Advanced Health Care Leadership
Overview
The Advanced Health Care Leadership Ontario College Graduate Certificate equips students with the skills to lead and innovate in healthcare, integrating patient care theories and promoting enhanced patient outcomes through interdisciplinary teamwork.
The Advanced Health Care Leadership Ontario College Graduate Certificate focuses on leadership development that meets the population’s health care needs, manages operations, and finds innovative and practical solutions to address complex challenges.
Students will be able to integrate patient and family care theories into current practices, which are responsive to various cultures, behaviours, situations and environments. Core concepts of leadership, quality and improvements to patient safety are explored to achieve enhanced patient outcomes.
Students will apply professional leadership concepts as members of a multi-disciplinary health care team in an organization. Students who excel in the program may have an opportunity to compete for a field placement in their final term as an alternative to the WIL Project.
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This Lambton College program is licensed to and delivered by Cestar College (PDF), a licensed private career college in Toronto, Ontario. Students who are registered at are students of a public college and as such, will receive full credit from Lambton College for all Lambton College courses completed at the Cestar College campus in Toronto. Students who meet program graduation requirements will graduate with a credential from Lambton College. Students may be scheduled to have classes on Saturdays.
Admission Requirements
- A university degree in a health care field
This program is not suitable for students with a dentistry or pharmacy background.
The admissions process is competitive and meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.
Lambton College reserves the right to alter information including admission requirements and to cancel a program or course at any time; to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet current competencies or changes in the job market; to change the pathways to third-party certification bodies; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications or registrations or over-acceptance of offers of admission. In the event Lambton College exercises such a right, Lambton College's sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to Lambton College.English Language Requirements
Applicants must submit proof of English proficiency through one of the following in-person test methods:
- IELTS Academic: Overall score of 6.0
- TOEFL IBT: Overall score of 70
- PTE Academic: Overall score of 53
- CAEL: Overall score of 60
- CELPIP: CLB 7
- Lambton Institute of English Placement Test: Overall score of 70
- Completion of an English pathway program at a recognized partner school
Meeting the minimum English requirements does not guarantee admission. Students with higher English proficiency scores will receive priority in the admission assessment process. Not all students will qualify for EAP-3106 in place of the required IELTS or TOEFL test scores.
Costs
- Term 1 $8,630.00
- Term 2 $7,700.00
- Term 3 $8,400.00
- Term 4 $3,380.00
Total Cost of Program
Tuition fees are estimates and are subject to change each academic year. Fees do not include books (unless specifically noted), supplies or living costs.
Lambton College reserves the right to alter information including admission requirements and to cancel at any time a program or course; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet current competencies or changes in the job market; to change the pathways third-party certification bodies; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications or registrations or over-acceptance of offers of admission. In the event Lambton College exercises such a right, Lambton College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to Lambton College.
Additional Fees
Textbooks
The anticipated cost for textbooks in this program is approximately $500 - $700 per term. This amount accounts for both mandatory textbook costs (included in tuition fees) as well as textbook fees not included in your tuition fee amount.
Important Dates, Deadline & Late Fees
For additional information on registration dates, deadlines and late fees please refer to Registration Dates and Deadlines.
Student Fees
A student services fee is included in your tuition.
Health Insurance Coverage
Emergency medical insurance is mandatory for all international students at Lambton College. This includes students who are full-time and part-time and who are on a co-op. This insurance is provided by GuardMe - a third party insurance provider.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, Lambton College requires that each student have access to a laptop while studying at our college.
Courses
Patient & Family Centered Care
This course explores the principles and practices of Patient and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) as a foundational approach to health service delivery. Students learn to lead and support care models that promote respectful, collaborative partnerships between healthcare providers, patients, and families at all levels of the organization. Emphasis is placed on the leadership and supervisory strategies required to implement PFCC in clinical units, enhance service quality, and improve patient outcomes. Students examine tools for engaging patients and families in care planning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous improvement initiatives that support safe, ethical, and culturally responsive environments.
Patient Safety
This course prepares students to lead and support the development of a safety-focused culture within healthcare units and organizations. Emphasizing supervisory responsibilities and systems thinking, the course explores strategies to implement and sustain quality and patient safety initiatives. Learners examine evidence-informed practices, human factors, risk mitigation, and the role of technology in reducing medical errors. Key topics include compliance with safety standards, incident reporting, root cause analysis, and the engagement of staff, patients, and families in fostering continuous quality improvement and risk management.
