Quality Improvement in Healthcare Certificate – CTQIHG

Delivery Mode: Online

Terms of Entry: Fall, Spring, Summer

Terms of Entry Requiring Program Permission: None

Enrollment Eligibility: Current degree-seeking or non-degree status

Certificate Overview

This 9-credit hour graduate certificate in Quality Improvement provides a deep dive into the concepts associated with the delivery of quality in the U.S. healthcare system, trends in quality improvement, and Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. The certificate creates a strong foundation in the concepts and interactions of cost, quality, and access to care within the U.S. healthcare system, the theoretical models and transformation of quality improvement over time, the structure, function, and goals of healthcare teams, and the fundamental principles of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. The certificate equips students with problem-solving tools utilized across quality improvement strategies. It is expected that students complete the certificate in 2 or 3 semesters.

Certificate Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Describe basic components and benefits of quality improvement and its role in reducing health disparities.
2. Create appropriate teams to implement quality improvement strategies.
3. Produce quality-enhancing outputs and outcomes using key quality improvement tools and methodologies.
4. Use data for effective decision-making for quality improvement purposes.

Opportunities upon Completion

Quality and quality improvement are concepts essential to a multitude of healthcare organizations and at the core of their activities, both clinical and administrative. Completing the Quality Improvement graduate certificate equips students with the knowledge necessary to provide better patient-centered care by developing and implementing process-improvement initiatives. Typical settings in which certificate graduates might find employment are hospitals, provider offices, laboratories, public health agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, clinical research centers, non-profit organizations and foundations (such as the American Cancer Society, etc.), etc. As the certificate includes one course that focuses more generally on process improvement methods in enterprises, this certificate could be beneficial to other students and professionals outside of the healthcare industry.

Certificate Relationship to Parent Degree Program

The parent program of this graduate stackable certificate is the Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree, program code MH8157. Neither enrollment in nor completion of the MHA degree is required to complete this certificate, but completing the certificate does fulfill 3 of 12 courses toward the MHA degree. Students admitted to this certificate may also seek admission to the Health Administration Master’s degree.  

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/social-public-health/community-public-health/graduate

Admission Requirements

Non-degree seeking professionals:

• Non-degree application to the Graduate College
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university/college or equivalent from a non-U.S. institution
• 3.0 undergraduate GPA
• Resume/CV
• Statement of purpose

Advanced degree-seeking students: Students who have already been admitted to an advanced degree program (master’s or doctoral degree program) at Ohio University need to complete an Application for Update of Graduate Academic Program.

International Students

An I-20 cannot be issued based on admission to this certificate.

Completion Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C or better in each certificate course and maintain a 3.0 GPA in the certificate. The courses are listed below.