Unique Online Program for Nurses and Non-nurses
Interdisciplinary Post-Bachelor’s Certificate
Today healthcare professionals are increasingly using simulation and technology to improve patient care. The field is rapidly evolving and there is growing demand for healthcare simulation educators and experts.
Leading the charge is the UCF College of Nursing, which developed Florida’s first graduate program in healthcare simulation – among only a few programs nationwide.
Students learn best practices from some of the world’s foremost experts in the field at the epicenter for modeling, simulation and training and in UCF College of Nursing’s internationally accredited simulation center.
This program is the first UCF online graduate certificate to attain a “high quality” designation from the UCF Center for Distributed Learning.
No GRE requirement
| Admissions: | Apply by July 1 for Fall |
| Program Length: | Part-time (3 semesters) |
| Program Type: | Online |
Not a nurse? Not a problem! This track is interdisciplinary and open to individuals with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The degree or other preparation must have some relevance to healthcare simulation.
The Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Simulation prepares faculty, nurses, members of other healthcare disciplines, administrators and simulation and technology professionals to design, manage, evaluate healthcare simulations for basic education and improvement of team healthcare delivery.
This innovative online program brings together interdisciplinary teams of healthcare educators, practitioners, computer scientists and engineers to develop and use cutting-edge applications for simulation, training and practice to advance healthcare.
- Develop skills for leading healthcare simulation programs in the areas of education, team training and quality improvement
- Learn best practices and proven, evidence-based tactics of mannequin-based simulation
- Master how to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of simulation programs in the field
Learn from the World’s Leading Experts
Advanced Certified Healthcare Simulation Educators and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educators
An Internationally Recognized Computer Scientist and Engineer
An Advanced Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist
“The healthcare certificate program definitely prepared me for this new role. I have a feeling I’ll be opening up all my old assignments to help me.”
Valorie MacKenna ’20PhD ’20 Healthcare Simulation Graduate Certificate
Accepted a position as the director of simulation-based education at the University of Connecticut School of Nursing upon graduating
- Faculty,
- Alumni,
- Healthcare professionals and educators,
- Individuals who already work in a simulation facility or technology field,
- Veterans who are eligible for education benefits or vocational rehabilitation training,
- Current or prospective students of athletic training, audiology, healthcare systems administration, healthcare systems engineering, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, social work, speech-language pathology, and
- Any other discipline where simulation can be used for educational purposes
- You fulfill the general UCF graduate admissions requirements (see Admissions section of the UCF Graduate Catalog).
- You have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
No. The UCF College of Nursing Healthcare Simulation Graduate Certificate program is for both non-nurses and nurses. Interdisciplinary classes make for interesting dialogue and discussion.
The Healthcare Simulation graduate program at the UCF College of Nursing is:
- Fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE),
- Led by three Certified Healthcare Simulation Educators – Advanced (CHSE-A) who are active researchers in the field,
- Focused on simulation and other innovative technologies, and
- Interdisciplinary in nature, with a team of healthcare educators, practitioners, computer scientists and engineers, and classes with interdisciplinary students.
Yes, all courses are offered online for this program. However, short in-person intensives are possible. For example, students currently meet for an in-person, two-day intensive in the NGR6978 Healthcare Simulation Capstone Project course.
Yes, you may pursue this UCF College of Nursing online program as long as you will be physically located in a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state for the duration of your education.
UCF College of Nursing faculty are authorized to teach in NLC states. Due to nursing education restrictions imposed by non-NLC states, UCF is unable to offer courses, clinicals, or other educational services regardless of modality within non-NLC states. Should you be physically located within a non-NLC state for more than a vacation or brief visit, regardless of your legal state of residence or the type of license you have, you will be unable to apply or continue your nursing degree program at the UCF College of Nursing. This includes, but is not limited to, students accepting traveling nurse positions in a non-Nurse Licensure Compact state.
UCF is also an approved institution of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Membership in NC-SARA requires the university to disclose information regarding state licensing and certification requirements for the selected program of study when licensing and/or certification are a requirement to practice in the profession after graduation.
While licensure or certification may be available in this field of study, this program does not lead to such licensure or certification upon graduation. The professional preparation you receive in our program may still assist you in such pursuits; however, we are unable to confirm the specific licensure and certification requirements of each state, territory, or foreign entity in which professional credentialing may be possible. If you intend to pursue such credentialing in your state or elsewhere, we advise you to contact the applicable state credentialing authority to familiarize yourself with its specific requirements and determine if our program meets its academic criteria.
You are welcome to contact the College of Nursing’s Assistant Dean of Students with questions in this regard, and we will do our best to assist you in your career planning.
Yes, the online format is convenient and allows for flexibility around your work schedule. However, the graduate program is rigorous in nature and will require time and commitment to studies.
Visit our Graduate Certificate Admissions page for details on the application process and requirements.
Florida’s First
Interdisciplinary healthcare simulation graduate program – and one of only a few nationwide.