1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Social Work
  3. Studies
  4. Healthcare Leadership
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Healthcare Leadership

With the Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership, you will develop comprehensive leadership skills and specific management expertise as a healthcare professional.

This new Master's degree program, unique in Switzerland, is the key to your successful career in leading positions in the healthcare sector. You study in Bern according to your needs, full-time or part-time.

Begin your studies in autumn 2025.

Factsheet

  • Title/Degree Master of Science (MSc)
  • Specialisations -
  • Mode of study Full-time (3 semesters)
    Part-time (ca. 6 semesters)
  • Start date Academic year 2025 | 15 September 2025
  • Application deadline Academic year 2025 | 30 April 2025
  • ECTS credits 90 ECTS-Credits
  • Teaching language German/Englisch
  • Location Bern
  • School School of Health Professions
  • Next info event 25 January 2025

Contact program director

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Focus areas

The Master's degree program in Healthcare Leadership was developed specifically for healthcare professionals in collaboration with the Insel Group's Directorate of Nursing. The program expands your competencies and skills in five module groups. In these, you will deepen your knowledge of healthcare management, the basics of healthcare economics, applied statistics and research methods. The focus of the course is on leadership and management. You will complete your studies with a Master's thesis.

What you stand to gain from this degree programme

With a Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership, you are ready to take on a new role in healthcare.

You will acquire in-depth and cross-functional expertise. Through modules such as Strategic Thinking and Strategic Action or Leadership and Management, you will develop an informed understanding of leadership and organisational development, enabling you to master the challenges of healthcare delivery. Upon completion of your master’s programme, you will be equipped to develop, steer and optimise complex processes and organisational structures in the healthcare sector on your own. 

Programme overview

Combining theory and practice in research projects

Teaching, practice and research are closely interlinked. You will complete transfer modules in a practical setting and work on practice-based assignments. You will also complete your master’s thesis with a partner in the field.

Quotes from teaching and practice

This master’s degree programme was developed in collaboration with senior nursing staff at Insel Gruppe.

Logo Insel Gruppe

Career prospects

The Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership prepares you for a new role in a wide range of fields with specialist and management responsibility in healthcare. Your enhanced specialist knowledge will make you a sought-after healthcare professional.

Ready for leadership and expert roles?

With a Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership, you can work in a leadership role in hospitals, in long-term care facilities and medical practices, for outpatient services, for insurance companies or for health authorities.

As a graduate, you may work, for example, in one of the following areas:

  • Hospital ward management
  • Managing a team of therapists
  • Managing a medical practice
  • Managing a care facility
  • University and hospital research

A doctorate – your career in teaching, research and practice

The Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership opens the path to a doctorate. In our doctoral programme, you have the opportunity to deepen your scientific work, expand your knowledge in a field of your choice and conduct your first independent research project. A doctorate opens up further career options, especially in teaching and research at universities and in practice. BFH allows you to complete your doctorate in cooperation with another university in Switzerland or abroad.

Duration + content

We offer you study plans that fit your life. You can complete the Master of Science Healthcare Leadership program on a part-time or full-time basis. The languages of instruction are German and English.

Full-time or part-time

Studying full-time takes three semesters and takes up 80–100% of your time. Part-time work while studying full-time must take up no more than 20% of your time.

Studying part-time gives you more flexibility. You will study at 40–60% capacity for six semesters. You should have no difficulties combining your professional activities with part-time studies.

Need advice to help you plan the perfect study programme? We’re happy to help.

Study plan

Whether full-time or part-time, our master’s programme consists of five module groups. We pay particular attention to the close relationship between theory and practice.

Modules

The programme is divided into five module groups.

In this module group, you will deepen your knowledge on the following topics:

  • Leadership and management
  • Strategic thinking and strategic action in healthcare
  • Organisation and team
  • Psychological principles, personnel, team and organisation diagnostics and communication
  • Public health

In this module group, you will deepen your knowledge on the following topics:

  • Applied statistics
  • Research methods 1 + 2
  • Research planning
Research module group (PDF, 94 KB)

You will complete the modules together with other master’s students in the Department of Health Professions, developing your interprofessional skills and expanding your knowledge of the following topics:

  • Foundations of health economics
  • Digitalisation and transformation in healthcare
Interprofessional module group (PDF, 94 KB)

In the Transfer module group, students gain practical experience in research or practice. You will encounter and reflect upon the challenges related to connecting theory and practice.
 
The Transfer module group comprises two 15-day to 17-day modules. You are free to choose the days in the given semester.

In the Master’s thesis module, you will focus on a practice-based issue. You will write an academic research paper on your findings: you will reflect on connections, provide reasons for your decisions and recommendations and employ scientific methods to evaluate your own work.

Admission requirements

The Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership is aimed at healthcare professionals with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Academic prerequisites

You will be admitted directly to the programme:

  • With a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Health Promotion and Preventive Care, Midwifery, Medical Informatics, Healthcare or Physiotherapy from a Swiss university with a minimum grade point average of 5.0

  • With an equivalent degree from a university abroad with a minimum grade point average of 5.0

You will be admitted to the programme on the basis of an aptitude assessment:

  • With a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Health Promotion and Preventive Care, Midwifery, Medical Informatics, Healthcare or Physiotherapy from a Swiss university with a minimum grade point average of less than 5.0

  • With an equivalent degree from a university abroad with a minimum grade point average of less than 5.0

You will receive the date for the aptitude assessment after we have reviewed your documents.

