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Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Health Sciences Education

Professor Meredith Young leading a discussion with members of the IHSE

Now accepting applications for Fall 2025.

Deadlines:

January 15, 2025 for international students
April 1, 2025 for Canadian students

As demand increases for experienced health care professionals with the skills to educate the next generation, we are proud to offer a new Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Health Sciences Education.

In this interdisciplinary program, learners will gain knowledge of current education theories, as well as the expertise to apply this knowledge in health sciences curriculum design, instruction, assessment and program evaluation. They will also be able to apply concepts of educational leadership and scholarship in their role as an educator in clinical and basic science settings. Expertise in this field can lead to leadership opportunities in clinical education, universities and education research.

The graduate certificate is offered in a blended format, combining in-person classes at ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ’s Institute of Health Sciences Education with structured online learning, lectures and individual and group activities. Upon completion, learners will have the foundational knowledge and skills to pursue a Master’s degree or PhD in health sciences education.

Who should apply?

This program is designed for practicing health professionals from medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and other health care disciplines, as well as health sciences educators. Senior health care learners, such as residents, are also welcome. The program provides learners with the freedom to balance professional and personal commitments with their continuing education.


Courses (15 credits)

The graduate certificate program is offered jointly by the Institute of Health Sciences Education (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) and the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (Faculty of Education) at ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ It consists of five courses, worth three credits each.

The first course provides a review of contemporary educational and psychological theories relevant to teaching, learning, curriculum design and assessment. The four other courses cover foundational concepts that are essential for aspiring health sciences educators:

  • Curriculum and course design
  • Assessment and evaluation
  • Educational leadership
  • Scholarship in health sciences education
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All five courses in this program must be undertaken over the 11-month duration of the program. This enables students to apply and integrate content between courses.

Click on each of the courses below to view details of each course.

EDPE 657 Lrng, Cogntn, & Motvatn in HSE 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

EDPE 658 Intro to HSE Currclm&Prog Dev 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

EDPE 659 Intro to Assmt and Eval in HSE 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

HSED 601 Intro to Leadership in HSE 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

HSED 602 Intro to Scholarship in HSE 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer


Program Details

Instructors

  • Dianne Bateman, MEd, PhD, Director of Faculty Development for the Office of Interprofessional Education, Faculty Lecturer, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy and Faculty of Education
  • Alenoush Saroyan, MEd, PhD, Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology
  • Linda Snell, MD, MPHE, Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education
  • Maryam Wagner, MEd, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Sciences Education
  • Meredith Young, PhD, Associate Professor, Institute of Health Sciences Education
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Program Length

Delivery will be over 11 months (August to June), in a structured, blended learning format to meet the needs and availability of learners, who are practicing health sciences professionals or health science educators.

There are two in-person, on-campus components, to be held in August (2 weeks), and February (1 week). The remainder of the program comprises part-time, online synchronous and asynchronous instruction that includes organized classes, meetings and group work as well as offline learning (e.g. reading, individual projects, etc.)

Admission Requirements

Background and CGPA

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Health Sciences Education must:

  • have, at minimum, an undergraduate degree in health sciences, health professions or another related field
  • be a working health professional, a senior healthcare learner who is close to completing training to become a health professional, or a health science educator teaching in a health professions institution
  • have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0. Please be aware that a CGPA of 3.0 is a minimum requirement only and does not guarantee acceptance

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants may be required to attend an interview during the admission process.

International Students

CGPA Equivalency

If you are an international applicant and wish to find out whether you qualify under ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University's CGPA Guidelines for Graduate ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ, visit Educational Credentials and Grade Equivalencies.

Proficiency in English

Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English and who have not obtained (or are about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction or from a recognized institution in Canada or the US (anglophone or francophone), must submit documented proof of proficiency in oral and written English.

Appropriate exam results must be submitted prior to the application deadline and submitted directly from the language testing proficiency office to ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ. For more information on test requirements, submission of scores, and possible exemptions, visit the ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ Future Graduate Students English Language Proficiency page.

In each case, you must ensure that the official test results are sent directly to ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ (¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ Institution Code: 0935) by the testing service. Applications will not be considered if test results are not available.
Please note that TOEFL results are only valid for two years from the date the test was written.

Applicants whose mother tongue is not English may be asked to demonstrate an English-language proficiency beyond the submission of the language proficiency test scores.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for this program can be found on the Student Accounts website. On this site, you will find tuition fees and charges for each semester. These may fluctuate based on annual adjustments to the fees and charges.

Travel and accommodation expenses associated with this program are not included.

Required Technology

You will need a personal computer with Internet access.


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How to Apply

Applications for the Graduate Certificate in Foundations in Health Sciences Education are submitted via Slate.

Within the online application, applicants will be asked to provide the following:

  • Transcripts detailing your complete university-level academic record to date (Quebec residents: CEGEP transcripts are not required)

  • A personal statement no longer than one (1) page in length outlining your reasons for applying, how you intend to use what you learn in the program and any additional information about yourself

  • A curriculum vitae using the provided template – Curriculum Vitae Form

  • Two valid institutional email addresses for two (2) references

All documents must be uploaded in PDF format. Visit application instructions for a full list of required documents and a step-by-step process.

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Professional Benefits

Graduates of this program will:

  • gain knowledge of contemporary psychological and educational theories and the expertise to apply this knowledge in the design of curricula, instruction, assessment and program evaluation
  • learn the necessary foundations, skills and theories to pursue a Master’s degree or PhD in health sciences education
  • be able to apply for new opportunities as program directors, clinician-educators, clinical education managers, education unit leaders, curriculum designers, assessment designers and education innovators
  • be able to use their new skills in policy-making for education or health care
  • be able to apply their new knowledge in strategic learning development within the pharmaceutical, biotech or medical equipment industries

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Contact Us

We would be delighted to answer any questions you may have. For more information, please contact:

Dr. Linda Snell
Program Co-Director
Institute of Health Sciences Education, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University
Lady Meredith House, Room 205
1110 Pine Avenue West
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3
E-mail: gradcoord-ihse.med [at] mcgill.ca

Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology
Faculty of Education, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University
3700 McTavish Street, Room 614
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
Tel: 514-398-4242
E-mail: edpsych.education [at] mcgill.ca

Please note: ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University reserves the right to make changes to the certificate, content and services as it deems necessary.

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