Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality
Become a Leader in Health Care Quality
The George Washington University’s (GW) Online Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality is built on an interdisciplinary, practice-based curriculum and developed to prepare you for a leadership role in quality-based health care. Created in partnership with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), you’ll be prepared with the evidence-based training necessary to meet the rising global need for quality and patient safety specialists.
Quick Facts
total credits
average duration
Accreditation and Rankings
- Fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- #66 Best National University*
- #19 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs*
* U.S. News & World Report‘s 2021 Best Colleges Rankings
Program Highlights
- 100% online, no visits to campus required
- One of four founding HCQ programs certified by CAHME
- The program requires 18 total credits and can be finished in 18 to 24 months
- Created in partnership with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
- All credits can be transferred into the MSHS in Healthcare Quality program
Curriculum
The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality requires successful completion of 18 credit hours. All semester credits earned in this program are transferable to the MSHS in Healthcare Quality.
View CoursesProgram Outcomes
Designed to support excellence in quality improvement and patient safety leadership, GWs online Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality equips you with a survey of practical knowledge and skills necessary to affect health care quality and patient safety within the health care setting. This program will give you the experience and confidence to:
- Analyze the structure and organization of the U.S. health care system
- Implement quality and patient safety initiatives
- Understand political and environmental influences on health care
- Apply patient safety theories, models, and methods to health care quality and safety improvement
Who Is the Ideal Student for This Program?
The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality program is ideal for working professionals who are either just entering the field of health care or who wish to increase their knowledge and skills to advance to a leadership position.
Career Outlook
Students of the online graduate certificate program will be prepared to meet the global need for evidence-based health care professionals. Graduates will be able to establish systems that foster excellence in quality improvement and patient safety leadership, a requirement in patient-centered health care organizations.
Typical positions held by health care quality professionals include:
- Associate Healthcare Director of Provider Quality
- Health Care Associate
- Health Care Quality Analyst
- Quality & Safety Specialist
- Quality Assurance Consultant
- Quality Manager
- RN Quality Improvement Specialist
Admission Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- Completed application
- 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Resume/CV
- Personal statement: Applicants must include a 250–500 word essay describing your reasons for undertaking study at GW, 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.
Tuition Details
The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Quality program at GW consists of 18 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. Please call at (844) 386-7323 for more information.
Get Tuition DetailsMeet the Program Director
Sabrina Figueiredo, PhD
Program Director | Health Care Quality Program
Dr. Figueiredo is a graduate of McGill University where she earned a Master of Science and a PhD in Rehabilitation. Her graduate training involved designing and conducting multiple randomized pilot studies, cross-sectional surveys, longitudinal prospective studies, and systematic reviews. She has a strong background in data analysis, having used complex statistics models such as group-based trajectory modeling.
Prior to her graduate studies, Dr. Figueiredo earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Before joining the GW community, Dr. Figueiredo served as Assistant Professor at the Catholic University in Brazil and at McGill University in Canada. She has extensive teaching experience, including having taught to more than 1000 students, courses such as Biomechanics, Research Methodology, Advanced Research Methods, and Professional Practice, this one covering principles of Global Health and the continuum of care.
During her tenure at McGill University, she was also the Associate Director of the Physical Therapy Program, and oversaw initiatives related to curriculum development, program evaluation, and accreditation. She created a Program Logic Model and an Assessment & Implementation Plan deemed best practices by the Canadian Physiotherapy Accreditation Regulatory Body.
Dr. Figueiredo research portfolio focuses on patient safety, coordination of care, creating innovative measurement strategies to contribute evidence to patient-centered outcomes as well as developing telehealth initiatives to improve physical activity. She has published a book chapter and scientific papers in these fields and has received external funding and awards for her presentations at national and international meetings. With the engagement of faculty and learners and through innovation, Dr. Figueiredo aims to solidify the leadership position of the GW HCQ program in the national context.
Frequently Asked Questions
As you explore an online program at the George Washington University, our dedicated staff is here to support you. If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 844-386-7323.
Visit our FAQ page