certificate

Infection Prevention and Control

Enhance your health care training with infection prevention and control coursework offered through our online certificate program. Gain the skills to transition into this dynamic field. Format: Online

SEE COURSES IN THIS PROGRAM

This program is perfect for...

Professionals in health care and allied health specialties pursuing Infection Preventionist roles
Public health practitioners interested in infection prevention training for acute care hospital settings
Individuals with health care-related field experience in biology, lab technology, medicine, nursing, public health, etc.
Novice Infection Preventionists seeking expanded occupational knowledge

What you can learn.

Hospital epidemiology concepts, methodologies, tools, and techniques for mitigating infection risks
How to identify infections using National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions
Practical approaches to detecting and responding to infectious disease clusters and/or outbreaks
Data analysis for measuring the impact of quality improvement programs
Goal-setting and best practices implementation for meeting patient care needs

Help meet the growing need for Infection Preventionists.

Two medical professionals in protective gear handling medical package

Today, more than ever, health care professionals with infection prevention and control training are in demand. These Infection Preventionists (IPs) are educators whose job it is to proactively address, create awareness around, and work to reduce avoidable germ/disease spread in hospitals and health care facilities.

The UCLA Extension Infection Prevention and Control Certificate program offers nurses, public health practitioners, and other allied health professionals the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills required to become certified in this emerging field.

A unique online certificate program.

A collaboration between the top 10-ranked UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and top five-ranked UCLA Health, the program covers both the academic and practical aspects of an IP career. Instructors are industry experts with invaluable professional and employment insights. All infection prevention and control courses are offered online, to accommodate various learning styles. The program can be completed in one year, from anywhere.

Preparation for board certification.

The infection prevention and control program consists of six four-unit, post-baccalaureate courses, collectively designed to provide the fundamental knowledge required of candidates seeking jobs in the field. The curriculum aligns with the evidence-based competency model of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and serves as a foundation to prepare for the certification exam administered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC).

Format: 100% online
Duration: The program can be completed in 4 quarters

Infection Prevention and Control Certificate Information Session

Join us for a free information session about our Infection Prevention and Control Certificate. If you are a career changer or looking to enhance your skills, meet with our staff and instructors during our interactive Q&A session that will also include a brief overview of the certificate.

Learn More

Learn more about this program by viewing the pre-recorded informational webinar below.

Courses

Click below to view the required and elective courses, if applicable, for this program.

Required (6)

Required Courses

Introduction to Hospital Infection Prevention and Control

PUB HLT X 410

Typically Offered: Fall

Applied Epidemiology for Infection Prevention and Control Professionals

PUB HLT X 411

Typically Offered: Fall

Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Health Care Settings

PUB HLT X 412

Typically Offered: Winter

Prevention and Control of Infectious Agents

PUB HLT X 413

Typically Offered: Winter

Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigations for Infection Prevention and Control Professionals

PUB HLT X 414

Typically Offered: Spring

Healthcare Quality Performance Improvement and Patient Safety

PUB HLT X 415

Typically Offered: Summer

Prerequisites

A minimum of bachelor's degree in a health care-related field*
Minimum GPA of 2.75 in your degree program(s), verified by transcript

*An associate degree in nursing, respiratory therapy, or other allied health field; graduate coursework in a health care-related field, or a bachelor's degree in non-health care disciplines may be considered.

How to Get Started

The first two courses in this program are open enrollment. You may take the first two courses without committing to the program. However, the remaining four courses in the certificate are open only to students who have established certificate candidacy. Establishing certificate candidacy provides many benefits exclusive to our certificate students. To establish certificate candidacy, click 'Apply Now' below. Each class is paid for individually.

When enrolling in courses, we recommend taking them in the order listed below.

4 Consecutive Quarters:

Fall Quarter: 2 Courses - Take PUB HLT X 410 & PUB HLT X 411
Winter Quarter: 2 Courses - Take PUB HLT X 412 & PUB HLT X 413
Spring Quarter: 1 Course - Take PUB HLT X 414
Summer Quarter: 1 Course - Take PUB HLT X 415

Courses are X 400 level, post-baccalaureate offerings in the online asynchronous format. All six courses are required to complete the certificate.

