Executive Master’s Program
What You’ll Learn
The Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership (CQSL) is an online program that represents the real-world environment healthcare providers and patients encounter every day. The purpose of the Executive Master’s CQSL program is to immerse learners in advanced theory and concepts of healthcare quality, safety science, and organizational leadership, which is done through interprofessional learning and is unique in healthcare education.
The majority of the coursework will be provided asynchronously through an online learning management system (Canvas).
Whether full-time or part-time, the courses will not overlap as the program is designed to take one course at a time.
The program has enrollment periods each year, Fall and Spring.
Onsite Residency
The program requires a one-time, three-day onsite at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The residency provides the opportunity for learners to practice and apply the tools and principles introduced in the preceding courses, and participate in active learning with cohort members in a face-to-face format.
Capstone
The longitudinal capstone is a project you will design and implement within an organization. The topic and structure will be decided by you and your capstone instructor, developed as you progress through the program, and presented during the final course.
Two-Track Options
Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership offer two tracks. Both tracks will require courses CQSL501-505 and all capstone courses CQSL601-607.
Quality & Safety Track
The Quality & Safety track focuses on healthcare policies, regulations, and economics, along with how leaders are creating and leading sustainable change in healthcare.
Electives
- CQSL506- Policy, Regulation, and Economics
- CQSL507- Creating and Leading Sustainable Change
Human Factors Track
The Human Factors track instructs on prominent human factors engineering principles and methods and applies them to real-world patient safety and quality issues.
Electives
- CQSL508- Human Factors Core Principles
- CQSL509- Human Factors Core Methodology and Applications

We collaborate with NAHQ to provide competency-based healthcare quality content. Students can sit for the Certified Professional Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) certificate examination upon completing the course. The CPHQ designation is recognized by the industry as the gold standard for healthcare quality and is being sought after by more employers.
Application Process
Apply now or learn more about the required application documents, application deadlines, tuition, available financial assistance, and answers to admissions FAQs.