Department of Health Professions Certificates

Passionate about a specific area of health care? Earn a certificate or digital badge!

The MSU Denver Community Health Worker Certificate will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill established Colorado Community Health Worker Core/Professional Competencies in the field and practice of Community Health Workers.   Community Health Workers (CHWs) are critical members of the public health workforce that link communities to health and social programs to promote access to services and improve the quality and cultural responsiveness of care delivery. The certificate includes 5 required courses (see below section) that align with the Colorado CHW Core/Professional Competencies.  Students who complete the 5 courses will have demonstrated the acquisition of knowledge and skill in these identified competency areas. Students must maintain a “C” or better in all courses, and minimum GPA of 2.0 to earn the certificate.

The MSU Denver Community Health Worker Certificate program will be part of the Statewide CHW training structure, which will include a credentialing process.  Upon completion of a credentialing exam, students may be entered into a statewide Community Health Worker Registry.  For more information on this Statewide Community Health Worker structure, please visit the Colorado Department of Health & Environment, Community Health Worker Workforce website.

Earning the CHE certificate signifies a high level of education and expertise, and it allows students to sit for Community Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam conducted by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). The CHES exam is required or preferred qualification in the field of community and public health / health promotion, and certification allows work in a variety of healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, government agencies, and educational institutions like schools and universities.

The certificate totals 27 credit, with 9 required courses, 3 credit hours each. These courses align with National Commission for Health Education Credentialing’s (NCHEC) competency areas. Students must complete the 9 courses with a grade of “C” or better. There is an optional course that students can take if they are interested in learning about Peer Health Education in the area of Public Health.

The Aging Services Leadership certificate assists individuals interested in gaining knowledge pertaining to aging, eldercare, and gerontology. The certificate will prepare individuals to understand the cultural, physical, and social aspects of aging along with the aspects of how aging affect populations. The certificate will prepare individuals to apply administrative principles required in the management of aging services such as nursing home, long term care settings, and home health services. The certificate includes required pre-requisite and core courses along with elective courses in which students can tailor the certificate to meet specifications of their career goals.

Learn more about the Aging Services Leadership Program

The Aging Services Leadership Certificate requires the following courses and electives. In addition to the courses listed below, many courses will require prerequisite courses prior to registration.

Academic Accreditation is an assurance of the quality of an academic program. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, including Colorado and 18 other states. The mission of the HLC is to serve the common good by assuring and advancing the quality of higher learning. For more information, please visit the Higher Learning Commission.