All students will participate in a required online orientation prior to the start of the program in May and in August.  The orientation will include a live online session provided by program faculty.  This educational session will introduce students to key educational concepts in health professions education and familiarize students with our teaching approach within the program. While it is strongly encouraged that all CHPE students participate in this live online session, it will be recorded so that students who must miss, can review the content online before their first day in class. The orientation will also include information to familiarize students with the university and program systems including our learning management system, Blackboard.

Additional details of the orientation will be provided after students are accepted into the program.

This graduate certificate is designed for individuals with a professional degree in a health profession or related to health professions education who desire additional skills and credentials to enhance their professional impact and advance their careers. Our students come from various professions and disciplines, and are at different career stages, from those in the later phase of professional training (such as clinical and academic residents and fellows) to those who are mid- and late career (such as faculty and academic leaders). Students are typically serving in or preparing for leadership roles in academia, healthcare organizations, professional societies, and domestic or international health agencies.

Students who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in health professions education may wish to apply to our Masters of Health Profession Education (MHPE) or PhD in Health Profession Education program. If a CHPE student is accepted into one of these programs, up to 12 credits of prior coursework pursued during the CHPE can be transferred to the MHPE and PhD in HPE programs.

Instructors in the program include world-class interdisciplinary/interprofessional faculty with extensive expertise in health professions education. They are leaders and scholars in the field who enjoy sharing their expertise through teaching and advising. Applicants who wish to learn more about our distinguished faculty are encouraged to review their faculty profiles on our website.

Our courses are designed around principles of adult learning, including active engagement where students apply educational theory, models, and best practices to their own work in education. Course sizes are small to ensure opportunities for students to learn with and from other students from similar and diverse backgrounds while supporting their skills in educational collaboration.

The CHPE is offered in both online and on-campus formats. While most students will pursue the CHPE online, students living in the Chicago area may wish to consider the on-campus format, which provides opportunities to pursue both on-campus and online instruction. On-campus courses are designed to provide instruction over a 1- or 2- week period, to meet the scheduling needs for our professional students. Elective courses are offered in various formats, based on the course offering availability. Students may take courses from any format. Applicants for the CHPE must indicate their preference for an online or in-person format during the application process.

Applicants are considered on an individual basis.

Educational background:

• Professional degree in a health professions discipline (e.g. MD/DO, PharmD, DDS/DMS, DPT/MPT, MSPA, BSN/MSN/DNP, PhD, PsyD) or other graduate degree relevant to health professions education. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a related field and significant experience in a health professions setting will also be considered.
• Previous grade point average above 3.75 on a 5-point scale or 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

English proficiency:

• Applicants whose native language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the exam of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson’s PTE Academic. The test score cannot be more than two years old. For English proficiency test score minimums, reporting requirements, and exemptions, see the UIC Admissions International Requirements page for more details.

The on-campus program currently accepts students who wish to begin the program in the summer and fall semesters

The online program currently only accepts students who wish to begin the program in the fall semester.

Application deadline for Summer 2025 is April 15, 2025. Students will be informed of admissions decisions by May 2025.

Application deadline for Fall 2025 is May 15, 2025. Students will be informed of admissions decisions by June 2025.

Application Procedures

Interest individuals will use the Graduate College Electronic Web Application system to submit this application.

• Select Campus Certificate – Health Professions Education in the drop-down Program Box.
• Click on Apply
• Select Appropriate semester

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All applicants are required to upload all of their documents and academic credentials electronically to satisfy both program-specific and institutional admissions requirements.

For more details on the document upload process, please visit the UIC Admissions page. Note: all uploaded documents must be in PDF form.

Required supporting documents:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement: please submit a personal statement (maximum 750 words for questions a and b) responding to the following prompts:
  1. Our program involves collaborative work with individuals from different professional backgrounds, perspectives, and stages of their careers. Briefly discuss your best assets you would bring to this context.
  2. Why are you interested in the CHPE program? Reflecting on your background, describe how the CHPE will help you advance your professional and personal goals.
• 1 Letter of recommendation
• Copies of registrar-issued transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• CHPE Application checklist to ensure you meet all the requirements.

Please note that only admitted applicants will need to provide official, paper transcripts. Once admitted, official transcripts must be sent directly from post-secondary institution in a sealed envelope to the Office of Admissions. Transcripts should not be mailed before a student is admitted.

Application costs:

The application fee for graduate applicants (domestic and international) is $70.

There is an additional $100 international credential evaluation fee for any applicant presenting international course work requiring an evaluation regardless of residency.

Requirements for international applications:

International applications who would need a student visa in order to enroll at UIC for on-campus course are not eligible. Applicants who are in the US on a visa such as the H1B or H4 are eligible.

For more details, please see the UIC Admissions International Requirements page.

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The cost of enrolling into the CHPE will depend on the format for which the student is enrolled.

For students enrolled in the on-campus format, tuition varies depending on the number of credits taken per semester and residency status.

For students enrolled in the online format, tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year will be available on the Registrar’s website this spring.