Certificate Programs

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Arkansas Colleges of Health Education offers doctoral-level Certificates, a five-course (15 credit hour) pathway for learning within a specialty.

Perhaps you already have a doctoral degree and you’re changing specialties, shifting into full-time education, or have a passion for a particular topic. Maybe you aren’t ready to commit to a full-time doctoral program right now – the credits you earn in your Certificate count toward an ACHE DMSc or DEL when you’re ready to move forward!

Either way, Certificates provide a pathway for you to continue your education and dive deeper into topics that interest you the most!

Here are our current Certificate offerings:

Healthcare Leadership

The Healthcare Leadership Certificate is designed to equip healthcare professionals with targeted, non-clinical leadership competencies essential for effectiveness in administrative, managerial, and executive-support roles. This certificate provides focused training in healthcare law, financial decision-making, strategic communication, innovation, and systems-level leadership.

Through applied coursework, participants strengthen their ability to contribute to organizational strategy, lead interdisciplinary teams, manage risk, support quality improvement initiatives, and communicate effectively at the executive level. The certificate is ideal for professionals seeking to expand leadership capacity, prepare for advanced administrative responsibilities, or complement clinical or operational roles within healthcare systems.

This certificate may be completed as a standalone credential or stacked toward degree pathways within the Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) program.

DEL Healthcare Leadership Specialty Certificate

DEL 804 Healthcare Law & Risk Management
DEL 811 Strategic Communication & Executive Presence
DEL 820 Entrepreneurship & Innovation
DEL 850 Healthcare Finance & Value-Based Strategy
DEL 852 Strategic Leadership in Healthcare Systems Administration

Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine

The Global Health & Humanitarian Medicine (GHHM) Certificate prepares healthcare and executive professionals with focused knowledge and applied leadership skills to participate in and support global health and humanitarian initiatives. The certificate emphasizes cultural humility, ethical engagement, operational readiness, and systems-based thinking required to work effectively across diverse health systems and administrative environments.

Participants gain practical insight into humanitarian coordination, leadership within multinational and non-governmental organizations, and mission preparation for resource-limited and austere settings. Coursework addresses global health governance, interagency collaboration, program planning, and team leadership, equipping learners to contribute meaningfully to existing humanitarian efforts or assist in the development of new initiatives.

This certificate includes an organized, faculty-led field deployment or applied experiential component, allowing participants to apply academic principles in real-world global or domestic humanitarian contexts. Faculty have led similar deployments and field experiences in Ukraine, Tanzania, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, ensuring experiential learning grounded in current operational realities.

The GHHM Certificate may be completed as a standalone credential or stacked toward advanced degree pathways within the Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) program.

DEL Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine Specialty Certificate

DEL 822 Infectious Disease & Tropical Medicine
DEL 828 Global Health Issues & Determinants of Health
DEL 824 Remote & Operational Medicine
DEL 830 Global Health Organizations & Management

DEL Humanitarian Deployment Curriculum

DEL 831 Strategic Planning for Global Health & Humanitarian Response
DEL 836 Humanitarian Deployment & Strategic Application

Medical Education Leadership

The Medical Education Leadership Certificate is a doctoral-level, five-course (15-credit) program designed for healthcare professionals who teach, supervise, or lead within academic medical centers, professional schools, residency and fellowship programs, and health professions training environments. The certificate recognizes that excellence in clinical or professional expertise must be paired with intentional leadership in education, curriculum design, and academic systems.

This certificate provides formal preparation in adult learning theory, instructional design, curriculum development, assessment and evaluation, simulation-based education, and academic leadership. Participants develop the skills needed to design, implement, and evaluate high-quality educational programs; lead teaching teams; and contribute to institutional accreditation, assessment, and innovation initiatives.

The Medical Education Leadership Certificate prepares professionals to strengthen their effectiveness as educators and educational leaders, support faculty development efforts, and contribute meaningfully to academic governance and programmatic improvement. The certificate may be completed as a standalone credential or stacked toward doctoral pathways within the Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) or Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) programs.

Certificate Curriculum (15 credits)

Courses are selected from the DEL Medical Education specialty offerings and may include:

DEL 5914 – Strategic Leadership in Higher Education
DEL 5918 – Curriculum Design and Innovation in Higher Education
DEL 5920 – AI Tools & Higher Education
DEL 5922 – Financial Management and Grant Administration
DEL 5XXX or DMS 5916 – Elective or Program Accreditation and Standards in Higher Education

Emergency Management & Disaster Response

The Emergency Management & Disaster Response (EMDR) Certificate equips professionals with focused knowledge and applied leadership skills to participate in and support disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts across governmental, healthcare, and non-governmental organizations. The certificate emphasizes systems-based emergency management, interagency coordination, operational leadership, and decision-making in complex, high-consequence environments.

Participants develop practical competencies in disaster planning, coordination within incident management structures, and collaboration with public and private stakeholders. Coursework prepares learners to contribute effectively within emergency operations centers, healthcare systems, humanitarian organizations, and multidisciplinary response teams at the local, regional, and national levels.

This certificate includes an organized, faculty-led applied field experience or simulation-based deployment within the continental United States, allowing participants to apply academic concepts in realistic disaster response or emergency management scenarios. Program faculty bring extensive real-world experience, having led disaster preparedness and response efforts across the United States and internationally.

The EMDR Certificate may be completed as a standalone credential or stacked toward advanced degree pathways within the Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) program.

DEL Emergency Management and Disaster Response Certificate

DEL 826 Wilderness & Expedition Medicine
DEL 838 Executive Leadership in Crisis & Emergency Management
DEL 840 Disaster Medicine & Health Systems Response
DEL 842 Public Health Emergencies & Outbreak Response

DEL Disaster Response Deployment Curriculum

DEL 835 Strategic Planning for Disaster & Humanitarian Response
DEL 837 Disaster Response Deployment & Strategic Application

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

The Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare Certificate prepares healthcare professionals across clinical, administrative, executive, educational, and operational roles to understand, evaluate, and responsibly apply artificial intelligence within healthcare systems. This certificate focuses on developing a foundational, non-technical understanding of AI concepts, including machine learning applications, data governance, ethical considerations, and regulatory frameworks relevant to healthcare environments.

Participants gain the knowledge needed to engage meaningfully with data scientists, technology vendors, and organizational leadership, enabling informed decision-making around AI adoption and integration. Coursework emphasizes the strategic use of AI to support process improvement, resource optimization, population health insights, education and training innovations, and system-level quality initiatives—without requiring prior technical or programming experience.

Through applied case studies and real-world examples, learners develop the capacity to assess AI tools for safety, equity, effectiveness, and alignment with organizational goals. This certificate equips professionals to serve as informed leaders, advocates, and liaisons who help bridge the gap between advanced technology and responsible, patient-centered healthcare delivery.

The Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare Certificate may be completed as a standalone credential or stacked toward advanced degree pathways within the Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) programs.

DEL Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Certificate