Professional prerequisites

For the Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership, applicants must be able to demonstrate two years of relevant professional experience.

Supplementary information on admission

The languages of instruction are German and English. You must demonstrate very good oral and written skills in both languages (German level C1 and English level B).

We check the qualifications of foreign applicants individually.

International diplomas must be recognised by the Swiss Red Cross before you can work in a regulated healthcare profession in Switzerland.

The requirement for recognition by the Swiss Red Cross may be waived.

Information for international students

The Swiss educational system is designed to be open and facilitate all students’ learning. Depending on your educational background, you may also be admitted to the programme with a comparable bachelor’s degree. Please make an appointment for a consultation with the Head of Degree Programme.

The ‘Reasonable accommodations’ form allows applicants with a mental or physical illness or disability to apply for reasonable accommodations to be made with regard to the aptitude assessment.

Application form for reasonable accommodations (PDF, 86 KB)

Application

Make sure you don’t miss the application deadline. Not sure you meet all the requirements? We’re happy to help.

Application deadlines

Application deadline: 30 April 2025
Start date: 15 September 2025

You will receive the date for the aptitude assessment after we have reviewed your documents.

Start your studies in autumn 2025

Register by 30 April 2025.

Brief explanation of the online application

You can only apply online.
Our Online Application Guide explains how it works, step by step.

Online Application Guide (PDF, 71 KB)

Application documents

You will need to make PDF or JPG copies of the following documents:

Mandatory requirements:

  • ID or passport
  • Passport photo that meets international passport requirements

Other documents (certificates, etc.)

  • Diplomas and leaving certificates (e.g. vocational baccalaureate/specialised baccalaureate with grades, baccalaureate, Abitur or equivalent)
  • Swiss Federal VET diploma with grades
  • Employer references and/or internship certificates
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Additional documents may be required, depending on educational background
Application document checklist for the Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership (PDF, 66 KB)
Application checklist for studying at Bern University of Applied Sciences

The costs for the study program consist of registration, tuition and examination fees as well as contributions for teaching materials and excursions.

Costs

At BFH, different fees apply for programmes and examinations.

Application (per application)*

CHF 100

Matriculation**

CHF 100

Tuition fees (per semester)

CHF 750

Tuition fees for international students*** (per semester)

CHF 950

Examination fee (per semester)

CHF 80

Fee for social, cultural and sport offerings (per semester)

CHF 24

Membership fee for the Bern University of Applied Sciences Student Association (VSBFH) (per semester)

CHF 15

* plus CHF 10 processing fee if paying by paying-in slip/paper invoice.
** If the application leads to matriculation, the matriculation fee is covered by the application fee.
*** International students are defined as persons of foreign citizenship who at the time of obtaining their university entrance qualification were domiciled under civil law neither in Switzerland nor the Principality of Liechtenstein. This rule applies as of the 2018/19 autumn semester.

Aptitude assessment fee

There is a CHF 200 aptitude assessment fee.

Grants, loans and other funding options

Financial aid is available through grants and loans. Grants are one-off or ongoing payments that don’t usually have to be paid back provided you complete your course. Loans are one-off or ongoing payments that must be paid back after you finish your course.

Cantonal grants

Grants and loans for Swiss students and overseas students are generally paid out by the canton where the students’ parents are tax residents.

Students who have been tax residents in the Canton of Bern for at least two years are able to apply for cantonal grants and loans. Applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office at the Department of Education.

Further information (incl. financial aid calculator):

The websites educaswiss.ch, stipendium.ch and European Funding Guide cover all the key information about grants in Switzerland and overseas.

Foundations and funds

There are also numerous private foundations and funds that offer financial support to students. The electronic foundation directory administered by the Federal Department of Home Affairs offers a comprehensive summary of these organisations and can be searched by keywords (e.g. student, research, financial aid, etc.). Other sources of funding include the foundation directories for individual cantons and private foundations.

The following foundations offer funding specifically to BFH students and students from other universities:

Further information

Advice + information

Still have questions about the programme? We are happy to provide information about the programme: admissions, organisation, administration, structure and support.

Advice

Still have questions about the programme and your career? The master’s degree programme administration team is there to help. For information about admission, the aptitude assessment or your application, please contact Admissions and the Student Administration team.

Administration Master's degree programs

  • +41 31 848 35 68
  • Show e-mail

Studierendenadministration Departement Gesundheit

  • +41 31 848 35 35
  • Show e-mail

Prof. Dr. Mirjam Körner

  • Leiterin Interprofessionalität
  • +41 31 848 52 55
  • Show e-mail

Location + facilities

The Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership degree programme is based in Bern. Bern is an attractive and centrally located educational hub, offering a high quality of life. Our faculty provide you with a range of perspectives on learning and research.

Bern – School of Health Professions

Our School of Health Professions is just a ten-minute walk or five-minute bus ride from Bern central station.

Show location

The Learning Centre

The Learning Centre in the School of Health Professions provides a modern learning and teaching environment with digital teaching, communication skills training and a Skills Centre. Training in the Learning Centre is conducted using equipment and models in a realistic, simulated professional setting. 

More info on the Learning Centre