Executive Curriculum

Developing Healthcare Leaders

Columbia University’s 45-credit Executive Healthcare Management Program is designed for experienced professionals who wish to excel as healthcare leaders. For the Executive Healthcare Program, students convene once a month at Columbia University’s health sciences campus in New York City for immersive coursework. The curriculum focuses on leadership development, business management, health policy, and public health systems. 

“Together, we strive to solve the most urgent and complex challenges facing health systems and society through world-class research, actionable insights, and real-world management expertise."

Yuna S.H. Lee, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor and Faculty Director

Program Format 

Cohort-based learning is a cornerstone of the program experience. Each September, a new class of 20 to 25 students join the program. Professionals typically complete the Executive Program in 24 months, taking courses during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Key figures 

Executive Healthcare Management Program

Classes are held once a month on the following schedule: 

• Thursday to Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (with a 1-hour lunch break) 
• Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with a 1-hour lunch break) 

“The program enables you to transcend boundaries. The focused, one-weekend-a-month format [Executive Program] enabled me to commute from England.” 

Rachel Pitts-Tucker, Project Manager, Abacus International, Oxfordshire, England 

MPH or MHA Degree Selection 

Executive Healthcare Management students declare their degree track during the second semester. The program’s academic advisors provide personalized support to help each student choose the path that best aligns with their goals: 

• MHA Track: Provides additional coursework in healthcare management and business strategy and operations. 

• MPH Track: Offers a deeper dive into public health frameworks and their intersection with healthcare delivery. 

Curriculum at a Glance 

An Interdisciplinary Approach 

The Executive Healthcare Management Program blends public health and business education into a unified, interdisciplinary curriculum. Through case studies, simulations, and collaborative projects, students apply theories and models to the realities of the workplace. 

The curriculum is structured around three core areas: 

• Healthcare Management and Business Administration – Encompasses leadership and management, finance, marketing, digital health and entrepreneurship, and strategy.
• Health Policy – Provides an overview of the political, economic, and legal landscape of healthcare. 
• Public Health – Dives into key public health principles, research methods, and frameworks. 

Explore detailed course descriptions for each category. 

Accreditation and Competencies 

The program meets standardized public health and healthcare management competencies with a curriculum that is accredited by: 

• The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) 

• The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) 
• Additionally, Columbia’s Department of Health Policy and Management is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), ensuring high academic and professional standards.

Sample Schedule

The Executive Healthcare Management is designed with a carefully sequenced curriculum in which learning objectives build progressively from one term to the next. The sample schedule illustrates course progression and content structure. 

Upon the start of the program in September, students receive a detailed class schedule along with specific program dates. 

Career-Enhancing Program Features 

In addition to the core curriculum, the program includes valuable supplemental offerings: 

• Executive Program: Master Classes: Executive-level seminars exploring current issues in healthcare such as professional development, global health, and innovation. 
• Special Events and Workshops: Lectures, hands-on workshops, and the annual Health Policy and Management Conference allow students to engage with top healthcare experts. 
• Healthcare Simulation: A dynamic, interactive experience that simulates strategic leadership decision-making in a competitive healthcare system. 

"Physicians are in a unique place to take advantage of what this program has to offer. The intersection between healthcare delivery, management, and policy is at the heart of navigating the system." 

Pat Casale, MD, Chief, Pediatric Urological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center