Health Professions Education Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)

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AcademicsCertificate ProgramsHealth Professions Education Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)

Health Professions Education
(Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study)

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Our Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) Health Professions Education is carefully designed for students who hold a master's degree in a health professions specialty.

All classes are conducted online, allowing students to continue their careers while being certified. Whether you're a nurse, physician's assistant, physical therapist or other health professional — you'll gain critical skills in educational strategies and technology.

Demand for effective educators within their fields of practice is growing. Our professors-of-practice focus their classes around issues and trends in higher education as well as the fundamentals of teaching. You'll earn your certification and be prepared for a faculty or health educator position within the health care arena.

Program Requirements

Applicants must have:

A master’s or higher academic degree in a health professions specialty from a regionally accredited U.S. post-secondary institution and have an overall GPA of 3.0. in both undergraduate and graduate studies.
Practical experience within the healthcare arena within the past three years.
Courses in this program are only open to matriculated students. Non-degree status is not available nor do we offering continuing education credit. Since an official certificate will be awarded upon completion of the prescribed curriculum, it is considered an academic credential and thus formal application and admission is required.

CAGS Health Professions Education Sample Curriculum

The program consists of seven courses, totaling 16 credit hours. The curriculum includes six didactic courses and one practicum. All courses are taught online. The curriculum is designed to be completed in one calendar year of part-time study.

Course Sequence: One Year Program

Fall Semester (6 Credits)

HPED 501 Issues in Health Professions Education (2 credits)
HPED 503 Principles of Assessment (2 credits)
HPED 505 Curriculum Development and Evaluation (2 credits)

Spring Semester (6 Credits)

HPED 507 Teaching Methodologies and Classroom Design (2 credits)
HPED 506 Organization, Leadership and Change (2 credits)
HPED 508 Theories and Practice of Adult Education (2 credits)

Summer Semester (4 credits)

HPED 510 Education Practicum/Preceptorship (4 credits)
Supervised application of teaching principles is an essential component of this program, but this may also be accomplished through an educational project appropriate to the students' experience and needs. You will work with a mentor, such as a Director of Continuing Education or with the Director of Staff Education, at a hospital or college in your area. If you have prior teaching experience, your faculty advisor will work with you to see if you can work with an appropriate preceptor to provide an educational experience that will increase your expertise.

Faculty