For more information contact:
Email: hcsbkl@gwumc.edu
Phone: (202) 994-6220

Spirituality and Health Care Graduate Certificate Program

FAQ

1. Who should take the Spirituality and Health Care Graduate Certificate Program?

This course is for all practicing health care professionals, including physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others.

2. When can new students start the certificate program?

We anticipate that the next cohort of students will enter September 2008 and must apply by April 1, 2008.

3. What is the admissions process for this certificate program?

Prospective students should visit the Admissions page for information on applying for this program.

4. What is the cost per credit hour?

Currently, the cost per credit hour for the programs in the Department of Clinical Management and Leadership (the academic department for the Spirituality and Health Care Graduate Certificate program) is $534 plus a $35 registration fee each semester. There is an expected increase of 4 percent in tuition cost every fall semester.

5. What is the cost of the program?

The estimated cost of the entire program is approximately $8,100. Because it is an online program, the cost is approximately half of the regular tuition at GW. It is a lot, but that is the reality here at GW. Also, there currently is no financial aid available for this program. We hope this helps in your decision-making; we would love to have you join us.

6. Can you tell me more about taking courses online?

The courses run on the same academic calendar as the on-campus courses (14 weeks). Each week you will have a set of readings or assignments from the textbooks for the course. Usually you will be asked to post responses to two or three discussion questions, which will be based on the readings. In addition, you may be asked to respond to one or two of the other students’ postings. Dr. Puchalski will be the instructor for the first course and she will be part of the dialog and provide a “wrap up” each week. There will be 14 weekly sessions, which will open at midnight on Tuesday each week and then close at midnight the following Monday evening. That way you can participate in the discussion at your convenience during the week and/or weekend. As for the time involvement, this is a graduate course, so please expect a graduate-level workload. I would say the readings may be a minimum of a few hours each week, and the discussion perhaps another 1 to 3 hours total. For the first course, you will have one major paper to develop during the 14 weeks.

The course is intended to be interdisciplinary and we indeed have a variety of health care professionals registering, including physicians, nurses, clinical psychologists, chaplains, and others. It is the interdisciplinary nature of the discussions with professionals who are active in clinical practice that is truly amazing as an educational experience.

7. Is there an orientation for distance education (DE) students?

Because you will not be going through the traditional new student orientation, the University has put together a virtual orientation for you. This is the best way to familiarize yourself with the basic tools you will need to work in the DE environment. As you work through the various menu items available in the orientation, you will become acquainted with University procedures and review the basic technical skills required to participate in DE courses. There also are helpful tutorials to walk you through setting up your required accounts and activating Blackboard.

8. How do I find out the requirements for the courses?

Syllabi are not available because courses are updated each semester.

9. What textbooks are required?

The following are the required reference texts for the first course:

Puchalski, C. M. (Ed.) (2006). A time for listening and caring: Spirituality andthe care of the chronically ill and dying. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sulmasy, D. (2006). The rebirth of the clinic: An introduction to spirituality in health care. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

10. Is there anything that will help me be a better DE student?

The following is a recommended reference text for the program:

Watkins, R. & Corry, M. (2005). E-learning companion: A student’s guide to online success. 2nd ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

If you have any further questions about this certificate program, please contact:

Beverly Lunsford, PhD, RN
Program Director, Spirituality and Health Care Graduate Certificate Program
Associate Director, George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health
GWUMC Health Care Sciences
2300 K Street NW, Warwick Building, Suite 313
Washington, DC 20037