Purdue meets healthcare needs with new online healthcare operations and healthcare quality improvement certificates
Written By: Rachel Barton
To give professionals who are interested in healthcare an opportunity to develop valuable skills in business, management and quality improvement in healthcare delivery, Purdue University’s College of Health and Human Sciences is offering two new online graduate certificates in healthcare operations management and healthcare quality improvement. The healthcare operations management certificate is currently accepting applications, and the healthcare quality imporvement certificate will begin accepting applications in the fall.
The new certificates are offered through Purdue’s Department of Public Health, which offers multiple online graduate administration programs, including a Master of Health Administration (MHA) and another graduate certificate in healthcare leadership. Cody Mullen, clinical associate professor of public health, serves as director of Purdue’s Master of Health Administration degree program, which was recently ranked No. 3 nationally by OnlineMasterDegree.org.
Cody Mullen
“With these new certificate offerings, we’re hoping to give professional students another upskilling opportunity that will increase their business and management acumen,” Mullen said. “And with a graduate certificate, students can learn these valuable skills in less time than a traditional master’s degree.”
The healthcare operations certificate consists of three online courses that can be completed in nine months. Students will learn marketable skills in healthcare finance, healthcare accounting and operations management.
The healthcare quality improvement certificate also consists of three online classes that can be completed in nine months. In this certificate, students will learn to make data-driven decisions to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare.
“These certificates were built to increase career potential in fields like clinic finance, hospital administration, medical manufacturing, insurance, business operations, health services and quality management,” Mullen said.
As the country’s healthcare systems grow in reach and complexity, expertise in business and management has become increasingly in-demand for healthcare professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities in healthcare operations could grow by as much as 17% between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than the average for all other occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also indicates healthcare jobs in quality improvement are expected to grow by 16% through 2030. These new graduate certificates are designed to meet this demand and prepare future healthcare professionals for critical roles in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities.
“This is an exciting and meaningful time to enter the healthcare field,” Mullen said. “Opportunities are expanding, and there’s also a lot of important work to be done, considering the ways the medical system has been challenged by COVID-19 and other public health crises.”
Credits from the graduate certificates in healthcare quality improvement, healthcare operations and healthcare leadership can also be transferred to the online Master of Health Administration degree.
“The flexibility that these certificates offer is a big advantage to professional students,” Mullen said. “They can take a few classes in an area they’re interested in to earn a valuable credential, and they can easily transfer those credits to the master’s degree if they want to continue their education. The pace is up to them.”
Applicants to the certificate programs must have one to three years of professional experience in a healthcare-related field. Students can apply for a fall, spring or summer start date. Since all three classes will be held entirely online, students can access lectures and other course materials at any time.
Visit the healthcare operations graduate certificate and the healthcare quality improvement graduate certificate program websites for more details about the certificates and how to apply.