Creighton University Executive Healthcare MBA

Creighton University’s Heider College of Business offers an online executive healthcare MBA (EMBA) program that can be completed in 18 months. The program includes four four-day campus residencies and a capstone course.

This executive program is designed for physicians or mid-career professionals, including physicians who desire to move into organizational leadership or executive leadership positions or those who manage private practices or serve on leadership committees, clinicians who manage healthcare departments, and healthcare administrators who aspire to advance their knowledge and education or who wish to move into executive leadership positions. Applicants must have five years of professional management experience in clinical or healthcare management settings.

The curriculum centers on standards from the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL). Additionally, the curriculum reflects the Jesuit values Creighton University seeks to instill in future executive leaders, including excellence, unity, individual respect, the pursuit of justice, concern for the less fortunate, development of the whole person, and doing all for the glory of God.

Learning outcomes focus on executive business leadership knowledge and skills, critical thinking and data-informed decision-making, professional communication, healthcare leadership ethics, and non-discriminatory care. Graduates can take the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) exam through the ACHE or the Certified Physician Executive (CPE) exam through the AAPL. They may secure top leadership positions in healthcare systems, physician practices, hospitals, and clinical departments.

This cohort-based program begins in October each year. It is delivered asynchronously with multiple opportunities for students and faculty to communicate face-to-face through video conferencing and live online study groups.

Creighton University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The executive healthcare MBA is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The Heider College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

What to Expect from the Creighton University Executive Healthcare MBA

Admission Requirements: Healthcare administrators must hold a bachelor’s degree in business or a related field; physicians must have a doctorate in medicine or a related advanced clinical discipline. The minimum GPA required is 3.0. No GMAT or GRE is required. Applicants must have at least five years of managerial experience or clinical practice in healthcare settings.

Application materials include official transcripts, a current resume or CV, a statement of purpose, three professional letters of recommendation, and proof of funding to pay for the program. Proof of English language proficiency may be required as applicable.

Study Plan: The cohort-based EMBA program begins once a year in October and runs for semesters. It is considered a full-time program designed to be completed in 18 months. Semester credit loads range from six to 12 credits in a semester. A capstone experience culminates the program, during which students must conduct a research study or identify a current real-world healthcare problem and develop a solution that directly addresses the problem.

Curriculum: The executive healthcare MBA comprises 45 credits. Courses include introduction to healthcare management; executive leadership and organizational behavior; strategy for healthcare organizations; quality and performance improvement in healthcare; legal and ethical considerations in healthcare management; management of human resources in healthcare; independent study (one to six credits); finance for the healthcare manager; quantitative methods and evidence-based decision making in healthcare management; health policy and economics; healthcare accounting; healthcare marketing; information systems and data analytics in healthcare; and capstone.

Online Experience: The Heider College of Business delivers EMBA courses asynchronously through BlueLine. Cohort/faculty interaction occurs through discussion boards, video conferencing, and live group conversations. Courses may include assignments, case studies, group projects, simulations, and assessments. Students can create face-to-face virtual study groups for collaboration and to help them stay on track.

Online learning resources include tutoring, academic coaching, success seminars and workshops, online learning tips and resources, the online library, career counseling, and technical support.

On-Site Requirements: The EMBA program includes four individual four-day campus immersions in Omaha, Nebraska. All other coursework is online.

Paying for the Creighton University Executive Healthcare MBA

Creighton University executive healthcare MBA program tuition is listed in the tables below. Campus residency travel expenses are not included in the tuition. Interested professionals should contact the Heider College of Business for full tuition information.

Graduate students may apply for unsubsidized federal student loans through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs or tuition discounts. Other funding sources may include private loans and outside grants and scholarships. Prospective students should contact the Creighton University Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Creighton University Executive Healthcare MBA

  • Take advantage of this cohort-based, online program that offers multiple opportunities for face-to-face interaction, including four campus residencies, video conferencing, and live study groups
  • Advance into executive management positions in healthcare organizations
  • Learn from a CAHME and AACSB-accredited program with a curriculum based on Jesuit values of excellence, care for others, and the pursuit of justice
Program Essentials
Degree Level Master's Degree
Program Start Dates October
Credits Needed to Graduate 45
Time to Complete? Graduate in 18 months.
100% Online? No, four 4-day on-campus residencies
Program Accreditation CAHME, AACSB
Program Admissions
Level of Education Required? Bachelors degree or higher
GRE or GMAT Required? No GMAT/GRE required
Work Experience Required? At least five years of management experience or clinical practice in a healthcare organization
Program Tuition
Credit Hours 45
Average Cost Per Credit $1,360
Estimated Program Tuition * $61,200.00

Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees, unless otherwise specified. Please check here for any tuition updates.

Sara Navratil
Sara Navratil
Writer

Sara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She's the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online MHA programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.