 &
• Jeffrey Braithwaite   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0296-4957 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  720 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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As healthcare systems rapidly become more complex, healthcare leaders are navigating expanding role scopes and increasingly varied tasks to ensure the provision of high-quality patient care. Despite a range of leadership theories, models, and training curricula to guide leadership development, the roles and competencies required by leaders in the context of emerging healthcare challenges (e.g., disruptive technologies, ageing populations, and burnt-out workforces) have not been sufficiently well conceptualized. This scoping review aimed to examine these roles and competencies through a deep dive into the contemporary academic and targeted gray literature on future trends in healthcare leadership roles and competencies.

Three electronic databases (Business Source Premier, Medline, and Embase) were searched from January 2018 to February 2023 for peer-reviewed literature on key future trends in leadership roles and competencies. Websites of reputable healthcare- and leadership-focused organizations were also searched. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to explore both the range and depth of literature and the key concepts underlying leadership roles and competencies.

From an initial 348 articles identified in the literature and screened for relevance, 39 articles were included in data synthesis. Future leadership roles and competencies were related to four key themes: innovation and adaptation (e.g., flexibility and vision setting), collaboration and communication (e.g., relationship and trust building), self-development and self-awareness (e.g., experiential learning and self-examination), and consumer and community focus (e.g., public health messaging). In each of these areas, a broad range of strategies and approaches contributed to effective leadership under conditions of growing complexity, and a diverse array of contexts and situations for which these roles and competencies are applicable.

Conclusions

This research highlights the inherent interdependence of leadership requirements and health system complexity. Rather than as sets of roles and competencies, effective healthcare leadership might be better conceptualized as a set of broad goals to pursue that include fostering collaboration amongst stakeholders, building cultures of capacity, and continuously innovating for improved quality of care.

Peer Review reports

Healthcare leadership has grown in scope and importance in response to the increasing complexity of healthcare delivery [ 1 ]. Healthcare systems have become increasingly multifaceted, delivering a vast array of services across multiple levels, from preventative and primary care to acute, specialized care, and long-term care, to address the care needs of a changing population [ 1 ]. As populations age, chronic diseases rise, and the epidemiology and demographics of disease shift, new models of care rapidly emerge to address the ever-expanding spectrum of patient needs [ 2 ]. Advancements in technologies, tests and treatments and personalized medicine come with regulatory and ethical implications, and a growth in workforce specializations [ 3 , 4 ]. Healthcare leaders are navigating evermore complex webs of actors in the system – doctors, nurses, technicians, administrators, insurers, and patients – striving to balance priorities, foster collaboration, and provide strategic direction toward high-quality and safe patient care [ 5 ]. At the same time as running complex services, healthcare leaders need to continually assess, implement, and govern new technologies and services, adhere to the latest regulations and guidelines, operate within the confines of budgetary allocations, and meet growing consumer expectations for affordable and accessible care [ 6 , 7 ].

Competent healthcare leadership is widely considered to be critical for improving patient safety, system performance, and the effectiveness of healthcare teams [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Leadership has been identified as a key shaping influence on organizational culture [ 11 ], including workplace commitment to safety [ 12 ], and on preventing workforce burnout [ 13 , 14 ]. The increased need for multidisciplinary and integrated care models has shed growing light on the leadership roles of clinicians, including physicians, nurses, and allied health practitioners [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Individuals with both clinical and leadership expertise have been considered vital in complex healthcare landscapes because of their ability to balance administrative needs while prioritizing safety and high-quality care provision [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. For example, physician leaders, through their deep understanding of clinical care and their credibility and influence, have been considered best able to devise strategies that improve patient care amidst stringent financial conditions [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Clinical leaders, particularly physician leaders, might also be of key importance for facilitating the success of collaborative care and care integration [ 27 ].

