ACHE launches executive leadership program - Talk Business & Politics
The Fort Smith-based Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) will soon begin offering a doctor of executive leadership (DEL) program after receiving approval from the Higher Learning Commission. Each class. . .
The Fort Smith-basedArkansas Colleges of Health Education(ACHE) will soon begin offering a doctor ofexecutive leadership (DEL) programafter receiving approval from the Higher Learning Commission. Each class will have around 25 students, according to ACHE. ACHE noted in a press release that the new program is “another significant milestone in the institution’s continued growth and expansion of graduate education. ” The first class is set to begin Monday (Aug. 10). Each class is designed to be completed in a year, with 18- and 24-month study options available. “Because the DEL program is designed for experienced professionals and is not an entry-level doctoral program, applicants must hold an earned master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited institution and have a minimum graduate GPA of 3. 0 on a 4. 0 scale,” noted a statement from ACHE. The average cost for the 42-credit-hour degree completion is $21,840, which does not include travel costs. According to ACHE, the program was designed in part to provide a “flexible pathway” for those nationwide who want to advance their leadership skills and education without impacting their jobs. “This approval represents another important achievement in the continued growth of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education,” said Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, president of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education. “As we expand our graduate and professional education offerings, we remain committed to developing leaders who will improve organizations, strengthen communities, and make a meaningful difference across healthcare, business, education, government, and beyond. The Doctor of Executive Leadership is an exciting addition to that mission. ”There are six ACHE faculty members who support the leadership program. Travis Kaufman is the program director for the program. “We developed the DEL program to meet a growing need for leaders who can think strategically, and successfully guide organizations through increasingly complex challenges,” said Dr. Jeremy Welsh, vice president and chief innovation officer and associate provost of medicine and health science. “This is more than a leadership degree. It’s a program designed to prepare executive leaders who can transform organizations and create lasting impact. We are excited to welcome our inaugural class as they begin this journey. ”ACHE was formed when Fort Smith-based Degen Foundation used part of $70 million from the sale of Sparks Health System in November 2009 to what was then Naples, Fla. -based Health Management Associates to build the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine at Chaffee Crossing. The $32. 4 million college and its 103,000 square feet is home to about 600 medical students. ACHE includes five programs: the ARCOM, School of Physical Therapy (ACHE PT), School of Occupational Therapy (ACHE OT), Master of Science in Biomedicine (MSB), and Master of Public Health (MPH). Also part of ACHE is the Research Institute Health & Wellness Center (RIHWC), a 317,000-square-foot facility that includes a biomedical research lab. Related