13 Best Healthcare Leadership Courses to Take for 2025
These healthcare leadership courses offer valuable insights from seasoned professionals shaping and influencing the industry. Below is a summary of each course, detailing its unique focus and key takeaways.
Best Healthcare Leadership Courses Shortlist
Here's my shortlist of the best healthcare leadership courses I think are helpful:
- Healthcare Leadership (Stanford University)
- Master Course in Healthcare Leadership & Clinical Leadership (Udemy)
- Executive Healthcare Leadership (eCornell, Cornell University)
- Leadership & Management in Healthcare (Oxford Management Centre)
- Healthcare Leadership (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)
- Leadership for Healthcare Improvement and Innovation (University of Warwick)
- LEAD3000 - Healthcare Leadership for Organizational Effectiveness and Resilience (Walden University)
- Leadership in Healthcare (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
- Healthcare Leadership in Practice (University of Essex Online)
- Leadership in Healthcare (University of South Wales)
- Healthcare Leadership (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto)
- Healthcare Leadership (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore)
- MSc Healthcare Leadership (BPP University)
Find more details about each course below.
Overview of the Best Healthcare Leadership Courses
1. Healthcare Leadership (Stanford University)
This course focuses on developing leadership skills to drive systems improvement, enhance crisis communication, and strengthen decision-making in high-stakes healthcare environments. It provides strategies to optimize team performance and build trust for organizational impact.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals aiming to improve leadership skills, navigate crises, and drive systems-level improvements within their organizations.
- Topics Covered:
- Systems improvement frameworks
- Crisis communication strategies
- Decision-making in high-stakes environments
- Team performance optimization
- Building trust through vulnerability
- Leading organizational change
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 8 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $2,800
- Take The Course: Stanford Online
2. Master Course in Healthcare Leadership & Clinical Leadership (Udemy)
This course focuses on building skills in healthcare administration, clinical leadership, and quality improvement while applying evidence-based strategies. It emphasizes practical approaches to decision-making, team management, and implementing technological and governance frameworks for better patient care.
- Who It’s For: Medical, nursing, social work, psychology, healthcare, and related students interested in healthcare and clinical leadership concepts.
- Topics Covered:
- Introduction to healthcare administration
- Introduction to clinical leadership
- Healthcare policy and ethics
- Financial management in healthcare
- Quality and patient safety
- Strategic planning and management
- Leadership and team management
- Health information systems and technology
- Clinical governance and improvement
- Leadership styles and communication
- Team building and collaboration
- Clinical decision-making
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 1 hour and 10 minute
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: Basic skills and ideas of Healthcare Leadership & Clinical Leadership
- Price: $44.99 ($11.99 discounted price)
- Take The Course: Udemy
3. Executive Healthcare Leadership (Cornell)
This course focuses on developing strategic visions, improving team dynamics, and refining decision-making processes. It emphasizes evaluating initiatives, addressing psychological factors, and implementing practices that enhance organizational growth and service outcomes.
- Who It’s For: For healthcare professionals in or transitioning to management, director, executive, or administrative leadership roles
- Topics Covered:
- Changing organizational culture
- Aligning products, services, and strategies
- Building strategic plans
- Leading change initiatives
- Strategic decision-making
- Leading collaborative teams
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: 4 months
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 3-5 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $5,249
- Take The Course: eCornell
4. Leadership & Management in Healthcare (Oxford Management Centre)
This course develops management and leadership skills for delivering organizational objectives in healthcare. It focuses on enhancing decision-making, team management, and understanding diverse leadership approaches to improve care outcomes.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare managers, clinicians, team leaders, supervisors, and professionals new to or seeking to enhance leadership roles.
- Topics Covered:
- Leadership style
- Self-assessment
- Team management
- Quality outcomes
- Development review
- Online, In-Person, or Both? In-Person
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 5 days
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $5,950
- Take The Course: Oxford Management Centre
5. Healthcare Leadership (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)
This post-diploma course develops leadership and management skills for healthcare teams, focusing on conflict resolution, communication, and improving service quality. It equips learners with tools to handle emergencies, build resilience, and understand healthcare economics and policies.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals aspiring to management, leadership, or administrative roles
- Topics Covered:
- Emergency preparedness and planning
- Health economics
- Healthcare leadership capstone
- Healthcare systems and governance
- Quality and performance in healthcare services
- Applied leadership
- Leadership principles
- Project and people management
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Both
- Exam Required?: Yes
- Duration: 1 year
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 2 semester
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Domestic Students:
- Completed post-secondary studies at an accredited post-secondary institution
- Proof of related work experience
- International Students:
- English language proficiency
- International document assessment
- Accepted educational documents
- Courses from specific international institutions
- Domestic Students:
- Price:
- $9,600 (domestic students)
- $21,588 (international students)
- Take The Course: SAIT
6. Leadership for Healthcare Improvement and Innovation (University of Warwick)
This course explores the role of leadership in enhancing healthcare outcomes. It covers practical tools and methodologies for quality improvement and patient involvement within healthcare organizations.
- Who It’s For: Individuals interested in healthcare improvement, including those with professional or personal experience in healthcare.