The formalization of healthcare leadership emerged as the importance of specialized healthcare leadership skills became increasingly needed, recognized and understood [ 1 , 28 , 29 ]. Leadership in healthcare has been conceptualized in several different ways, and a multitude of theories, frameworks, and models have been proposed to explain leadership roles and responsibilities [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. For example, the CanMEDS Framework describes the Leader Role of physicians, which is comprised of key and enabling competencies, tasks, and abilities [ 34 , 35 ], and adaptations to this Framework emphasize the varying roles that leadership comprises and the competencies that fulfill them [ 36 ]. Although these frameworks present a good starting point for articulating leadership role scopes and their associated competencies, many fall short in explaining how leaders navigate complex, dynamic, multi-dimensional, and highly variable healthcare systems [ 37 ]. This is becoming increasingly recognized; CanMEDS is due to be updated in 2025 to incorporate competencies related to complexity [ 38 ]. Meanwhile, on the front lines, lack of role clarity and ambiguity about tasks and responsibilities presents a significant barrier for healthcare leaders [ 1 , 15 ]. In complex and unpredictable systems like healthcare, leaders spend substantial time ‘sense-making’, understanding, prioritizing and responding adaptively according to the needs of the situation [ 39 , 40 ]. The latest research on future healthcare trends tells us that increasing complexity associated with digital innovation, healthcare costs, regulatory compliance, sustainability concerns and equitable resource distribution will pose challenges to all actors in health systems [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ]. In the face of these emerging challenges, it is vital to understand the range and type of roles and competencies that leaders will need to fulfil in the imminent future.

The aim of this scoping review is to examine the literature on the key trends in roles and competencies required for healthcare leaders in the future. We conceptualized ‘competencies’ as the attributes, skills, and abilities that comprise the fulfilment of varying leadership roles, as informed by the CanMEDS Framework [ 34 , 36 ]. Scoping review methodology was utilized to capture a broad range of literature types and identify key themes or groupings of future trends in leadership roles and competencies. Rather than focusing on answering specific questions (as per previous systematic reviews on leadership [ 46 , 47 ]) or developing theory (by utilizing a theoretical review approach to leadership literature [ 48 , 49 ]), we sought to map and identify patterns and trends within the leadership literature [ 50 ]. To investigate trends in leadership roles and competencies, we targeted emerging perspectives from key reputable thought leaders to supplement academic research [ 51 , 52 ].

The conduct and reporting of this review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines [ 53 ].

Search strategy

Comprehensive search strategies were developed, adapting search strategies utilized in a previous systematic review on physician leadership [ 26 ], and receiving input and expertise from two clinical librarians at Macquarie University (see supplementary file 1 for database search strategies). Medline, Embase, and Business Source Premier were searched from January 2018 to February 2023 to enable meaningful inferences to be made about future trends based on current perspectives. To capture key trends, patterns, shifts, and forecast changes to healthcare leadership, the Medline database search was limited to the ‘Trends’ subheading, “ used for the manner in which a subject changes, qualitatively or quantitatively, with time, whether past, present, or future. Includes “forecasting” & “futurology" ” (see supplementary file 1 ) [ 54 ]. For Embase and Business Source Premier, the ‘Trends’ subheading was not available, and instead key search terms were included to capture future trends, including “predict*”, “forecast*”, “shift*” and “transform*”. Efforts were made to locate texts that could not be retrieved, by searching Macquarie University’s digital library records and contacting authors to request the full text.

To complement the database searches, targeted searches of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM; UK) website and The King’s Fund (UK) website were undertaken to identify emerging perspectives on the future roles and requirements of healthcare leaders. Targeted website searches can aid in uncovering unpublished yet relevant research identified by advocacy organizations or subject specialists, and research potentially missed by database searches [ 52 , 55 ]. Key search terms entered into the websites included ‘future healthcare’, ‘medical leader’, ‘clinical leader’, ‘medical manager’, ‘physician executive’, and ‘education and training’. We included articles that focused on leaders with a clinical background and leaders without a clinical background, to provide a comprehensive overview of leadership roles and requirements of reference to health systems [ 26 ].

Article selection

Database literature search.

References were uploaded into online data management software Rayyan [ 56 ], and duplicate records were identified and removed. Titles and abstracts of results were screened by three team members (SS, EL, RP) according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Table  1 ). Articles were included if they focused on future trends in the roles, competencies, attributes, or requirements of healthcare leaders, and if they reported on countries within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). We limited our search to OECD countries to maximize the generalizability of findings within a developed context and enable meaningful trends to be identified. A subset of the articles was screened by all three team members to ensure that decisions were being made in a standardized manner. After this article subset was screened, the three team members discussed screening decisions, and disagreements were resolved by consensus or through discussion with JB [ 57 ]. During this process, two further exclusion criteria (#4 and #5, Table  1 ) were added to ensure that the screening process adhered to the aim of the current review. We excluded articles that focused on theories and definitions of leadership (e.g., for the purpose of developing educational or professional frameworks) without highlighting trends or changes in roles and competencies for future leadership. We also excluded articles that focused on healthcare interventions in which leaders may have been participants, but their roles or competencies were not the focus. Articles included at title and abstract screening were independently read in full and assessed for eligibility. Disagreements about inclusion were resolved through discussion, with JB available for arbitration if necessary. It was determined at this stage that if articles were conference abstracts in which the full presentation could not be accessed, the article of focus was sought and included in the analysis.

