Graduate Certificate in Clinical and Translational Research

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Make an Impact on Patient and Community Health

   100% Online

   20 Months*

The George Washington University’s (GW) online graduate certificate in Clinical and Translational Research quickly prepares you for a role as the primary clinical trial investigator on multi-site projects. By completing the Clinical and Translational Research Graduate Certificate, you explore clinical trials management and learn to improve patient and community health as you understand how science and clinical research methods move from the bench to the bedside.

*The total number of credits and duration of the program depend on the number of transferred credits

 

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Accreditation and Rankings

  • GW is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • #62 Best National University*
  • #13 Best Online Bachelor's Programs*
  • #7 for Best Online Programs for Veterans*

* The U.S. News & World Report – 2024 Rankings

Best Online Programs for Bachelor's 2024 by U.S. News & World Report
Best Online Programs for Veterans 2024 by U.S. News and World Report

 

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Program Highlights

  • 100% online, no visits to campus required
  • The program requires 21 total credits and can be finished in one year
  • All 21 credits can be transferred into the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) in Clinical and Translational Research master’s program

Curriculum

The graduate certificate in Clinical and Translational Research requires successful completion of 21 credit hours, including three credit hours of elective courses, selected in consultation with the program director, from existing online graduate courses in Medical Laboratory Sciences or Health Sciences. All 21 credit hours required for the clinical research certification program are transferable to the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) program for seamless enrollment in the Master’s in Clinical and Translational Research.

VIEW COURSES

 

Program Outcomes

In as little as one year, you will complete 21 credit hours and learn to:

  • Compose competitive grant proposals to fund clinical trials
  • Apply basic, community health, health services, and clinical research methods to improve patient outcomes
  • Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams in diverse research settings
  • Apply expert clinical trials design skills for multi-site projects

 

Who Is the Ideal Student for This Program?

This graduate certificate in Clinical and Translational Research is ideal if you are looking to broaden your skills and serve as a principal clinical trial investigator. This clinical trial certification program also serves as a stepping-stone for those who want to pursue the full graduate degree in Clinical and Translational Research at a later time.

To apply for this clinical trial certification program, you must have previously completed graduate-level courses in Biostatistics and Epidemiology with a B or higher to qualify for admission.

Clinical and Translational Research Career Outlook

Graduates of the clinical research certification program can enjoy rewarding careers with employers across a wide range of health care and research organizations, including:

  • Academic medical centers and research institutions
  • Biomedical organizations
  • Biotech companies
  • Consumer products companies
  • Contract research organizations
  • Defense companies
  • Diagnostics companies
  • Generics companies
  • Government agencies like FDA and NIH
  • Hospitals, medical centers, and other health care settings
  • Medical device companies
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Private research laboratories
  • Clinical trials management companies
  • Clinical trials design companies

 

Admission Requirements

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

  • Completed application
  • 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
  • A bachelor’s degree
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal statement: Please include a 250–500 word essay describing your reasons for undertaking study at the George Washington University, your academic objectives, career goals, and related qualifications including collegiate, professional, and community activities relevant to your program of interest. Include any substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application form.
  • Two letters of recommendation

SEE ALL REQUIREMENTS

Tuition Details

The Graduate Certificate in Clinical and The Graduate Certificate in Clinical and Translational Research program at GW consists of 21 credit hours. Please find the cost per credit hour and total estimated program costs here

Note: Tuition rates are subject to change and additional fees may vary by program. 

GET TUITION DETAILS

 

Meet the Program Director

Samar Nasser

 

GW’s experienced faculty provide you with the rich, practical knowledge and support needed for you to succeed in the program and in your career.

Samar Nasser, PhD, MPH, PA-C

Read Full Bio

Dr. Nasser is an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at the George Washington University. For about 10 years, Dr. Nasser practiced as a physician assistant (PA) in the Hypertension and Vascular Disease Clinic, and assistant medical director of the Recruitment and Clinical Measures Core on a National Institutes of Health Center Grant in Detroit, MI.

During her tenure as a PA, she cared for patients in the out-patient and in-patient settings, as well as those participants in several clinical research trials. While functioning as a PA, she attended the University of Michigan, School of Public Health and obtained her Master’s of Public Health Degree with a specialization in Epidemiology. She then pursued a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in 2011 with a concentration in Physiology, as she also has a passion to teach others and a deep appreciation for how the human body maintains homeostasis and understanding human physiologic functions as they relate to preventative health measures, public health, and the translational research field.

Dr. Nasser has co-authored numerous journal articles and several book chapters focusing on cardiovascular disease/hypertension and ethnic disparities. Her expertise is focused upon evaluating the factors impacting racial disparities, specifically cardiovascular, and translating evidence-based methods to curb these effects.

