Business Administration for Health Professionals

This continuing education programme will put you on the right track if you often deal with the complex managements requirements in the healthcare sector.

You will gain an overview of the special challenges facing health care institutions.  

  • Further development of personal technical and management skills  
  • Practice-oriented and scientifically based management methods catering to the specific needs of the healthcare system 

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS)
  • Duration 21 study days
  • Schedule Monday, Tuesday and Saturday
  • Application deadline 6 weeks before start, later registration also possible if places are available
  • ECTS credits 12 ECTS credits
  • Costs CHF 8,500
  • Teaching language German
  • Location Bern, Schwarztorstrasse 48
  • School Business School
  • Next session Please visit the German website for more information

To register, please visit the German website. 

Content + Structure

Portrait

Business management and a strong focus on related topics and challenges to the healthcare sector.

The healthcare system will undergo massive changes in the coming years. We prepare specialists and new entrants for this intensive change. If you are interested in how to handle this change, then the CAS Business Administration for Health Professionals is the right place for you. This continuing education programme will strengthen your ability to deal with the most diverse stakeholder groups in the healthcare sector. 

Course objectives

Acquire the basic knowledge required to efficiently set up and manage a health care institution, department or practice according to economic principles. 

  • You will gain in-depth knowledge of the health and social services in Switzerland.  

  • You will receive solid basic knowledge in financial and operational accounting as well as in investment calculation. This CAS will also address business strategy, personnel management, marketing and quality management.  

  • After completing the programme, you will be able to use, apply and evaluate the instruments of business administration in a goal-oriented manner.

The CAS Business Administration for Health Professionals is contains vocational elements with a hands-on approach, also as an actual academic view in teaching and learning. The following learning modules are strongly related to topics of the healthcare sector.  

  • Health Economics (system and politics) 

  • Business Administration (fundamentals) 

  • Financing 

  • Law 

  • Accounting 

  • Organisational Theory and Development 

  • Human Resource Management 

  • Marketing 

  • Quality Management 

A varied didactic and working methods in combination with a welcoming learning environment will prepare you for the coming professional challenges.  

  • Classroom teaching 

  • practical exercises and discussions 

  • case studies, best practice, problem-based learning 

  • group activities 

  • input presentations by external experts 

Successful participation in the programme requires regular class attendance and passing the competence test. The proof of competence consists of a written examination in accounting and submitting a  business plan or a transfer report. 

Qualification + title

Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) of the Bern University of Applied Sciences in “Business Administration for Health Professionals” (12 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. 

Requirements + Admission

Are you an experienced healthcare professional? Do you aim for more engagement in the business management components of the health care system?

You are the ideal candidate for this CAS if you 

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.

Language skills

The language of instruction is German and some written teaching materials are in English.

For all students of our CAS programmes we offer a half-day course Effective Learning. Attendance is recommended and is free of charge for CAS students. At this event, you will learn about the practice-oriented learning style used at universities of applied science.

Organisation + Registration

The duration of the programme is 21 study days. Approximately one module per month takes place in block instruction on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. It comprises a maximum of 24 participants.

To register, please visit the German website. 

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. 

Organisational aspects of the CAS

The timetable is published here six months before the start of the programme.

The registration deadline for the programme is 6 weeks before the start. If places are available, later registration is possible. 

CHF 8,500 

All compulsory literature, course materials and costs of the competence certificates are included in the price.

Location + Facilities