Targeted gray literature search

References were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Table  1 ), except that articles only needed to report (rather than focus) on future leadership roles and requirements. This is because we wanted to ensure that our analysis broadly captured the most recent sources of information on healthcare leadership requirements, even if these sources did not focus exclusively on leadership.

Data charting process

Data from all records were appraised and charted simultaneously using a purpose-designed Excel data charting form designed by SS (and subsequently reviewed and endorsed by RP and EL). Multimedia records arising from targeted gray literature searches were listened to and transcribed by RP and checked by SS. Extracted data included article details (authors, year, country, text type), leadership focus (training or educational approaches, styles of leadership), and major and minor themes. Database literature were extracted first to identify and develop themes, and the targeted gray literature were extracted second to extend and embellish those themes.

Synthesis of results

Data from included articles were synthesized according to the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews, selected for its detailed guidance on data collation, synthesis, and presentation [ 58 ]. The breadth, range, and type of data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and underlying groups of leadership roles and competencies were analyzed using thematic analysis. First, the authorship team familiarized themselves with the articles to gain a broad overview of contexts in which leadership was discussed. An inductive approach was used to identify emerging themes of leadership roles and competencies in the database literature, where common concepts were identified, coded, and grouped together to form themes. Team discussion facilitated the final set of themes that were interpreted from the data. During this process, the extracted data were compared to the codes, groups, and resultant themes to examine the degree of consistency between the data and the interpreted findings. Where inconsistencies were identified, suggested changes (e.g., to code labels or groupings) were compared, and the most appropriate changes adopted. Targeted gray literature sources were deductively analyzed according to the identified themes.

Selection of sources of evidence

Figure  1 displays the process of identification and screening of included studies. Database searches yielded 160 records, from which 11 duplicates were removed. The remaining 149 database records were screened by title and abstract, after which a further 114 records were excluded. Of the remaining 35 that were assessed for eligibility, 22 were excluded, and 13 were included in the current review. Targeted gray literature searches yielded an additional 188 records, from which 146 were identified as duplicates and removed. The remaining 42 records were read in full and assessed for eligibility, from which a further 16 were excluded, and 26 were included in the current review. In total, 39 records were retained and synthesized.

PRISMA flowchart displaying the process of identification and selection of included articles

Characteristics of sources of evidence

The characteristics of the included records are displayed in Tables  2 and 3 . Of the database literature, most articles were published in the USA ( n  = 11), and the remaining two articles were published in Canada and Australia. Seven articles were empirical; three studies employed qualitative methods [ 59 , 60 , 61 ], three were quantitative [ 62 , 63 , 64 ], and one mixed methods [ 65 ]. Six articles were non-empirical; three were perspective pieces [ 66 , 67 , 68 ], and three were reports on training or organizational interventions [ 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Of the targeted literature, blog-type articles were most common ( n  = 11) [ 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 ], followed by news articles ( n  = 5) [ 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 ], reports ( n  = 4) [ 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 ], editorials ( n  = 2) [ 92 , 93 ], podcasts ( n  = 2) [ 94 , 95 ], and video and interview transcripts ( n  = 2) [ 96 , 97 ]. As targeted gray sources selected were The King’s Fund website and the FMLM website, the records from these websites were published in the UK.

