PGCert in Hospice Palliative Care is a postgraduate certificate in Health Sciences programme offered by MacEwan University in Edmonton, Canada. The programme runs for 2 semesters, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 16,938 per year (CAD 5,274 per year for local students).
This post-diploma certificate, offered through MacEwan University's School of Continuing Education, prepares nurses to specialize in hospice and palliative care. The curriculum addresses the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual concerns of people living with acute or chronic life-threatening illness, along with the needs of those close to them, covering life, end-of-life, and bereavement processes. All students in the program are required to attend courses on campus at MacEwan's Edmonton location; the certificate is not offered online or in a blended format. International students combining this certificate with the Gerontology certificate must complete both within one academic year, spanning the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer terms. MacEwan partners with the Canadian Nurses Association, giving graduates a pathway to CNA certification in this specialty. The program suits nurses who want to build focused expertise in supporting individuals and families through serious illness, end of life, and bereavement, whether working in hospital, hospice, home care, or long-term care settings. No practicum or clinical placement details are specified on the program page.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: MacEwan's Hospice Palliative Care post-diploma certificate follows the same two admission routes as its companion Gerontology certificate. Regular admission requires applicants to be actively registered in Canada as a Registered Nurse, Registered Psychiatric Nurse, Graduate Nurse with a temporary permit, Licensed Practical Nurse, or Registered Practical Nurse. International admission requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in nursing from a recognized institution. The programme page defers to MacEwan's institution-wide English Language Proficiency Requirement: accepted evidence includes IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each band, TOEFL iBT 86 total with 21 per section (4.5 overall and per section on the new scale from January 21, 2026), Duolingo English Test 115, CAEL 70 overall with 60 per band, PTE Academic 59 overall with 56 per band, and Alberta English Language Arts 30-1 at a minimum blended grade of 75%; scores older than two years are not accepted. All students must attend courses on campus, and international students taking this certificate must also complete Gerontology within the same academic year.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Fall 2027 domestic application deadline: June 30, 2027. Winter 2027 entry: November 30, 2026. International applicants follow the same deadline unless the general international dates (1 May 2027 Fall / 1 Oct 2026 Winter / 30 Jan 2027 Spring-Summer) are earlier.
