Become a leading health professions educator and scholar.

The Master of Science in Health Professions Education program is flexible, online, and specifically designed for educators in the health professions. You will learn and practice the principles of research methods in health professions education and delve into theoretical and applied foundations of learning.

Learn from award-winning faculty with international recognition, offering expertise in simulation, leadership, assessment, cognitive science, research methods, and health professions education.

preparing the next generation of health professions educators

A Flexible, Customizable Curriculum

The MS in Health Professions Education consists of 8 Required Online Courses, 2 electives, 3 Days of Virtual Synchronous Seminars.

  • Some courses from partner organizations can often be substituted.
  • Complete a scholarly project resulting in a publication-ready research manuscript.

Students can be located anywhere in the world and can take up to five years to complete the program.

 

View Curriculum Plans

Year One

Fall

  • 3-day virtual Innovations Seminar (September)
  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses

Spring

  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses

Summer

  • 3-day virtual Scholarship Seminar (June)
  • 1 semester-long online asynchronous course

 

Year Two

Fall

  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses

Spring

  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses

Summer

  • 3-day virtual Capstone Seminar (June)
  • 1 semester-long online asynchronous course

As you begin the program, you will identify an area of interest for your scholarly project. Throughout your study, you'll explore the issue in depth and capture what you've learned in a publication-ready manuscript, in lieu of a master's thesis. Scholarly projects can cover a wide range of topics.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

  • Build skills in teaching and assessment
  • Generate publishable scholarship
  • Assess and advance educational change
  • Engage in a cohort-based interprofessional experience
  • Connect with an international network of peers and alumni
  • Achieve your goals with 1-on-1 mentoring from expert faculty

Take advantage of our comprehensive curriculum and our unique partnerships to concentrate your study in any of the following areas:  

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Research
  • Policy and Management
  • Simulation-based Education
  • Simulation Operations
  • Combine courses to create a customized concentration
  • Leadership

You will take core MS-HPEd credits (33), then specialize with two electives in your chosen concentration, plus projects related to your that concentration as well.

Applying

MGH Institute welcomes applications from individuals holding a Bachelor’s degree who are credentialed health professionals or work in Health Professions Education in another capacity. Our professional staff will provide information and answer any pertinent questions you have during the admission and financial aid process and will offer ongoing information on tuition and fees.
 

Application Deadlines

We are now accepting applications for Fall 2024 entry on a rolling admissions basis. 

If you have any questions, please email us at Admissions [at] mghihp.edu (Admissions[at]mghihp[dot]edu).
 

Application Fee

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application. There is no application fee required for this program.

Degree

Applicants must have an earned bachelor's degree from one of the following:

  1. A regionally accredited U.S. college or university
  2. An accredited college or university (for those educated outside the U.S.)

Please refer to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation website for additional information on regional accreditation and regionally accredited institutions.

GRE

The GRE is not required as part of the application process. The faculty will carefully consider applicant's previous academic record in the admissions decision.

TOEFL/ IELTS

The language of instruction and clinical education at the MGH Institute is English and a high level of proficiency in both written and spoken English is required. Applicants who have not completed either an undergraduate or graduate program where English is the language of instruction must demonstrate English Language proficiency as part of your application to the MGH Institute of Health Professions.  If you have questions about the language requirements, please contact the Office of Admissions.

  • Applicants who are citizens of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
  • Applicants who are candidates for graduation from an accredited degree-granting program in the United States or at an English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above are also not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Acceptance to the IHP will be contingent upon successful completion of this degree prior to matriculation.

Please note that in some circumstances, demonstrating English language proficiency may be required by the academic program even if you are a citizen of a country in which the (or one of the) national language(s) is English. Decisions about the need for TOEFL or IELTS scores are at the discretion of the academic program to which you are applying in coordination with the department of OES.

The IHP accepts either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The test must have been taken within two years of the application deadline and official score reports are required. The minimum TOEFL (internet-based) score accepted is 89 and the minimum IELTS score accepted is 6.5.  

  • To forward your TOEFL score please contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS).  The MGH Institute of Health Professions code is 3513.
  • For IELTS, a Test Report Form may be mailed to MGH Institute of Health Professions and score information will be verified by the IHP directly. You may designate up to 5 schools to receive Test Report Forms at the time you register for the test.  To request additional Test Report Forms, contact your test center.

Please contact the Office of Admissions if you have any questions about the MGH Institute’s English Language requirements. 

Applicants are required to submit a transcript from each college and/or university attended, even if a degree was not received from that institution. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted throughout the application process, and official transcripts will only be required prior to enrolling in the program.