Leadership roles and competencies

All 13 articles derived from the database searches focused on innovation and adaptation in future leadership. Two empirical articles reported on the ways in which clinical and non-clinical leaders innovated during the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly designing new models of hospital care [ 61 ] and extending their roles to encompass the implementation of virtual leadership [ 64 ]. Qualitative investigations explored the importance of entrepreneurial leadership for implementing clinical genomics [ 59 ] and key leadership attributes for practice-level innovation and sustainability [ 60 ]. Four articles examined leadership training approaches that build physicians’ capacity to understand, adapt to, and manage change, overcome resistance, and think entrepreneurially [ 62 , 63 , 65 , 70 ]. Two reports described the necessity for healthcare leaders to be able to create a shared vision for an organization; one highlighted the importance of leaders being confident and “self-propelled to intervene” [ 69 ], and one emphasized physician leaders’ credibility as a catalyst for change management among healthcare providers [ 71 ]. The latter report also identified that visible and committed leadership that is sensitive to workplace cultures is critical for the success of change management activities [ 71 ]. Three perspective pieces discussed increasing opportunities for medical and other clinical leaders to create positive change in increasingly complex healthcare landscapes and fulfill the demands of the industry and public [ 66 , 67 , 68 ].

In the targeted gray literature, 19 of 26 records (73%) focused on innovative and adaptive leadership. Records primarily explored adaptive leadership behaviors during COVID-19, such as service redesign, introducing improved flexibility, learning mechanisms, and support platforms [ 73 , 76 , 77 , 97 ], and future innovation to manage climate change impacts [ 81 ], growing inequities [ 89 ], and emerging technologies [ 75 , 83 , 94 , 96 ]. Comfort with change, vision setting, and a desire to innovate were emphasized as key leadership attributes for future healthcare [ 82 , 83 , 88 , 96 ]. Records also explored how to best train and develop leaders for transforming health systems, including the National Health Service (NHS) [ 84 , 90 , 96 ]. New leadership training structures were proposed that foster innovation and adaptability in leaders [ 80 , 90 , 96 ] and encourage flexibility for cross-disciplinary learning.

Collaboration and communication  was a second theme that emerged across all 13 database articles. Three studies explored how collaborative leadership can foster innovation with regards to implementing genomics testing [ 59 ], creating new work models during COVID-19 [ 61 ] and developing new leadership styles via telecommunications [ 64 ]. Six articles focused on the importance of collaborating to build relationships across organisations [ 67 , 68 , 71 ] and within teams [ 65 , 69 , 70 ]. Three articles highlighted that effective communication contributes to organizational success, through fostering psychologically safe cultures [ 60 , 66 ] and generating the trust and rapport necessary for implementing technological innovations [ 71 ]. Two studies examined the impact of leadership training on physicians’ communication competencies [ 62 , 63 ].

In the targeted gray literature, 17 of 26 records (65%) focused on collaboration and communication. Records discussed specific initiatives to improve communication in clinical teams, such as staff surveys, daily huddles, and dedicated days for networking [ 75 , 77 , 80 , 95 ]. Cross-boundary collaboration and collective leadership (e.g., between clinicians and managers) [ 83 ] were advocated as a means to solve challenges [ 81 , 90 ], help build public trust [ 79 , 83 ], and improve quality of care [ 78 , 83 , 85 , 94 ]. Twelve records focused on the importance of team and leadership collaboration to create positive workplace cultures and improve staff wellbeing, through communication strategies such as openness and honesty [ 78 , 80 , 95 ], active listening and empathy [ 73 , 78 , 86 , 88 , 90 ], transparency [ 88 , 94 , 95 ], and inclusivity [ 85 , 94 ]. Three articles emphasized that encouraging staff autonomy, building trust, and demonstrating compassion facilitate better quality care than demanding and punitive leadership actions [ 73 , 74 , 88 ].

Nine of 13 database articles (69%) focused on a third theme, self-development and self-awareness in leadership. Four articles examined approaches to leadership development that incorporated self-development and self-awareness (e.g., personality testing) [ 63 , 65 , 69 , 70 ], with two articles describing these competencies as enablers for the development of other more advanced competencies (e.g., execution) [ 69 , 70 ]. Similar competencies explored included landscape awareness [ 60 ], self-organisation [ 60 ], emotional intelligence [ 64 ], and self-examination, the last of which was described as essential to gain skills beyond clinical roles [ 68 ], facilitate positive perceptions of others [ 66 ], and to remain relevant and effective in a changing healthcare environment [ 67 ]. One article also proposed strategies such as journaling, mindfulness, and feedback to encourage ongoing reflection on leadership decisions and biases [ 67 ].

