Economics and Management in Health Care

Do you want to work in a leadership position or simply expand your leadership expertise? This EMBA is especially tailored for management position in the health care sector.

Do you want a flexible part-time EMBA in leadership and management in the health care sector? 

  • Modular courses with specializations of choice  

  • Development of personal and leadership skills 

  • Practice-oriented and scientifically based management methods tailored to the specific needs of the health care system 

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)
  • Duration max. 8 years
  • Schedule Depending on the chosen CAS
  • Application deadline Depending on the chosen CAS
  • ECTS credits 60 ECTS-Credits
  • Costs CHF 34,000
  • Teaching language German
  • Location Bern, Schwarztorstrasse 48
  • School Business School
  • Next session According to chosen CAS

Structure + Content

Portrait

Tailored for the health care system, this EMBA takes an in-depth look at the management and economics of healthcare systems. Most participants are aspiring or experienced health care managers and professionals who have to manage challenging development tasks in health care organizations. Our course consists of a practical balance between the foundations of economic, management, leadership, law, ethics and public health. For individual elements of this study program, the BFH Business School works in cooperation BFH Departement of Health Professions. 

Goals & Competencies

How do you integrate corporate strategy and processes into your management credo? How do you adapt to constant change in the health care system while optimizing your service? This programme gives you scientifically supported and management methods which you can quickly and easily transfer to the specific requirements of the health care system. 

Our EMBA enables you to perform, steer, evaluate and develop management tasks in the healthcare sector at strategic and operational levels. You will work together with internal and external partners in a goal-oriented manner. 

Content

To gain our EMBA in economics and management in healthcare you need to complete four CAS and a master’s thesis. Preparation for the master’s thesis also involves a workshop in scientific writing and research methods. 

Depending on your previous education and experience you can choose between two study models. Study model 1 is tailored for health care professionals and study model 2 for people with a background in economics. 

Study model 1 

Model one is recommended for health care professionals without previous economical education or background. 

1st semester: CAS Business Administration for Health Professionals (12 ECTS credits) 
Content - the basics of business economics of companies in the health care industry 

2nd semester: CAS Management in Health Care Organisations (12 ECTS credits) 
Content - the strategic management and corporate governance of companies in healthcare industry 

3rd semester: CAS Health Economics and Public Health (12 ECTS credits) 1)
Content - health systems and their further development, economic appraisals in health care, medical law and ethics in health care 

4th semester: CAS free choice (12 ECTS credits) 2)

5th semester: master’s thesis (12 ECTS credits).  
Independent preparation and writing of the final thesis, attendance of accompanying teaching and learning events in the Master thesis module 

1) Alternatively, you can take the CAS Leadership or the CAS Leadership for Advanced Professionals.
2) You can choose any CAS from the Business School. Courses offered by other BFH departments following a review with the EMBA head of programme and providing that they meet the content criteria of an EMBA in healthcare. 

Study Model 2 

For healthcare professionals or professionals switching career with a background in economics.  

1st semester: CAS Management in Health Care Organizations (12 ECTS credits) 
Content - strategic management and corporate governance in companies in healthcare industry 

2ndsemester: CAS Health Economics and Public Health (12 ECTS credits) 1) 
Content - health systems and their further development, health economic evaluations, medical law and ethics in health care 

3rd semester: CAS Digital Organization (12 ECTS credits) 
Content basic concepts of digitization and effects of the digital transformation. 
Alternative: CAS Controlling & Consulting with specialization in medical controlling 2) 

4th semester: CAS free choice (12 ECTS credits each) 3) 

5th semester: Master’s thesis (12 ECTS credits)
Independent preparation and writing of the final thesis, attendance of accompanying teaching and learning events in the thesis module 

1) Alternatively, you can take the CAS Leadership or the CAS Leadership for Advanced Professionals. 
2) A specialization in medical controlling is subject to a minimum number of participants. 
3) You can choose any CAS from the Business School. Courses offered by other BFH departments following a review with the EMBA head of programme and providing that they meet the content criteria of an EMBA in healthcare. 

You decide on the order of the modules. However, we recommend the listed order above, as many previous students have given us positive feedback out it. You can start most CASs in spring or autumn. 

If you have already taken courses at other BFH departments, we accept certain CASs up to 12 ECTS credits. This decision is made by the head of this EMBA programme. It is also possible to credit CASs from other universities.   

Master thesis 

The EMBA concludes with a master's thesis. 

In the EMBA Economics and Management in Health Care you will develop your skills according to today's workplace requirements. With our teaching and didactic concepts, we strive to increase your industry-specific technical and methodological knowledge. Simultaneously you will strengthen your ability to deal with complex problems. Each module uses didactic methods which are tailored to the content of that module. This includes self-organized learning processes, business games, excursions or the project-related processing of transfer tasks. You will benefit from learning based on experience in a stimulating atmosphere. 

To ensure high standards of achievement and learning in this EMBA, face-to-face teaching and supported self-study is mixed in each CAS. Forms of assessment (written exams, preparation and follow-up tasks, transfer  reports) will vary between each CAS. 

Title + conclusion

Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the Bern University of Applied Sciences with a major in Economics and Management in Health Care (60 ECTS credits) 

Lecturers

Our lecturers are proven experts with extensive practical and theoretical knowledge in their subject areas. They have at least a university degree plus many years of experience in higher education. 

Eligibility & Entry

Are you a manager in the nursing, medical or therapeutic field? Do you have a position of responsibility in hospital management, an insurance company, in the pharmaceutical industry or in a health care authority? Then this is the EMBA for you. Our EMBA is also suitable for you if you looking to change your career and wish to take on the challenges of managing in the healthcare sector.

University degree

You will be admitted to the programme with a degree from a university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, or an equivalent foreign university and at least two years of professional experience.

Higher vocational training

If you have a qualification from a higher vocational education institution (Diploma Höhere Fachschule HF, Federal Diploma, Federal Certificate of Proficiency) and several years of professional experience, you will also be admitted to the programme. However, you will be required to attend our Introduction to Academic Study before starting the CAS. Completion of this module is a prerequisite for admission to the CAS.

Exceptions

In exceptional circumstances applicants may still  be admitted. The head of the degree programme will make a decision based upon your application and extenuating circumstances. Please contact us. If you are admitted, you will in any case attend the course «Introduction to Academic Writing» (in German) before the first CAS.

Important notes 

There are specific admission requirements for the individual CAS. 

Exceptions

The head of the programme decides according to your application - "sur dossier" - after you have applied.

Applications from abroad 

Please register with the online registration form or contact the responsible head of programme. 

The course Introduction to Scientific Study is compulsory for all students without a university degree. It provides the students with methodological skills for the successful CAS degree.

Application + Practicalities

The maximum duration for completion is 8 years. Admission for the program is possible according to the starting dates of the individual CAS. The application deadlines are found in the descriptions for the specific CAS.

Please register directly via the specific CAS.

Documents required for registration

You can register online via registration form. For registration we require following documents (in PDF format, max. 1 MB per document): 

  • Diplomas 

  • Curriculum Vitae 

  • Passport-sized photo (in JPG format) 

Please upload these documents even if you have already submitted them for another application. 

Information about the EMBA

CHF 34,000 

All tuition fees for the individual CAS courses total CHF 34,000. Additional costs for the master’s thesis module (CHF 2,500) are not applicable if all ECTS credits have been earned at the BFH or within the framework of our cooperative study programs.  

All compulsory literature, course materials and examinations are included in the costs. 

Information

Study Counselling

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Head of Degree Programme

Organisation of Studies

Location + Facilities