- Topics Covered:
- Nature and origins of healthcare improvement
- Organizational context of improvement
- Importance of leadership in improvement
- Quality improvement tools and techniques
- Role of clinical networks in improvement
- Patient involvement in improvement
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 6 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 4 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price:
- Monthly subscription: $49.99
- Take The Course: FutureLearn
7. LEAD3000 - Healthcare Leadership for Organizational Effectiveness and Resilience (Walden University)
This course explores the roles of emotional intelligence and resilience in managing burnout and improving workplace dynamics in healthcare. It emphasizes applying leadership strategies and assessment tools to create healthier, more effective work environments.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare leaders, managers, and those aspiring to leadership roles.
- Topics Covered:
- Managing burnout in healthcare
- Emotional intelligence for leaders
- Building resiliency in healthcare
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 12 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $400
- Take The Course: Walden University
8. Leadership in Healthcare (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
This post-diploma certificate develops leadership, financial management, and strategic project management skills for healthcare organizations. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application to address complex challenges and drive effective outcomes.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals with a post-secondary diploma or degree in a health-related field
- Topics Covered:
- Human resource management in healthcare
- Financial stewardship in healthcare
- Personal leadership development
- Strategic project management in healthcare
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? Yes
- Duration: 1 year
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Post-secondary diploma or degree in a health-related field
- Proof of English proficiency
- Price: $246 per credit
- Take The Course: NAIT
9. Healthcare Leadership in Practice (University of Essex Online)
This course examines leadership theories, organizational dynamics, and tools to enhance effectiveness. It focuses on managing teams, building relationships, and adapting leadership styles to organizational culture and critical incidents.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals seeking to enhance leadership skills or advance in management roles.
- Topics Covered:
- What is leadership
- Power, influence, and negotiation
- Leadership approaches
- Organization and leadership
- Leadership and emotional intelligence
- Healthcare leadership with examples
- Culture, gender, and leadership
- Leading teams
- People management
- Leadership tools and assessments
- Ethics in leadership
- Reflection techniques
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 13 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Part-time
- Eligibility Requirements: High proficiency in English
- Price: £1,386
- Take The Course: University of Essex Online
10. Leadership in Healthcare (University of South Wales)
This course explores advanced leadership practices in healthcare, focusing on applying organizational knowledge to decision-making, resource optimization, and service improvement. It emphasizes developing adaptable skills for addressing complex challenges in diverse and dynamic healthcare settings.
- Who It’s For: Professionals seeking to develop leadership skills.
- Topics Covered:
- Leadership in healthcare
- Developing human and organizational potential
- Quality and governance in healthcare
- Career and team development
- Strategy and innovation
- Change management
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? Yes
- Duration: 1 year (part-time)
- Eligibility Requirements:
- A non-medical degree working in a healthcare role
- A medical degree
- Relevant professional healthcare (e.g. doctor, nurse) qualifications
- Price: £4,700
- Take The Course: University of South Wales
11. Healthcare Leadership (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto)
This course focuses on developing emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and strategic leadership skills to navigate challenges and drive change in healthcare organizations. It provides tools and frameworks to lead high-performing teams and create impactful leadership strategies.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare and non-healthcare professionals in the sector seeking practical leadership tools and skills to meet industry demands
- Topics Covered:
- Framework for healthcare leadership
- Emotional intelligence and self-leadership
- Strategic leadership
- Managing change in healthcare
- Leading high-performing teams
- Tools for impact and influence
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 6 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 6 to 8 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: CAD 2,625
- Take The Course: Rotman
12. Healthcare Leadership (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore)
This course focuses on developing leadership competencies in healthcare, emphasizing communication, decision-making, and conflict management. It provides strategies for stakeholder engagement, team development, and driving organizational change in healthcare environments.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals in management, business development, and operations roles within hospitals, pharmaceuticals, wellness, and mental healthcare.
- Topics Covered:
- Leadership transformation in healthcare
- Skillful communication in healthcare
- Decision-making frameworks and strategies
- Influencing and persuading tactics
- Conflict management approaches
- Building effective teams in healthcare
- Feedback and coaching for healthcare talent
- Stakeholder engagement strategies
- Exploring diversity in healthcare
- Advancing equity and inclusion
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 12 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 4-6 hours a week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: US$2,200
- Take The Course: NUS Medicine
13. MSc Healthcare Leadership (BPP University)
This course examines leadership within the NHS and the wider UK health and social care sector, focusing on professional standards and integrated care systems. It emphasizes critical thinking, ethical leadership, and evidence-based strategies to drive quality improvements in healthcare.
- Who It’s For: Healthcare professionals such as nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers, dieticians, and social workers, as well as those in roles like paramedics, midwives, physician associates, and laboratory technicians with degrees in biology, physics, chemistry, or biochemistry.
- Topics Covered:
- Academic and assessment support
- Leading in a healthcare organization
- Healthcare leadership dissertation
- Online, In-Person, or Both? In-Person
- Exam Required? Yes
- Duration:
- 12 months (Full-time)
- 18 months (Full-time) with Professional Development Planning (PDP)
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 40 hours of study per week
- Eligibility Requirements:
- A 2:2 degree or higher in a health or science-related subject
- A postgraduate degree demonstrating ability for Level 7 study
- A professional qualification with a CPD portfolio (subject to the course leader's discretion)
- Price: £17,100
- Take The Course: BPP University
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