In the targeted gray literature, seven of 26 records (27%) focused on self-development and self-awareness. Records examinedd the importance of continual personal leadership development, including mentoring and experiential learning, to facilitate understanding of one’s own skills [ 78 , 80 , 97 ]. Tools to facilitate self-reflection in physician leaders were advocated including the FMLM smartphone app [ 92 ] and leadership longitudinal assessments [ 91 ]. Self-care and resilience practices (e.g., meditation, social support) were also advocated for physician leaders as a means to manage “greater levels of stress and responsibility” [ 94 ].

Consumer engagement and advocacy  was a fourth theme and a focus of nine targeted gray literature records (35%). Records discussed patient and community engagement as essential for health system improvement, and examples included involving patients in health service design [ 74 , 77 ], creating channels of ongoing dialogue [ 79 , 83 ] and building stronger health system-community relationships [ 79 , 88 ]. Two records described the importance of public health messaging in improving health literacy [ 83 ] and countering misinformation [ 86 ], and two focused on the role of leaders in advocating for social justice and striving to improve equitable outcomes [ 75 , 93 ].

This scoping review identified 39 key resources that explored future trends in healthcare leadership roles and competencies. These records were derived from a combination of academic and targeted gray literature searches, juxtaposed and synthesized to build understanding of leadership to improve health systems into the future. Four themes of competencies emerged from the findings – innovation and adaptation, communication and collaboration, self-development and self-awareness, and consumer engagement and advocacy.

The competencies of healthcare leaders given the most attention in the literature over the last five years relate to innovation and adaptability . Both the academic and targeted gray literature focused on how leaders, clinical and non-clinical, demonstrated innovativeness and adapted to the demands of COVID-19, including rethinking and redesigning systems to support staff and patients [ 64 , 77 ]. The second focus of the literature on innovation and adaptability was geared toward the development of these capacities in leaders through education and training, as well as through opportunities for leaders to actualize their skills [ 70 , 90 ]. The literature indicated that as the complexity of healthcare is accelerating, leaders must both understand, and have opportunities to demonstrate, innovation amidst dynamic, variable, and demanding environments [ 59 , 60 , 71 ]. This aligns with prior research demonstrating that innovation uptake requires strong change management, and the ability to rapidly assess, understand, and apply innovative changes (e.g., medical technologies) [ 1 , 98 ]. While innovations might improve the system’s ability to deal with complex challenges in the long-term, their implementation can be challenged by a number of moving parts – including workforce changes, new rules and regulations, fluctuating resources and new patient groups – which leaders must consider and appropriately plan for [ 99 , 100 ]. Perhaps an even greater challenge for leaders to overcome when embracing innovation is the tendency for growing complexity to lock the organization into suboptimal conditions (i.e., inertia) [ 101 ]. Building awareness of the interacting components of complex systems and the flexibility required for adaptation and resilience should be a key focus of healthcare leadership education and training [ 102 ].

Competencies associated with communication and collaboration have also been a focus of the healthcare leadership literature. Academic literature dealt primarily with how collaborative structures and behaviors can help leaders innovate and build organizational cultures geared for success [ 59 , 61 , 71 ]. Targeted gray literature focused on how leaders can foster communication within teams, and the positive impacts of an open and accountable culture on staff wellbeing and productivity [ 73 , 74 ]. These findings echo research on resilient health systems emphasizing that ‘over-managing’ restricts the adaptive capacities needed by teams within dynamic healthcare environments [ 100 , 103 ]. The literature pointed to the need for leaders to strengthen communication and collaboration at varying levels – environmental, team, and organizational – to enable more efficient and better-quality healthcare delivery, and during this process they should endeavor to model the balance between autonomy and accountability [ 104 ]. Implementing regular touchpoints that engage multiple stakeholders, such as communities of practice, can help to create positive feedback loops that enable systems change [ 105 ], and overcome organizational barriers to collaboration and information sharing, such as weak relationships and inadequate communication [ 106 , 107 ].

