Senior Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization
Lead at the highest levels of health care by sharpening your enterprise-wide strategy, governance, and change leadership capabilities to shape the future of healthcare.
Certificate Overview
The Senior Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization from the Harvard Chan Advanced Learning Academy equips experienced professionals with the skills to lead across today’s complex health care landscape through a pathway aligned with their goals, role, and leadership context.
Through this specialization, you will choose one of three pathways—Leadership for Clinical Chairs, Women in Leadership, or Global Health Leadership—and complete the required curriculum within five years. Each pathway combines a core leadership experience with electives in innovation, finance, negotiation, and emerging areas such as AI and entrepreneurship. You will build the frameworks and confidence to lead teams, organizations, and systems through change while strengthening your impact across health care settings. Earning a Harvard credential enhances your market differentiation while providing practical insights you can apply immediately in real-world environments. Along the way, you will engage with accomplished peers and faculty through case-based learning grounded in the realities of health care leadership.
Certificate Criteria
Choose 1 of 3 pathways and complete all courses within 5 years.
Leadership for Clinical Chairs Pathway (2 total courses)
Core (Required): Program for Chairs of Clinical Services
Elective (Choose 1):
- Innovation with AI in Health Care
- Conflict, Feedback, and Negotiation in Health Care
- Financial Management in Health Care for Non-Financial Managers
- AI in Health Systems (Coming Soon)
- Entrepreneurial Innovation in Health Care Organizations (Coming Soon)
Women in Leadership Pathway (3 total courses)
Core (Required): Women on Boards: Getting On and Adding Value
Innovation Elective (Choose 1):
- Innovation with AI in Health Care
- Entrepreneurial Innovation in Health Care Organizations (Coming Soon)
- AI in Health Systems (Coming Soon)
Leadership Elective (Choose 1):
- Conflict, Feedback, and Negotiation in Health Care
- Financial Management in Health Care for Non-Financial Managers
Global Health Leadership Pathway (2 total courses)
Core (Required): Global Public Health Leadership
Elective (Choose 1):
- Innovation with AI in Health Care
- Conflict, Feedback, and Negotiation in Health Care
- Financial Management in Health Care for Non-Financial Managers
- Entrepreneurial Innovation in Health Care Organizations (Coming Soon)
- AI in Health Systems (Coming Soon)
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no set price for this Certificate of Specialization as those pursuing a certificate will pay for each individual course within their selected pathway separately to allow for flexibility in course selection. For the cost of each course, please visit the program page links listed above.
Participants have up to 5 years to complete the Certificate of Specialization.
Yes, any of the individual courses can be taken individually, and you will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Harvard Chan Advanced Learning Academy for each course.
Earning the Senior Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization signals that you have developed advanced, practice-ready leadership capabilities for navigating complex challenges across clinical, organizational, and global health care settings.
Beyond the credential itself, participants gain practical frameworks, real-world perspectives, and the confidence to lead through change with greater clarity and impact. Depending on the pathway you choose, you will deepen your ability to guide clinical departments, strengthen board and executive leadership, or address pressing global health challenges—while building skills in areas such as innovation, negotiation, finance, and emerging technologies.
The certificate also strengthens your professional differentiation as a senior leader, while connecting you to a network of accomplished peers and Harvard Chan faculty committed to advancing effective, forward-looking leadership in health care.
If you have any questions about the certificate and/or individual programs, please email Kristen Scott at enrollment@hsph.harvard.edu.