MS in Health Professions Education

What does the MHPE prepare you to do?

This program will enable you to fulfill your academic goals, refine and enhance your skills and take you to the next level of academic leadership. This program will prepare you to take on new academic roles as a transition from or in addition to clinical care or to advance your career within academia. In addition, this program will provide you with the skills necessary to excel in leadership roles such as Residency Director, Fellowship Director, Clerkship Director, Assessment Director, and Curriculum Director. 

What is unique about the Jefferson MHPE program compared to other programs?

In addition to teaching the core concepts in health professions education, the MHPE program leverages Jefferson’s unique strengths in Interprofessional Education through the Jefferson Center of Interprofessional Practice and Education (JCIPE), in simulation and in scholarly inquiry. The true interprofessional nature of the course is evident in the faculty team that has designed and taught the course. It has a specialized elective track from prospective and current medical residency leadership. It is the only program to offer prior learning assessment (PLA) credits for medical residents and fellows.

What are the admission requirements?

The admission requirements to the MS in Health Professions Education are:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in the health professions, or a related field – with significant experience in a health profession setting from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended
• Curriculum vitae, or résumé
• English language proficiency for international applicants that may be satisfied by college or graduate degrees from US institutions or English-speaking countries, or satisfactory scores on the TOEFL (≥80, no subscore below 20) or IELTS (≥6.5) exams
• Statement of intent of 500 words or less describing career goals, philosophy on education, and any experience with instruction, curriculum development or assessment
• No GRE required; no references needed; no letter of recommendation needed

Are credits awarded for residencies & fellowships?  

Our program is the first MS in Health Professions Education in the US to award academic credits for the work completed during a residency and/or fellowship program. Prior learning assessment (PLAs) credits for medical residents/fellows are calculated on an individual basis and can be used as elective credits.  The number of credits will depend on the number of didactic hours completed during residency/fellowship that align with the master's competencies and objectives. We will require some basic documentation from you and your residency/fellow coordinator/director in order to award PLAs credits.  

What does the roadmap of this program look like? 

The core courses are required which make up 18 credits of the masters; you have many electives to choose from to complete the rest of the 12 credits required to graduate. The core courses also include a capstone course; you will complete a scholarly project throughout the Master that applies directly to your current academic work.   

How many credits are required per semester? 

As this program is designed for full time working faculty, you can choose to take 1 course at a time and stretch out the length of the program, or you can take 2 or more courses a semester and complete the program in two years.  

What is the anticipated time commitment per week?

On average a student can expect to have 2-3 hours of course work and 3-6 hours of independent work per week.

What is the estimated size of the class cohort?

Class sizes will vary depending on the course. Expect an intimate cohort for most courses so faculty can provide one-on-one attention to each student. Each course will have students from different backgrounds and professions to give you the ideal educational experience.   

Does this program have any in person/virtual meeting times?

Any in-person meetings will be held virtually and in the evenings.

Are virtual courses synchronous or asynchronous? Does this program have any in person/virtual meeting times? 

Courses are virtual and largely asynchronous. Courses may have a range from 1-4 synchronous sessions during their 15 week duration, but these will be scheduled to fit most students’ schedules. Any of these in-person meetings will be held virtually and in the evenings.  

How many credits are required per semester?

As this program is designed for full time working faculty, you can choose to take 1 course at a time and stretch out the length of the program, or you can take 2 or more courses a semester and complete the program in two years.

What is the cost per credit?

Tuition Cost per credit: $853/credit + fees. Tuition web page.

Are Jefferson employees eligible for Tuition assistance?

Details and Eligibility details can be found through HR by logging into the employee portal.

Will I be eligible for financial aid?

Yes. Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are interested in receiving federal or state aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Graduate students enrolled as degree seeking with at least six (6) credit hours per semester can be considered for the federal direct unsubsidized Stafford loan and the graduate PLUS loan. Prospective students who have questions about financing their education should visit Jefferson Financial Aid website.

Can international students on a visa apply for this program?  

International students on a VISA can enroll into the MS program. Please look at English language requirements above. They will not be able to use the MS program to renew and/or extend their visa once the original work/study-related exchange program approved for the visa ends. Since the MHPE is fully online, it does not give students the ability to get a VISA to enter/stay in the US. Prospective international students can reach out to the Office of International Services for more information