Palliative and End-of-Life Care Certificate
This graduate certificate will expand your skills to deliver compassionate care across the lifespan.
Program overview
Palliative and end-of-life care is essential to delivering dignified, high-quality care for patients and families. As chronic illness and aging populations increase, the need for skilled, compassionate providers continues to grow.
This fully online certificate prepares health care professionals to provide expert, person-centered care across settings and specialties. Taught by Ohio State’s expert faculty, the program equips you to apply professional standards, overcome barriers to quality care, and improve lives across the lifespan.
Eligibility requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program
- You can apply while your degree is in progress, but the degree must be awarded before you start the program.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last degree earned that is relevant to the program
- Applicants with lower GPAs are still encouraged to apply and will be considered.
- Reside in an authorized state
Time to certificate completion: Three semesters
Number of credits: 12 credit hours
Educational delivery format: The program is offered 100% online and asynchronously (on your own schedule). Most students complete the certificate by taking one or two classes per semester, allowing for completion within one calendar year.
Required Courses (12 Credits)
- Introduction to Palliative Care (3 credits)
- Family Caregiving: Contemporary Issues, Programs & Policies (3 credits)
- End of Life Ethics (3 credits)
- Pharmacologic and Non-pharmacologic Symptom Management for Palliative and End of Life Care (3 credits)
Allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status. You can track the status of your application through your applicant center. Graduate transfer applications can track their application status by emailing OnlineEnrollment@osu.edu.
- Deadline
- Autumn: June 15
- Spring: November 3
- Summer: February 2
- The application and all required materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Decision
- Within a month after the deadline
- The application status will show as “pending” until a decision is posted.
- You will notified of their application decision via an email from Graduate and Professional Admissions. Graduate transfer applicants will be notified of their admission decision via email.
- Accept
- Four weeks post decision to accept your offer online.
- Admission cannot be deferred. If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in a future term.
Elevate your career and become a leader in a high-demand area of patient care. The Palliative and End-of-Life Care certificate is designed to give you the evidence-based skills necessary to provide competent, compassionate care across the lifespan and implement successful care strategies. You will gain a systematic understanding of professional standards and apply your expertise to overcome barriers to quality care.
This certificate provides an essential educational foundation for advancing your career in roles such as:
- Nurses and nursing assistants
- Medical students, doctors, and physician assistants
- Pharmacists
- Physical therapists and occupational therapists
- Social workers
- Chaplains
- Other allied health professionals
Additionally, coursework provides graduate-level preparation for those interested in pursuing further advanced studies in specialized patient care.
How to apply
Complete online application through Ohio State’s Graduate and Professional Admissions. A $60 application fee is required at the time of submission.
Upload a CV or resume no more than two pages in length with your online application.
You must submit official transcripts from all previously attended undergraduate and graduate colleges. This includes transcripts for any post-secondary courses taken during high school or of coursework that appears as transfer credit on another transcript. You do not need to submit Ohio State transcripts.
Transcripts should be sent directly by the sending institution by mail or electronic transfer to be considered official. Refer to this website for instructions on how to submit your transcripts. Direct all transcript related questions to the Graduate and Professional Admissions office at 614-292-9444 or to gpadmissions@osu.edu. You may also upload a copy of an official transcript at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader.
- Initial Submission: You may upload an unofficial copy (not a web-based document) for application review purposes.
- Official Requirement: If admitted, you must submit official transcripts sent directly from your previous institutions. Request these early to meet the deadline.
Submit using the admission uploader.
Refer to Graduate and Professional Admissions for acceptable tests, score requirements and submission instructions.
Applicants must submit all application materials by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline to be considered for admission.
Contact
FAQ
Senior Ohio State undergraduates may petition to take up to two 5000-level courses through the existing senior petition process. Contact your academic advisor for guidance.
As non-degree students, most standard federal or university financial aid and scholarships are not available. However, full-time Ohio State employees may qualify for tuition assistance.
No, courses are only offered during certain terms each year; your plan of study will be based on course availability.
Students are expected to follow their approved plan of study. Discuss any changes with your academic advisor before adjusting your schedule.
This program admits students three times per year for each autumn, spring and summer semester.