Infection Prevention and Control Certificate Scholarship

This scholarship supports students enrolled in the Infection Prevention and Control Certificate. The scholarship recipients can utilize their award for course registration fees in the Infection Prevention and Control Certificate beginning in Fall Quarter 2025 and have one year from the date of their award to utilize the scholarship amount.

Scholarship Award Conditions
Please note the following stipulations:

Awardees must follow the four-quarter schedule and complete the certificate in one year.
Awardees must apply and pay the candidacy fee for the certificate before registration fees are covered.
Awardees must attain a letter grade of “B” or higher in each course to maintain eligibility for the scholarship.
Scholarships are nontransferable and will expire within one year of the award date.

Eligibility Criteria
The following eligibility criteria will be checked and confirmed for all final candidates by UCLA Extension.

Candidates must be a new student to the program registering in Fall 2025.
Candidates must submit their application by 11:59pm (PT) on the deadline of August 15, 2025. Applications will be accepted starting March 1, 2025, at 8:00am to August 15, 2025, at 11:59pm (PT). Only complete applications will be considered.

How to Apply
Complete the following steps before the deadline of August 15, 2025 at 11:59pm PT.

If you do not have a UCLA Extension student account, please create one. Under ‘I’m a New Student,’ enter your email address to get started.
Next, click the 'Apply Today' button below. Enter your student account username and password and click ‘start application’.
Under ‘My Applications’ you will see ‘AP0667 Infection Prevention & Control.’ Please click ‘Start.’
Answer all questions in the application.
Lastly, click ‘Submit Application’
Submission of applications that are incomplete, late or from students who are not eligible will not be considered. UCLA Extension reserves the right to request additional documentation.

2025-2026 Scholarship Timeline

Application acceptance period: March 1, 2025 -– August 15, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
Application review period and final decision made for scholarship recipients: August 18, 2025 – August 22, 2025
Notification of scholarship winners: The week of August 25, 2025
Fall Quarter 2025 classes start: September 22, 2025

Apply Today

Estimated Cost Breakdown

All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.

Application & Candidacy Fee

175.00

Estimated Program Tuition

14370.00

Estimated program textbook/materials

500.00

Apply Now

*The Application & Candidacy Fee establishes your candidacy in the program for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion and may allow you to access a variety of program benefits.

Internships
Available

Approved for
International Visa

VA Benefit
Eligible

Federal
Financial Aid

**Federal Financial Aid Gainful Employment Disclosures

The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges and universities to disclose certain information for any financial aid eligible program that, “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. This information includes program costs; occupations that the program prepares students to enter; occupational profiles; on time completion rate; and for the most recent award year: the number of students who have completed the program, the number of students who complete the program within the estimated duration, the job placement rate, and the median Title IV and private loan debt incurred by those who complete the program. For gainful employment information for this program, visit our Financial Aid page.

Instructors

Instructors have a range of experiences, including public health, epidemiology, and medicine. They hold leadership positions at reputable institutions, including, but not limited to, UCLA Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Program faculty hold advanced degrees in subjects including medicine, public health, and epidemiology; guest lecturers will include infectious disease physicians and former Epidemic Intelligence Services (EIS) officers from the Centers for Disease Control.

Advisory Board

The advisory board includes licensed, practicing health care professionals representing the field of infection prevention and control. Members participated in the development and review of the curriculum, identified instructors, and provided guidance on program admission requirements. They include:

Zachary Rubin MD, Chief Medical Epidemiologist, LA County Department of Public Health
Daniel Uslan MD, Co-Chief Infection Prevention Officer, UCLA Health
Shira Shafir PhD, Associate Professor, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Kyle McJunkin PhD, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Shaunté Walton, MS, CIC, System Director, Clinical Epidemiology & Infection Prevention, UCLA Health
Sherry Watson-Lawler, BSN, MBA, CPHQ, Hospital Surveyor, Division of Accreditation & Certification Operations, The Joint Commission
David Sampson, Director, Media Relations, UCLA Health

Interested in additional infection prevention courses?

We offer additional courses that can expand your infection prevention knowledge and skills. Please note, these courses do not apply toward the Infection Prevention and Control Certificate.