Curriculum Details   

21 TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED

The graduate certificate in Clinical and Translational Research program (100% online) requires successful completion of 21 credit hours, including three credit hours of Elective Courses, selected in consultation with the program director, from existing online graduate courses in Medical Laboratory Sciences or Health Sciences.

All 21 credit hours are transferable to the MSHS in Clinical and Translational Research program for seamless enrollment.

Core

CTS 6201 Critical Analysis of Clinical Research (3)

Students develop the academic skill sets necessary to succeed in this program in the context of exploring scientific, clinical and regulatory concepts required in medicines development. Students demonstrate their critical analysis skills through literature research, analysis of information from various perspectives, and formulating their own opinions in choosing their ‘defendable positions’, rather than stating the “correct answers”.

CTS 6205 Clinical Investigation (3)

Analysis and evaluation of study design strategies and current practices for major therapeutic areas of clinical research (e.g., vaccine development, cardiovascular disease, anti-infectives, CNS, etc.)

CTS 6246 Clinical and Translational Research Capstone Project (3)

This class is designed for early independent investigators in Clinical and Translational Research as a capstone This course will allow students to apply the knowledge gained throughout the program through the completion of an independent, mentored research project (i.e., original research manuscript, review article, etc.)

CTS 6261 Foundations in Clinical and Translational Research (3)

Overview and analysis of the translational research principles and practice through the application of basic, clinical, community health and health services research concepts. Emphasis is on persuasive communication, conceptually based hypotheses and research methods and the grant application process, including communicating.

CTS 6265 Grantsmanship in Translational Health Science (3)

Writing grant proposals to fund clinical research, with an emphasis on translational research proposals. The development and submission of a transdisciplinary research proposal that responds to a Call for Proposals from an external sponsor, such as the National Institutes of Health.

CTS 6275 Transdisciplinary Research Proposal (3)

The integration of competencies acquired throughout the program Foundational and practical principles and their impact on collaborative and team science engagements. Restricted to PhD candidates in translational health sciences; permission of the instructor may be substituted.

CTS 6286 Leadership, Professionalism, and Team Science in Clinical and Translational Research (3)

The principles and practice of leadership, professionalism, and teamwork as it relates to clinical and translational research focusing on collaboration, communication, and health equity.
Prerequisites: Students should have foundational knowledge related to research conducted by a clinical translational research (CTR) team and proficiency in the skills needed to conduct research.

 

Key Dates

  Summer 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
Application Deadline March 20, 2024 July 20, 2024 December 1, 2024

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted to the graduate certificate in Clinical and Translational Research program (100% online), you must have:

Completed application
3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
A bachelor’s degree
Resume/CV
Personal statement: Please include a 250–500 word essay describing your reasons for undertaking study at the George Washington University, your academic objectives, career goals, and related qualifications including collegiate, professional, and community activities relevant to your program of interest. Include any substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application form.
Two letters of recommendation
Previous work experience: Health care experience preferred
Applicants for this program must have successfully completed a graduate-level course in Epidemiology and Biostatistics before entering into the program.
Application fee: A non-refundable application fee of $80 is required. The application fee is waived for active-duty U.S. military, current GW students, degree-holding GW alumni, current McNair Program Scholars, and graduates of minority-serving institutions (MSI).
Official transcripts from every college and university attended. All non-U.S. transcripts (including those in English) must be evaluated by an accredited foreign credential agency. Please find the list of member organizations here: https://www.naces.org/members.

International Students

International students should check with individual programs regarding eligibility for visa sponsorship. Generally, online and hybrid programs are not eligible for student visa sponsorship from GW. This would include transfer students from any other institution with an existing visa.

Official transcripts from institutions outside the U.S. must be accompanied by an official transcript evaluation from an accredited independent evaluating agency. Please be sure you request a detailed evaluation that includes all course titles, credit hours, grades, U.S. degree equivalency, grade-point averages (GPA), and date of degree conferral. For a list of acceptable foreign credential evaluation services, please visit NACES.

Applicants who are not U.S. citizens are also required to submit official test scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Pearson’s Test of English (PTE) Academics or the academic International English Language Test System (IELTS). To be considered for admission, there are required scores that you will need to meet. Score requirements may differ by school and program so check the admissions requirements for your program.

Supporting Documents and Official Transcript

Documents and Official Transcripts not submitted online should be mailed to:

Mail: George Washington University
ATTN: Transcript Processing Center
8300 Norman Center Dr
Suite 400
Bloomington, MN 55437 

Alternatively, official electronic transcripts can be sent to: transcripts@hsprograms.gwu.edu

Contact Us

As you explore our programs at George Washington University, our dedicated staff is here to support you. If you have any questions or want to know more, click the "Request More Information" button below, or email  info@hsprograms.gwu.edu.