Self-development and self-awareness  also emerged as an important aspect of leadership. Academic literature focused primarily on how these capacities are developed in leaders through structured education and training, including self-assessments and targeted educational modules [ 65 , 69 ]. Targeted gray literature discussed a range of activities outside of structured training (e.g., experiential learning) that can support leaders’ self-reflection and development, for physician leaders in particular to assess their performance and improve their leadership approaches [ 91 , 92 ]. These findings suggest that personal leadership development must go beyond formal curriculum requirements to incorporate everyday learning inputs [ 78 ], and align with other recent literature suggesting that self-regulation in leaders can be fostered through practicing self-discipline, boundary-setting, and managing disruptions, particularly in the digital age [ 108 , 109 ]. Practicing self-awareness can help leaders not only to sense-make in complex systems – to adapt to new situations and make appropriate trade-offs – but also to sense-give – to articulate and express the organization’s vision [ 40 ]. A minor theme, observed only in the targeted gray literature, was related to leaders’ roles and competencies in consumer engagement and advocacy . The importance of increasing consumer engagement in healthcare was emphasized, as well as the structures that are needed to facilitate these changes [ 79 ]. Working alongside consumers was highlighted as critical during times of changing care and need, such as during COVID-19 [ 77 , 86 ]. Although the involvement of consumers and the public in the co-production of care is increasing [ 110 ], there is limited academic literature focused on the roles of leaders in creating optimal environments for co-production. Consumer and community involvement in change efforts helps to improve care processes and outcomes [ 111 ], but leaders might face challenges understanding and operationalizing local engagement mechanisms [ 112 ]. Identifying the organizational and system levers that enable greater consumer involvement, and how leaders can advocate for these levers in their local context, is a fruitful area for future investigation.

The findings of the current review have implications for professional organizations that train healthcare leaders, such as the Australian College of Health Services Management (ACHSM) in Australia, and train clinicians to be leaders, including the UK’s FMLM. Creating a future-focused curriculum addressing the competencies related to the themes identified, in particular innovation and adaptability, is essential to prepare healthcare leaders for growing and changing scopes of responsibility. Such competencies are less amenable to formal theoretical teaching solely and require carefully crafted experiential learning programs in health settings, with supervision by experienced and effective healthcare leaders.

Strengths and limitations

A notable strength of this scoping review was the inclusion of a broad range of sources and perspectives on the future of healthcare leadership. We captured empirical studies, theoretical academic contributions (e.g., commentaries from healthcare leaders), and targeted grey literature, which is often a more useful source of information on emerging topics [ 52 ]. As a result, our findings identified key future trends in the roles and competencies of leaders, both clinical and non-clinical, across a wide range of contexts and situations. Another strength of this review was its specific focus on contemporary literature that examined future trends in leadership, to inform how leaders can prepare for upcoming challenges, rather than focusing on leadership that was effective in the past.

There are limitations to this review. Our search strategies may not have adequately captured other leadership trends applicable across contemporary healthcare settings or those faced by leaders and teams on the front lines of care [ 113 ]. Incorporating search terms related to specific settings, as well as complex systems concepts, may have enabled greater inferences to be made about how unique future challenges require new approaches to the development of healthcare leaders. To scope future-focused research and perspectives, database searches were narrowly restricted, and it is likely that key articles were missed. Targeted gray literature searches represent key thought leaders in healthcare and leadership, and while this enabled relevant information to be efficiently collected, undertaking highly focused searches may have introduced bias associated with geographical area (i.e., the UK) and particular stakeholder groups (e.g., policy-makers) [ 55 ]. Our choice to limit the current review to studies reporting in OECD countries further limited generalizability to other settings including in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) [ 1 ].

The roles and competencies of leaders are deeply enmeshed in, and reflective of, a complex and continuously transforming healthcare system. This research highlights the types of roles and competencies important for leaders facing a myriad of challenges, and the range of contexts and situations in which these types of roles and competencies can be applied. The ways in which roles and competencies manifest is highly contextual, dependent on both role responsibilities and the situational demands of healthcare environments.

Data availability

Data supporting these research findings are available upon reasonable request. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Abbreviations

Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management

National Health Service

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews

Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators

United States of America

United Kingdom

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The authors thank Mary Simons and Jeremy Cullis for their specialist guidance on database searches.

This work was funded in part by RACMA. RACMA contributed to the conceptualization and design of the research. JB is funded and supported by an NHMRC Leadership Investigator Award (1176620).

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Spanos, S., Leask, E., Patel, R. et al. Healthcare leaders navigating complexity: a scoping review of key trends in future roles and competencies. BMC Med Educ 24 , 720 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05689-4

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The Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences welcomed Jessica McArt, D.V.M. ’07, Ph.D. ’13, as its new chair on July 1. McArt assumes this leadership position after taking a year-long sabbatical in Australia.

