Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 ATSU University Catalog 
    
2019-2020 ATSU University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Health Sciences, DHSc


Doctor of Health Sciences Program


The Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) is a post-professional degree designed for master’s or doctorate prepared health professionals. The program aims to develop and enhance the professional skills needed to provide competent leadership in today’s challenging healthcare systems. This advanced degree prepares graduates to better understand and effectively engage in efforts targeting healthcare, wellness, health promotion, health education, public health, and research. The DHSc program provides current health professionals with the knowledge and skills to excel in project management, decision-making, organizational leadership, establishing evidence-based standards, and gaining the competencies to apply research to professional practice.

Students have the opportunity to focus on one of three concentration areas, which include global health, leadership and organizational behavior, and fundamentals of education. The program also promotes application of research to professional practice through completion of an Applied Research Project (ARP). The ARP consists of five courses within the program of study.

DHSc Purpose Statement

The Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) program provides a rigorous interdisciplinary education for healthcare professionals, preparing students to be effective leaders and change agents in a variety of health settings. The program offers innovative curriculum in a flexible, asynchronous format to best meet student needs. Courses are facilitated by experienced faculty through an interdisciplinary and interprofessional approach. Coursework prepares students to critically analyze ongoing domestic and global challenges of access, cost, education and quality in healthcare, and builds competencies to skillfully evaluate, plan and implement solutions to these challenges.  

DHSc Vision

The DHSc program has adopted the vision statement of the College of Graduate Heath Studies, adapting it to the program:

The DHSc program will be the preeminent online program for leaders in the health professions. We will provide a contemporary and flexible curriculum that empowers our students to translate knowledge to meet the growing needs of domestic and global health and wellness.

DHSc Values

The DHSc program has adopted the values of the College of Graduate Health Studies:

Leadership: We value leadership development for our students, faculty, and staff and encourage participation in community and professional service.

Integrity: We value the highest ethical principles of fairness and honesty in all of our interactions.

Scholarship: We value critical thinking and the generation of ideas through innovation and analysis.

Diversity: We value differences among people and their personal and professional perspectives.

Interprofessional education: We value the combined contributions of our educational community and work to achieve an environment of teamwork and collaboration.

Innovation: We value a continual and aggressive push to develop new and efficient mechanisms for learning, teaching, and technological delivery.

DHSc Goals

Goals of the DHSc program are to provide an online environment that:

  1. Promotes diversity of student experiences.
  2. Fosters student success.
  3. Honors professionalism and ethical practice.
  4. Supports a curriculum that develops critical and analytical thinking skills through an integrative approach of instruction, research, and evidence-based resources. 
  5. Promotes and supports excellence in faculty performance in teaching, scholarship, and service.

DHSc Outcomes

Demonstrate advanced knowledge in health sciences fields, scholarship, and evidence-based practice.

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills for designing, conducting, analyzing and disseminating health sciences research.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge in critical analytical thinking skills in foundational areas of health sciences. 
  3. Demonstrate advanced and effective skills in communication, professionalism, ethical practice, systematic thought, and writing.

Length of Program

The Doctor of Health Sciences program consists of 19 courses, or 70 credit hours.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition is due the first day of class. The tuition due each semester is based on the credit hours being taken by the student during that specific semester. Delinquent tuition penalties accrue at 1.5% per month, which is 18% per year.

Tuition Student Technology Fee
$553 per credit hour $32.00 per credit hour

Curriculum

Courses

Descriptions and Credit Values


A typical course schedule consists of the following. Additional course options may be available and listed below under Other Courses.

Other Courses


Fundamentals of Education Concentration Courses


Global Health Concentration Courses


Leadership & Organizational Behavior Concentration Courses