Leadership in Health Care
This course develops the core leadership competencies required to manage healthcare teams and operations effectively. Students explore leadership theories and apply practical skills in conflict resolution, negotiation, strategic planning, and accountability within clinical and organizational settings. Emphasis is placed on fostering a collaborative and inclusive leadership culture, supporting staff performance through coaching and mentorship, and aligning unit-level practices with broader organizational goals. Learners gain the tools to lead interprofessional teams, drive change, and promote high-quality, patient- and family-centred care.
Professionalism & Health Care
This course examines the foundational elements of professionalism required to lead and support healthcare teams in a clinical environment. Students explore the distinction between professional identity and professional behaviour, with a focus on effective communication, ethical conduct, interprofessional collaboration, and workplace accountability. Emphasis is placed on fostering respectful, inclusive, and culturally safe work environments while upholding privacy, regulatory standards, and licensure requirements. Students gain the supervisory perspective needed to model and reinforce professional standards that contribute to high-quality patient care and healthy workplace culture.
Evidence Based Practice
This course equips students with the skills to critically appraise and apply health research evidence to inform operational and clinical decision-making. Learners develop the ability to design and lead unit-specific quality improvement initiatives by collecting and analyzing performance metrics, applying evidence-based strategies, and using data to drive improvements. Emphasis is placed on the leadership role in fostering a culture of inquiry, continuous learning, and quality enhancement. Students will translate research knowledge into practical interventions that promote patient safety, service excellence, and sustainable performance improvements within healthcare units.
Cultural Competence for Health Care Providers
This course prepares students to lead and support the delivery of culturally competent, patient- and family-centred care within diverse healthcare settings. Learners explore key concepts related to cultural safety, diversity, health equity, and organizational culture. Emphasis is placed on supervisory practices that promote inclusive care environments, reduce health disparities, and support respectful, culturally responsive communication among interprofessional teams. Students also examine strategies for fostering organizational change that reflects the values of transcultural care and meets the needs of increasingly diverse patient populations.
Health Care Leadership Lab
This applied course provides students with hands-on experience managing real-world challenges faced by healthcare leaders and unit supervisors. Through simulations, case studies, and reflective practice, learners apply leadership and management strategies in scenarios focused on patient safety, conflict resolution, delegation, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally competent care. Additional emphasis is placed on unit-level operational management including staff scheduling, resource allocation, crisis intervention, and enforcement of occupational health and safety standards. Students explore ethical decision-making and develop resilience strategies to lead effectively in high-pressure clinical environments. This course builds the supervisory competencies needed to enhance healthcare delivery and support staff performance in dynamic healthcare settings.
Leadership in Primary Health Care
This course explores the leadership and supervisory roles required to support and strengthen primary healthcare delivery in Canada. Students examine the political, administrative, and policy frameworks that shape health system decision-making, with a focus on primary care models, health reform, and the social determinants of health. Emphasis is placed on leadership strategies that promote equitable, community-responsive care and support interprofessional collaboration. Learners gain insight into how frontline and unit-level leaders can influence policy implementation, advocate for system improvements, and align services with evolving population health needs.
Health Services Information & Technology
This course introduces students to the foundational principles of health informatics and effective use of information systems in clinical and administrative settings. Learners examine electronic health records (EHRs), clinical documentation standards, and secure information exchange across Ontario's healthcare sectors. The course also emphasizes clinical leadership tools such as electronic staffing systems, patient flow tracking, and incident reporting platforms critical for unit management. Students explore the role of leaders in ensuring data accuracy, privacy, regulatory compliance, and leveraging digital technologies to support patient safety, quality improvement, and operational efficiency.
Strategic Planning in Health Care
This course introduces students to the principles and practices of strategic planning within healthcare organizations. Learners explore how unit-level and operational leaders contribute to organizational strategy through environmental scanning, goal setting, and performance measurement. Emphasis is placed on aligning unit objectives with organizational mission, vision, and values; identifying opportunities and threats; and supporting the implementation and evaluation of strategic initiatives. Students develop practical skills in strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and change management to enhance service delivery and respond to current and emerging trends in healthcare.