The Office of Admission strongly encourages the use of online electronic transcript ordering which can be sent directly via email to admissions [at] mghihp.edu (admissions[at]mghihp[dot]edu). If this is not an option and your institution does not participate in electronic transcript delivery, please request official transcripts be sent to the mailing address listed below:

Admission Office
MGH Institute of Health Professions
36 First Avenue
Boston, MA 02129

Applicants that have earned a degree from a non-US institution are required to submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from one of the following NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) members: Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., SpanTran: The Evaluation Company, World Education Services (WES), or the Center for Educational Documentation. If you earned your bachelor's degree outside of the U.S. this credential evaluation must document minimum equivalency of a US baccalaureate degree or higher.

Personal Statement

All applicants are required to compose an essay that addresses the following:

Share/discuss your vision for yourself in the role of health professions educator, including your future goals and plans. Your comments may reflect your personal experiences and beliefs about teaching and learning that have influenced your interest in the area of education.

Specify the types of teaching roles and responsibilities that have contributed to your decision to pursue study in health professions education. You may choose to share stories of influential educators to illustrate your points.

Answers should be typed, double-spaced, and no more than three pages in total. Margins should be no more than one inch, and type size should be no smaller than 10-point, with 12-point type preferred. Please make sure your full legal name is included on each page. The statement of intent should be uploaded directly to your online application.

Diversity Statement (Optional)

MGH Institute of Health Professions is committed to an inclusive campus climate that welcomes students who will enrich the diversity of thought and perspective, and therefore, enhance the learning experiences of all. In what ways might you personally contribute to improving the experience of the campus as a welcoming and inclusive place to learn? 

Essay should be 12 pt. font, double spaced, and two pages in length.

Recommendation Letters

Applicants are required to provide two recommendation letters. All recommendations will be processed electronically through our online application. Please provide contact information for each recommender within the online application.

Recommendation letters should come from individuals who are able to address your academic ability, character and integrity, as well as your potential for graduate professional study. At least one letter should come from an academic reference and one from a professional reference.

An optional third recommendation letter may be included; however no more than three recommendation letters will be reviewed as part of your application.

Resume or CV

Applicants are required to submit a current resume or CV.

Students can submit their FAFSA at fafsa.gov in order to apply for Federal loans. Eligible graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 for every two semester loan period with the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and can also apply for the Federal GradPLUS loan at studentaid.gov. In order to be eligible to borrow Federal loans students need to be enrolled at least halftime which is 5 credits in the fall and spring and 3 credits in the summer.

Tuition Reduction for MGB Employees, Alumni and Affiliates

MS-HPEd Program Onsite at Alfaisal University

The Institute offers its Master of Health Professions Education (MS-HPEd) at Alfaisal University, in Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh. Students will experience a “hybrid” learning environment - 70% of the class sessions for Alfaisal students are held on campus.

Alfaisal students are integrated into the part-time, two-year program with other international and U.S.- based students. They may choose between two tracks within the MS-HPEd: Simulation-Based Education (SBE) to improve their teaching skills in healthcare simulation, and Simulation Operations for administrators, directors, and technical specialists looking to acquire skills in simulation program administration, leadership, and management of simulation technologies to support simulation-based education.

The MS-HPEd program at Alfaisal University includes all the same admissions and pre-enrollment requirements listed on this application requirements page. Please select the "MS-HPEd (Onsite at Alfaisal University)" on your online application for consideration in this program.

The most important and exciting aspect of earning a PhD is the opportunity to master a subfield related to your work and experience while conducting original scholarship that contributes to your subfield and pushes it forward. Students come to MGH Institute from all areas of healthcare with a variety of goals. We offer students an opportunity to apply once, to our MS-HPEd program, and continue through to their PhD without another application. This is especially valuable to students with less experience in health professions education. Our faculty are available to meet with you to help you decide what path is right for you.

 

Schedule a Consultation

Upcoming Events

15 Apr
Apr 15 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm
Virtual - Zoom
13 May
May 13 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm
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Learn from Experts

View All Expert HPED Faculty
Janice C. Palaganas, PhD, RN, NP, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN, FSSH

Founding Director, Center of Excellence in Healthcare Simulation Research Principal Investigator, REBEL Lab Professor, Health Professions Education

Roger A. Edwards, ScD

Chair, Professor Health Professions Education

Anshul Kumar, PhD

Assistant Professor Health Professions Education Genetic Counseling

Anne W. Thompson, PT, EdD

Adjunct Associate Professor Term Lecturer Health Professions Education

janice and peter sit in office chairs turned away from a table and smile at the camera wearing headphones

What's Your Delta? 3 Tips for Faculty Development

This podcast was developed and produced by the Master of Science and PhD in Health Professions Education Programs at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Thought leaders and IHP employees Drs. Janice Palaganas and Peter Cahn discussed popular topics in faculty development and offered 3 actionable tips in each episode.

View All Episodes