Palliative Care Graduate Certificate Overview
Learn to support people and caregivers facing serious and life-limiting illnesses in the 12-credit-hour online Interprofessional Palliative Care Graduate Certificate (IPCC) program. The IPCC program can be completed in just 10 months and gives you the flexibility you need to grow your skills for palliative care without putting life on pause.
Implement new strategies and skills in your current career path or set yourself on a new one. With practical assignments and projects, the IPCC program gives you the foundations for offering consultation and care to patients and caregivers facing serious and life-limiting illnesses. After you complete the graduate certificate program, you can easily transition into the Master of Science in Palliative Care (MSPC) program if you choose.
- Fully online with one synchronous virtual weekend intensive
- Work in and develop palliative care services in your geographic area
- Stackable credits – apply credits earned in the certificate toward the MSPC program
Program at a Glance
Degree Program:
Interprofessional Palliative Care Graduate Certificate
Offered By:
School of Medicine
Tuition:
Cost Per Credit:
$805*
*2024-2025 Tuition for Colorado Resident or WRGP Approved Student
Cost Per Credit:
$1179*
*2024-2025 Tuition
Credit Hours:
12
Application Deadlines
FALL 2025
APPLICATION OPENS
September 3, 2024
FALL 2025
PRIORITY DEADLINE
April 1, 2025
FALL 2025
FINAL DEADLINE
May 1, 2025
Palliative Care Certificate Program Details
Interdisciplinary Learning | Walk with people and caregivers through chronic and life-limiting illnesses as you learn to integrate both biomedical and psycho-social-spiritual perspectives into a holistic care plan. The IPCC program gives you the opportunity to learn alongside an interdisciplinary body of student peers, from clinical professionals to death doulas and medical ethicists.
Aligned with Your Profession | No matter what kind of provider you are right now — a physician, nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist, social worker, psychologist, therapist or spiritual care provider — our palliative care certificate provides the foundations for high quality, compassionate care.
Flexible Education | The IPCC program is offered fully online with one synchronous virtual weekend intensive, usually in September. Because it was developed with working professionals in mind, you have the flexibility to balance your schedule and take breaks when you need them; however, with a full course load, the graduate certificate can be completed in as few as 10 months.
Curriculum Overview
Online Program | The IPCC program is offered online with one synchronous virtual weekend intensive, which means you can complete the program at the best time and place for you. The program includes one three-day weekend intensive during the third weekend in September. The intensive incorporates experiential learning and facilitates networking, meeting faculty, and resilience exercises.
Core Concepts | The palliative care programs feature problem-based learning with practical coursework aimed at helping you improve palliative care within your community. You’ll learn core concepts of palliative care, communication skills, pain assessment and management, and interdisciplinary team collaboration. Our faculty and leadership are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for students, and we integrate those values into how we provide care for patients and caregivers.
Interdisciplinary | The certificate offers an interdisciplinary model of learning, which is unique for palliative care and medical education. All students receive a whole-person centered education including physical, psychological, social, ethical, spiritual, cultural/language, and legal aspects of care. The program has been designed to provide incremental feedback and skill-building opportunities. You will learn both biomedical and allied health content side by side for a robust understanding of the material from different lenses.
Transition to Master's | Additionally, the graduate certificate consists of the first 12 credit hours of the master’s program, which means students who complete the certificate program can transition easily into the master’s program if they choose. If you think you aren’t quite ready for the full master’s degree, the certificate program gives you a sample of its courses and a solid start if you choose to continue your education.
Example Courses
This eight-week online course covers palliative care models, whole-person assessment, self-awareness for the palliative care community specialist, the impact of illness and suffering on the individual, communication skill development, goals of care, and ethics. This course includes online coursework completed before and after a virtual three-day intensive that takes place over a long weekend in September of each year. Students meet with faculty, complete communications training and participate in group work that complements online content.
This course reviews basic pain pathophysiology, assessment, non‐pharmacological interventions, and non‐opioid and opioid pharmacological pain management. Biomedical content is integrated with psychological, social, spiritual, and ethical concerns related to pain.
Part A covers assessment and management of chronic illnesses (cardiopulmonary, end stage liver and renal diseases) with emphasis on early PC combined with disease-focused therapy, while Part B covers the assessment and management of cancer and HIV with emphasis on early palliative care and disease-focused therapy. In both parts, attention is given to prognostication and transition into palliative/hospice care or discontinuing treatments with bioethical review and IDT support. Students also engage related psycho-social-spiritual-ethics content.
Graduate Certificate vs Master's Degree Comparison
CU Anschutz offers both a graduate certificate and master’s degree in palliative care, but what’s the difference between the two?
| PROGRAM COMPARISON | Interprofessional Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care | Master of Science in Palliative Care |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | 12 | 33 |
| Time to Completion | 10 Months | 22 Months |
| Curriculum | First 12 credit hours of the MSPC program | Comprehensive courses in communication, symptom management, ethics and more |
Palliative Care Career Data
The graduate certificate in palliative care is designed to give a broad array of providers — physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, spiritual care providers, psychologists, therapists, counselors, child life specialists, death doulas and ethicists — the foundations for working as a Palliative Care (PC) Community Specialist.
