Master of Science in Palliative Care
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Master's in Palliative Care Program Overview
Support people and caregivers facing serious and life-limiting illnesses. The online Master of Science in Palliative Care (MSPC) degree program is designed to give you the flexibility you need to earn a degree and grow your expertise in palliative care without putting life on pause. This 33-credit-hour program can be completed fully online in a minimum of 22 months.
Implement new strategies and skills in your current career path or set yourself on a new one. With practical assignments and projects, the MSPC program prepares you to offer consultation and care to patients and caregivers facing serious and life-limiting illnesses in your area. The MSPC program is 100% online with synchronous virtual intensives required twice during the program
Apply by March 1, 2026 and enroll in Fall 2026 classes in order to receive a one-time $500 scholarship.
Program at a Glance
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Tuition In-State$829*Per Credit*2025-2026 Tuition for Colorado Resident or WRGP Approved Student
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Tuition Out-of-State$1,214*Per Credit*2025-2026 Tuition
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Application DeadlineMay 1
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Credit Hours33
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Time To Completion22 Months
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FormatOnline
Application Deadlines
FALL 2026
FALL 2026
APPLICATION OPENS
September 15
FALL 2026
FALL 2026
PRIORITY DEADLINE
March 1
FALL 2026
FALL 2026
FINAL DEADLINE
May 1, 2025
Master's in Palliative Care Program Details
Interprofessional Learning | Walk with people and caregivers through chronic and life-limiting illnesses as you learn to integrate both biomedical and psycho-social-spiritual perspectives into a holistic care plan. The Master of Science in Palliative Care gives you the opportunity to learn alongside an interprofessional body of student peers, from clinical professionals to death doulas and medical ethicists.
Aligned with Your Profession | No matter what kind of professional you are right now — a physician, nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist, social worker, psychologist, therapist or spiritual care professional — our palliative care degree prepares you to provide high quality, compassionate care.
Flexible Education | The MSPC program is offered fully online with two synchronous virtual weekend intensives on Zoom. Because the palliative care programs were developed with working professionals in mind, you also have the flexibility to balance your schedule and take breaks when you need them.
Graduate Certificate vs Master’s Degree Comparison
CU Anschutz offers both a graduate certificate and master’s degree in palliative care, but what’s the difference between the two?
| PROGRAM COMPARISON | Interprofessional Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care | Master of Science in Palliative Care |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | 12 | 33 |
| Time to Completion | 10 Months | 22 Months |
| Curriculum | The graduate certificate consists of the first 12 credit hours of the MSPC program. | Courses cover communication, symptom management, ethics, psycho-social-spiritual aspects of care, systems thinking, and more. |
Jeff Sung, MD MS Palliative Care Alumni
Palliative Care Career Outlook
The key outcome of the MSPC program is equipping you to support and provide excellent palliative care programs in your community. The master’s program in palliative care is designed to prepare a broad array of professionals — physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, spiritual care professional, psychologists, therapists, counselors, child life specialists, death doulas and ethicists — to be Palliative Care (PC) Community Specialists.
PC Community Specialists provide high quality palliative consultation and care to patients and families in their own communities, giving them the choice of treatment outside an academic tertiary medical center. PC Community Specialists represent secondary palliative care. In this comprehensive program, they are:
- linked to tertiary care experts
- equipped to bridge a network of services, and
- prepared to work in and/or develop palliative care services in their geographic areas.
Most MSPC students find employment while enrolled in the program.
Salary Data for Top Roles Associated with Palliative Care
Annual expected salaries for palliative care roles vary depending on the career field. The palliative care programs at CU Anschutz are designed to prepare nurses, physicians, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists and more.
For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median salary of $81,220 in 2022 for registered nurses and $55,350 for social workers. Specializing in palliative care with a graduate degree may increase your earning potential and set you apart from others in your career field. Additionally, many occupations related to palliative care are projected to grow faster than average over the next ten years.
Tuition & Fees
Investing in your future is a big decision, and a degree program at CU Anschutz is an investment that will benefit you for years to come. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you’re making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career.
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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.
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The Master of Science in Palliative Care program participates in the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), which is a tuition-reciprocity arrangement with 15 participating states and one commonwealth. The WRGP program allows students who are residents of these participating states to pay in-state tuition for the duration of their degree or certificate program. In addition to Colorado, the participating states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
WRGP tuition-reciprocity is available to all incoming students who qualify. Those wishing to apply for WRGP status must complete the WRGP application and submit it to the Program Administrator upon admission to the program.
Questions about the WRGP program and application process can be directed to the program administrator at palliativecareamc@cuanschutz.edu
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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.
Admissions
A list of required application materials is available through CU Anschutz Palliative Care Admissions.
International Applicants: Please visit the international graduate student admissions page for more information.
If you apply by March 1, your application will be evaluated immediately after your required materials have been submitted- that means the sooner you apply, the sooner you’ll know if you’re admitted! You will also be eligible for a $500 scholarship if you are admitted and enroll in Fall 2026 courses!
Applications submitted after May 1 will be considered until the cohort is filled. Once the cohort is filled, we will put all other eligible students on a waitlist.
Master’s Degree in Palliative Care Completion Time
The MSPC program can be completed in less than two years (22 months).
Palliative Care Information Sessions
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. You can also meet some of the palliative care faculty members. This is an excellent, no-pressure way to see if the palliative care graduate programs are right for you and learn how continuing your education could fit into your life.
Your application fee will be waived if you attend an information session! Currently, the application fee is $50 for domestic applicants and $75 for international applicants.
CU Anschutz offers flexible and convenient digital learning opportunities. Discover what you can accomplish when you learn from one of the digital education programs at CU Anschutz.