Canadian Careers in Health Care
This course prepares students for field placement and employment in supervisory and leadership roles within the Canadian healthcare system. Learners develop career readiness skills including resume and cover letter writing, professional networking, and interview techniques tailored to healthcare leadership positions. Emphasis is placed on understanding the rights and responsibilities of both students and host organizations during placement, as well as the professional expectations of healthcare employers. Additional topics include the effective use of social media in job searches, strategies for success in multidisciplinary teams, and adapting to the evolving demands of leadership in healthcare environments.
No Scheduled Classes
Human Resources & Performance Management
This course provides students with foundational knowledge and practical skills for supervising and managing human resources within healthcare organizations. Learners explore workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, labour relations, and staff development with a focus on unit-level responsibilities. Emphasis is placed on managing staffing logistics such as scheduling and workload balancing, fostering safe work environments compliant with occupational health and safety policies, and navigating labour relations challenges. Students gain tools to apply HR policies fairly, ensure regulatory compliance, cultivate professional conduct, and maintain a respectful and accountable workplace culture aligned with healthcare service delivery.
Leadership Communication, Collaboration & Relationships
This course develops the communication and interpersonal skills essential for leading healthcare teams and fostering collaborative workplace relationships. Students explore strategies for creating a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and shared problem-solving within interprofessional settings. Emphasis is placed on the use of emotional intelligence (EI) to enhance both personal and social competence, build trust, and strengthen team performance. Through practical application, learners develop supervisory skills in conflict resolution, active listening, and effective coordination to support high-quality, patient-centred care and positive staff engagement.
Financial Management
This course introduces students to essential financial concepts and tools required to manage budgets and resources in healthcare settings. Learners develop skills to read, analyze, and interpret financial statements with a focus on budgeting processes, funding models, and accounting procedures relevant to Ontario's healthcare system. Emphasis is placed on managing unit or department-level budgets, including oversight of staffing costs, supplies, and operational expenditures. Students learn to make fiscally responsible decisions that support quality care, efficient resource utilization, and alignment with organizational goals.
Health Care Reform: Managing Effectively in a Changing Environment
This course prepares students to lead healthcare teams and units through continuous change and system-wide reform. With a focus on Ontario's evolving health policy landscape, students explore leadership strategies for managing change, building organizational capacity, and aligning front-line operations with broader provincial priorities. Learners are introduced to quality improvement methodologies, including Lean principles, and develop the skills to apply tools that support performance improvement and sustainable change. Emphasis is placed on the supervisory role in fostering adaptability, engaging staff, and implementing evidence-informed improvements in a dynamic healthcare environment.
Project Management
This course will provide the student with an overview of the structured processes and knowledge areas of project management within the context of organizations. It will contrast the differences between operational management and project management. It will provide the student with numerous tools and techniques used to initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close a project. Students learn the vocabulary, definitions, principles and concepts of project management and working in a project team.
Field Placement for Advanced Health Care Leadership (Full-Time)
This experiential course provides students with supervised, hands-on leadership and management practice in healthcare settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, or community health organizations. Students apply their knowledge and skills in real-world environments, demonstrating professionalism, effective communication, team leadership, and operational management. Emphasis is placed on developing competencies essential for health unit managers and ward supervisors, including staff coordination, patient-centered service, quality improvement, and adherence to organizational policies. The placement experience supports career readiness and prepares students for leadership roles in diverse healthcare environments.
WIL Project
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Project is aimed at enriching students by connecting different program areas of study, cutting across subject-matter lines, and emphasizing unifying concepts. The focus of the WIL Project is to make connections between study and industry by engaging students in relevant and meaningful activities that are connected to and practiced within the professional workplace. WIL Project allows students to enhance and strengthen their employability prospects post-graduation by fine tuning skills and knowledge and meeting the expectations of today's employers. Students are required to attend the scheduled shifts in the WIL office, reporting to the WIL Supervisor. Weekly real-world challenges are presented in the WIL office, designed by industry professionals. In addition to the weekly assigned deliverables, students are also offered professional development sessions, and exposed to industry guest speakers, enhancing their opportunity to develop their professional network.