PC Community Specialists provide high quality palliative consultation and care to patients and families in their own communities, giving them the choice of treatment outside an academic tertiary medical center. PC Community Specialists represent secondary palliative care. In this comprehensive program, they are:
- linked to tertiary care experts
- equipped to bridge a network of services, and
- prepared to work in and/or develop palliative care services in their geographic areas.
Salary Data for Top Roles Associated with Palliative Care
Annual expected salaries for palliative care roles vary depending on the career field. The palliative care programs at CU Anschutz are designed to prepare nurses, physicians, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists and more.
For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median salary of $81,220 in 2022 for registered nurses and $85,330 for psychologists. Specializing in palliative care with a graduate degree may increase your earning potential and set you apart from others in your career field. Additionally, many occupations related to palliative care are projected to grow faster than average over the next ten years.
The coursework exceeded my expectations... in the richness of information. I found it to be very powerful and very helpful.
— Mark Speckman | Interprofessional Palliative Care Graduate Certificate Student
Tuition and Fees
Investing in your future is a big decision, and a degree program at CU Anschutz is an investment that will benefit you for years to come. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you’re making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career.
Tuition and fees are based largely on the degree program you enroll in. We know that affordability is an important factor, and that’s why we’re here to help you explore all of the options available to fund your education.
Financial aid and scholarships may be available for those who qualify.
The Master of Science in Palliative Care and Interprofessional Palliative Care Graduate Certificate programs participate in the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), which is a tuition-reciprocity arrangement with 15 participating states and one commonwealth. The WRGP program allows students who are residents of these participating states to pay in-state tuition for the duration of their degree or certificate program. In addition to Colorado, the participating states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
WRGP tuition-reciprocity is available to all incoming students who qualify. Those wishing to apply for WRGP status must complete the WRGP application and submit it to the Program Administrator upon admission to the program.
Questions about the WRGP program and application process can be directed to the program administrator at palliativecareamc@cuanschutz.edu.
An individual must have been domiciled in Colorado for one calendar year before he or she is entitled to in-state tuition. A domicile is a person's true, fixed, and permanent home. Having a domicile in Colorado involves more than mere physical presence or "residence" in the state. In order to establish a domicile for tuition purposes, there must be 1) physical presence for at least 12 months within the state along with 2) demonstrated intent to make Colorado one’s permanent home. Intent is demonstrated by several kinds of connections with the state dated one year prior to the beginning of classes. Please contact the program administrator for more details.
Admissions Information
A list of required application materials is available through CU Anschutz Palliative Care Admissions.
International Applicants: Please visit the international graduate student admissions page for more information.
Palliative Care Certificate Completion Time
The IPCC program can be completed in as few as 10 months. Students can opt to continue into the master’s degree program after completion, which takes approximately 22 months to complete.
Palliative Care Info Session Recording
View an information session recording to learn more about the format, curriculum, outcomes, faculty and more. This is an excellent, no-pressure way to see if the palliative care graduate programs are right for you and learn how continuing your education could fit into your life.
Take the Next Step
Find the support and flexibility you need to earn your Interprofessional Palliative Care Graduate Certificate at the University of Colorado. Our team is here to help you take the next steps and see the possibilities in yourself, your future, and your education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, the IPCC program is offered online. The first year (IPCC Year 1) includes a three-day virtual intensive in late September. The intensive is synchronous, which means it is offered live.
CU Anschutz was the first to offer a master’s degree in palliative care in the United States. Our faculty are experts in their fields with real-world experience in palliative care, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, social workers, psychologists, spiritual care providers, and pharmacists.
Our program is truly interdisciplinary, meaning you’ll learn alongside students in other professions with their own unique perspectives on palliative care. Learning online also gives you the flexibility to balance other commitments with your studies and immediately begin integrating what you learn into your current workplace.
Students complete the first 12 credit hours of the MSPC program in the graduate certificate program. Upon completing the IPCC, students may choose to continue their study in the MSPC program. Students who want to continue should contact the program director and administrator for additional details.
Palliative care is available for patients at any stage of a chronic, serious, or life-threatening illness, whereas hospice is offered to patients in the final months of life. Palliative care providers find themselves treating patients across their lifespan. Our palliative care programs will teach you to manage long-term symptoms and pain by integrating both clinical and a psycho-social-spiritual approaches and perspectives.
This program can help you transition to a master's degree, which can help prepare you to take a certification exam. Nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers can take a certification exam through their respective organizations:
- CHPN/ACHPN through HPNA
- APHSW-C through SWHPN
- BCC-PCHAC through BCCI
This program is excellent preparation but not required. Physicians may use the MSPC with the Community-Based Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship program to become board eligible. The fellowship must be applied to separately from the MSPC.
Currently, there are no live information sessions scheduled; however, you can view a recording of an information session to learn more about the faculty, format, curriculum, and outcomes.