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Online Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education

The online Health Professions Education graduate certificate is designed for current or future healthcare practitioners or professionals who plan to serve their respective field as educators.

This health professions educator program develops the skills needed to be a more effective academic or clinical educator by providing in-depth knowledge of critical teaching and learning practices such as communication, course design, planning, construction of learning objectives, assessment and evaluation, educational leadership and more. This certificate is ideal for healthcare practitioners, university faculty, graduate students of medicine, dentistry, public health and nursing, as well as other healthcare professionals.

The Health Professions Education certificate is offered through a partnership between the College of Education and Human Development and the School of Medicine at the University of Louisville.

How Much Will I Pay?

Tuition & Aid    

This certificate qualifies for Title IV federal financial aid

Highlights

  • Become an effective educator, presenter and facilitator through hands-on training opportunities using state-of-the-art instructional technology.
  • Learn how to design curricula that will stimulate critical thinking and clinical reasoning—promoting cooperative, student-centered learning.
  • Develop your educational philosophy and apply pedagogical theory appropriately to your teaching practices.
  • Take advantage of the flexibility and convenience of 100% online classes and 24/7 access to learning tools.
  • Learn from world-class faculty who have extensive experience in the field.
  • Get a jump start on your master’s degree—100% of credits earned in the certificate program apply to completion of your UofL Master's in Health Professions Education, also offered online (you must apply separately to the M.S. in HPE program).
  • Receive skills necessary for educators by focusing on teaching and learning, rather than Health Professions Education research.
  • Enjoy fully asynchronous 8-week terms with absolutely no in-person component required.

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100% ONLINE COURSES

Complete this program on your own time through fully online classes.

1 YEAR TO COMPLETE

This certificate consists of only 12 credit hours and can be completed in as little as 1 year.

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8 WEEK TERMS

Move through your coursework in an accelerated format.

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Outcomes

Job opportunities for professionals earning this certificate may include: clinical educator, healthcare education researcher, clerkship director, residency director, academic faculty, in-house trainer, as well as continuing education instructor in the clinical healthcare field (i.e. medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc.).

Credit hours acquired in this certificate can be applied towards UofL’s online Master of Science in Health Professions Education. You must apply separately to the M.S. in HPE program.


Preferred Application Deadline Term Start Date
July 1 Fall I August
October 1 Fall II October
December 1 Spring January

Steps to Apply

  1. Complete the graduate application for admission
  2. Submit a $40 non-refundable application fee
  3. Submit official college transcripts from all previous institutions
    • Only official degree-bearing transcripts must be submitted by the applicant using appropriate methods (e.g., Parchment or National Clearinghouse) or be on file in the Office of Faculty Affairs (for applicants internal to UofL). Applicants should submit their most senior degree earned or that they are in the progress of earning.
  4. Check for Scholarships

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Admission Requirements

  • Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Unconditional admission requires a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for all coursework taken AND a minimum GPA of 2.75 for coursework at the undergraduate degree-granting institution.
  • Current Resume
  • All applicants for whom English is a second language must also submit official TOEFL scores of 79 or higher on the internet-based test, 213 or higher on the computer-based test. English proficiency can also be met by submitting official IELTS scores of at least 6.5 overall band score from the academic module exam or official Duolingo overall score of 105. Students holding a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States may be exempt from this requirement.
  • Personal goal statement written by the applicant that is a clear, substantive description of your goals within health professions education (approx. 1-2 pages)
  • Two letters of recommendation. If you have studied at a college or university in the last five years, the admissions committee prefers to see at least one letter from a faculty member. Other references can include work supervisors. Personal references (e.g., family, friends) are not accepted.

The online Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education is a 12-credit hour program. All courses are delivered online over 8-week terms.


Fall Semester Hours
LEAD 650 Evaluation and Assessment in Health Professions Education 3
LEAD 665 Foundations of Health Professions Education 3
LEAD 675 Teaching & Learning in Health Professions Education 3
LEAD 676 Instructional Strategies in Health Professions Education 3
Total Required Credit Hours 12

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Course Descriptions



  • Is the GRE required for admission?

    No, the GRE is not required to be admitted to this program.

  • Is there a part-time option?

    Yes, you can complete the program as a part-time student.

  • Is the program open to international students?

    Yes, this program is available to international students.

  • Are there any additional fees other than tuition?

    No, there are no additional fees. However, you will need to purchase your textbooks according to your coursework.

  • Does my B.S. have to be in anything specific?

    No, your B.S. does not have to be in a specific field, as long as you are currently working in a healthcare industry.

  • Do I have to take the courses in a certain order?

    No, the capstone requirement must be completed last, but the others may be completed in any order.

  • Do I need to have teaching experience to be accepted into the program?

    No, you are not required to have any teaching experience to be accepted into this program.

  • I have some credit hours from another program/university. Can the credit be transferred?

    No, we do not accept transfer credit towards this program.

  • What medical fields is this for?

    This certificate is applicable to any health profession that has a clinical component to teaching: teaching is conducted by a faculty member who is providing both patient care and education to the learner. Past participants of this program have been health professions educators from medicine, nursing, dentistry and public health but this list is not exhaustive.

  • Who can apply for the Certificate in Health Professions Education Program?

    The Certificate in Health Professions Education Program is aimed primarily at healthcare professionals who are currently educators in a healthcare environment and would like to become better educators. The Certificate program is especially beneficial for physicians, dentists, nurses, researchers, dental hygienists, and others interested in teaching, education, and training careers.

  • What is the estimated cost of the program?

    For information about tuition/fees, please visit the Bursar's Office website and go to their tuition/fees page. https://louisville.edu/bursar/tuitionfee Tuition remission is available to all full-time and most part-time University of Louisville employees. Books and/or other course materials must be purchased by participants.

  • When and where are the Certificate courses held?

    Courses for the online Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education are delivered online through the Blackboard Learning Management System.

  • How long does it take to complete Certificate in Health Professions Education Program?

    The Certificate can be earned in one year. The program consists of four graduate-level courses, two courses are taught each semester over a one-year cycle. The certificate includes a total of 12 hours of academic course credit.

  • Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required?

    If you have a terminal degree, (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., Ph.D.) you do not need to take the GRE.

  • Does the Certificate in Health Professions Education program follow the University of Louisville calendar?

    Yes, the courses in the Health Professions Education program follow the University of Louisville Belknap semester schedule.

  • How do I apply for admission?

    Applications must meet the standards of general admission to the University's Graduate School. Please follow the admission information to apply to the graduate school. http://louisville.edu/graduate/futurestudents/apply-materials/application

  • Will the courses taken in the certificate program apply to a Master's program at UofL?

    Yes, the 12 credit hours can be rolled directly into the Master's in Health Professions Education (you must apply separately). If you would like to apply to a master's or doctoral program outside of the College of Education and Human Development, two of the Certificate program courses could be considered as electives, but are subject to the approval of your advisor.

  • Who do I contact for more information?

    Getting in touch with your enrollment counselor is a great first step! Erin can be reached at online@louisville.edu or 800.871.8635.