WIL Project Eligibility
In order to continue onto Term 4, the following prerequisites must be met:
- Overall GPA of 2.0 or greater
- Not more than two outstanding courses in addition to WIL Project
- These courses must be able to fit your WIL schedule conflict free
- Courses scheduled back-to-back with your WIL shifts are considered in conflict
Contact
Centre for Global Engagement
LAMBTON COLLEGE SARNIA
1457 London Road
Sarnia ON N7S 6K4
After Graduation
Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the program will gain enhanced leadership knowledge, skill and vision to apply to the health care system.
This program does not meet the preparatory requirements or the eligibility criteria to write the registration exams to qualify as a registered practical nurse or registered nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Please visit the College of Nurses of Ontario to learn more about how to become a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in Ontario. The college will not provide evidence of language proficiency and students must write the accepted language proficiency tests as set out by the CNO.
Looking for Support After Graduation?
The International Graduate Services & Support Centre (GSSC) is a place dedicated to assisting International alumni as they seek employment and settle into Canadian life following graduation.
Post-Graduate Employment
International students who successfully complete their programs of study at Lambton College may be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program. This program allows students to gain valuable Canadian work experience.
A work permit under the PGWP may be issued for the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years. A post-graduation work permit cannot be valid for longer than the student's study program, and the study program must be a minimum of eight months in length. The length and approval of the PGWP is determined solely by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Students must meet the eligibility requirements to apply for a post-graduation work permit.
Immigration Regulations & Changes
Immigration regulations are legislated by the Federal Government of Canada and are subject to change at any time without notice. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with all Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada regulations at all times during their studies and while in Canada. Lambton College staff are not authorized to provide advice or guidance on immigration-related matters. Prospective applicants and current students should consult the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website or call the IRCC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 to answer or clarify any immigration-related questions or information.
Placement
Vaccinations & Police Record Checks
Students considering this program should be aware that there are field placement requirements. All placements require students to have police record checks. Proof of immunizations is also required and must be cleared through Passport to Placement.
Once you’ve applied, you can log in to mylambton.ca and view the program-specific Field & Clinical Placement Requirements. If you need information about these requirements before applying, please contact placementinfo@lambtoncollege.ca.
Placement Requirements
Before students begin their placements, the following is required in order to be eligible for field placement.
Step 1
Before arriving in Canada, complete the following vaccinations and provide original copies of immunization receipts:
- Tetanus/Diphtheria
- Pertussis
- COVID-19 Vaccine - 2 doses (approved in Canada)
Step 2
After arriving in Canada:
- Successfully complete all course requirements by the start of Term 3
- Be enrolled in all courses required for Term 3
- Have a minimum program cumulative GPA of 2.8 or greater
- Have a co-op work permit
Step 3
Some placement agencies may require the following so you may wish to complete these depending on your area of interest:
- Vulnerable Sector Police Background Check
- Standard Level First Aid
- CPR Certification (Level C)
- Tuberculin Skin Test #1 and #2
All Step 3 requirements must be completed in Canada.
More Information
Student Responsibilities
- Course and program delivery schedules are proposed and subject to change for each intake.
- Students are required to bring their own laptop with wireless capability.
- Students are advised to bring an official copy of their most recent police clearance, driver's license, and vaccination record from their home country.
Technology Requirements
It is recommended that you use a Windows laptop for your coursework. While other devices like MacBooks or Chromebooks might work for some tasks, they may not support all the software required for your program. If you're unsure, check with your professors before buying.
Internet Speed Requirements
To get the best experience while learning online, we recommend having an internet connection with at least 40 Mbps download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed. This will help you use video calls, attend online lectures, and access other learning tools smoothly.
Because students live in many different areas, we can't suggest a specific internet provider. You'll need to check with local companies to find one that works best for you.
Laptop Requirements
In order to access the internet and virtually-delivered software and courseware, student laptops should include the following at a minimum. By meeting the following specifications, students will be equipped to access software and courseware on their laptop through the internet:
- Intel i5 8th Gen Processor or equivalent
- 8GB of RAM
- 100 GB HDD or more
- Webcam with a microphone
- Wi-Fi capable (802.11n/ac 5GHz)
- Windows 11 operating system
Mobile Device
Students will require a mobile device (smartphone) for:
- Accessing your digital student ID
- Using campus applications and services
Software
To ensure students are getting the most our of their classroom experience, some software will be required.
Lambton College has made this software easily accessible online. Students can leverage our Microsoft Office 365 software packages and services. In addition, much of the software you require for your courses will be available on demand for use on any device - on or off campus.