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.

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.

Please note that the Master of Science in Palliative Care (MSPC) program is no longer participating in the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) for students applying for Fall 2027 and beyond..

Questions 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.

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.

Gather all the information you need to take your next steps in one of our information sessions. Information sessions are offered virtually at various times each month. Each session will give you the opportunity to ask questions about the format, curriculum, outcomes, and more. Register for an information session here or you can watch a recorded information session.

Unfortunately, the certificate and master's courses do not fulfill CME or CE requirements.