• Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program, with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. 
  • A bachelor’s degree in nursing or a healthcare-related field is preferred, but not required. 
  • Students with a GPA under 3.0 can be admitted as a “conditional admit” and take two classes in the graduate certificate. If they earn a minimum “B” average in each class, they will receive full admission to the program.
• If you are planning on transferring credits from this certificate to the Master of Science in Nursing (Emphasis in Strategic Systems Leadership), please ensure you meet the entry requirements for the master’s program.

Please inquire with us to ensure this program matches your needs and that your application will be successful. Once you are ready to apply, please fill out the graduate application form. 

1. Campus: Select “Organizational Partnerships Online”.
2. Certificate: “Graduate Certificate in Nursing - Strategic Systems Leadership”

You will be prompted to submit your transcripts.

• NUR 551 — Business Finance and Economics in Practice
• NUR 561 — Population Health; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Care Coordination
• NUR 606 — Strategic Systems Thinking
• NUR 651 — Ethical Decision-Making

Total credits: 12

The curriculum is currently under development and is subject to change.

OpusVi™ and NAU have worked closely with experienced, hospital-based nurse leaders to ensure that the Graduate Certificate in Strategic Systems Leadership curriculum meets changing demands of a post-COVID workforce to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to drive positive change in their healthcare organizations. Upon graduation, learners will be able to:

• Analyze how policies influence the structure and financing of healthcare, practice, and health outcomes
• Evaluate how healthcare financing, budgeting, value-based care, and workforce incentive models contribute to effective nursing and service line performance improvement
• Promote diversity (and divergent thinking) as a mechanism that will drive innovative idea sharing and problem-solving within population health management
• Interpret evidence-based practice and information from research for use in population healthcare coordination
• Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and evidence-based best practices into healthcare practice to promote an inclusive environment and empower DEI leaders
• Implement a systems thinking approach in healthcare practice
• Examine how to create cross-continuum collaboration that encourages frank and open discussion around ethical challenges and problem-solving
• Incorporate core scientific and ethical principles in identifying potential and actual ethical issues arising from practice
• Develop and collaborate within interprofessional teams and partnerships by using effective communication strategies
• Integrate theory, evidence, clinical judgment, research, and interprofessional perspectives using translational processes to improve practice and associated health outcomes for patient aggregates

The learning outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

OpusVi™ and NAU’s Graduate Certificate in Strategic Systems Leadership has been created for healthcare professionals who:

• Want to advance their careers towards leadership roles
• Want to build a strategic business background in a healthcare context
• Aim to create a long-term, sustainable impact in healthcare at the team, system, and national policy levels
• Wish to improve care processes, outcomes, and patient experiences
• Want to develop strategies to drive meaningful change, lead diverse teams, and foster collaboration by generating data-driven, cost-effective solutions

As the curriculum was developed with hospital-based nurse leaders, this program is most appropriate for nurses who work in hospitals and acute care settings, especially as there is an option to transfer all credits for this program towards our Master of Science in Nursing (Emphasis in Strategic Systems Leadership). 

• Based on our outlined schedule of 2 semesters (and 6 credits per semester), the total tuition cost is $6,653. This includes:
  • A tuition rate per credit of $526.50
  • Financial Aid Trust Fees ($21 per semester)
  • Information Technology Fees ($84 per semester)
  • Graduate Application Fee ($65 at time of application) 
  • Graduate Matriculation Fee ($25 for the first semester only) 
  • Graduate Application Fee ($35 when applying for graduation)
• Book and material fees are estimated to be an additional $100 to $150 per course. However, as student-centric organizations, we’re very conscious of cost and are working on providing students with the lowest-cost options possible. Book lists — which include ISBNs — are provided a few weeks before each course, so you can get books from the most affordable and convenient source for you. As an NAU student, you will also have access to a vast online library.
• Please note: These costs are estimates based on calculations for the 2022–2023 academic year. Tuition and fees are subject to change at the discretion of The Arizona Board of Regents or legislature.