“I know I speak for myself and the entire college when I say that we are all excited to have Dr. McArt back after her time away, and I look forward to working with her in this leadership role,” says Lorin D. Warnick, D.V.M., Ph.D. '94, the Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine.

“I’m honored and excited to serve as Chair of the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences,” McArt says. “As a production medicine veterinarian, I enjoy understanding systems while also focusing on the individual. Although our department members have varied interests, our underlying mission is the same, and I look forward to supporting our faculty and staff across all the activities of the department. Every day I learn something new from this impactful group, and it makes me more passionate about what we do.”

McArt received both her D.V.M. and Ph.D. at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and has served as faculty, and eventually section chief, of the Ambulatory and Production Medicine Clinic. She is boarded of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Dairy Practice), and studies the identification, epidemiology and economics of periparturient diseases in dairy cows, using modeling to investigate the economic impact of transition cow diseases and promote evidence-based management and treatment practices.

As she steps into this new leadership role, McArt will continue to wear many other hats. “One of the things I love about my job at Cornell is that no two days are the same,” she says. “In addition to my work as chair, I have a clinical appointment within the Ambulatory and Production Medicine section doing farm calls, I teach dairy and epidemiology related coursework within the veterinary medicine curriculum, and I lead the  McArt Dairy Cow Lab – a great group of individuals that investigates the identification, epidemiology, and economics of periparturient diseases in dairy cows. I also recently assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief at  JDS Communications , a society publication of the American Dairy Science Association.”

Looking ahead for the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, McArt is excited to help the group clarify its future direction. “As we are a diverse department with respect to effort allocation to service, research, and/or teaching, one of my goals for the department is the collaborative creation of an atmosphere of respect and support in which faculty feel valued and can excel in their areas of interest,” McArt says. “On the personal side, as chair, I hope to further develop my leadership skills and, as always, appreciate the feedback and support of our department faculty and staff in my own learning.”

In addition to welcoming Dr. McArt to her new role, Dean Warnick expressed his sincere thanks to Dr. Diego Diel for his service as interim department chair this past year. “Dr. Diel has done an outstanding job keeping department programs moving forward, and has been a valuable member of the college leadership team.  I ask that everyone join me in sharing congratulations to Dr. McArt and expressing appreciation to Dr. Diel for his service.”

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This specialized business degree prepares you for leadership roles in the dynamic, service-oriented hospitality industry. Traditional business courses in accounting, economics and law are complemented by hospitality marketing, meeting/event management, lodging management, hospitality facilities management, food and beverage management and international tourism. All of these courses help to give you a solid foundation required for any number of hospitality specialties.

Some of the many areas you can focus your career within hospitality management:

• Bar and beverage management
• Casino management
• Club management
• Cruise management
• Event management
• Hotel management
• Resort management
• Restaurant management
• Tourism management
• Venue management
• Sport coordinator
• Healthcare hospitality

We stress experiential learning in our program. If you plan to successfully lead, manage or direct others in the industry you must have industry experience. Our goal is for each of our graduates to be qualified for an intro-level management job (or management training position) upon graduation. As former managers in the hospitality industry we realize that gaining industry experience is an important part of our degree requirement.

All undergraduates must complete two internships, accumulating more than 500 hours of work experience in two distinct areas of hospitality. These two experiences provide a great opportunity to explore different and unique facets of the industry, and to expand your knowledge and discover your ideal career path. Whether on campus or off campus, part time or full time, job or internship, you can choose the work experience that best suits your schedule and interests.

With this degree in hand, you'll have a wealth of career options both in South Dakota and throughout the United States and will be well-prepared for post-graduate studies if you choose to continue your education. Additionally, our faculty brings significant industry experience to the classroom, adding a unique dimension that you just won't find with a general business education.

Special Events

Throughout the fall/spring, students participate in learning experiences with the hospitality club and in their courses. Some of the upcoming experiences that students will be participating in:

• Hospitality Management Career Fair
• South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism
• Prostart Competition

Additional Information

• Program Details (Curricular Offerings and Course Descriptions)
• Wagner Cafe
• Hospitality Management Club

Meet the Faculty and Staff

Kunsoon Park

Associate Professor

School of Health and Human Sciences

Julie Tkach

Lecturer, Hospitality Management