More than ever, the healthcare field needs well-educated leaders. If you are passionate about helping others by becoming a manager, researcher, educator, or expert in the healthcare industry, you should consider earning a Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree.
DHSc graduates are eligible to work at the uppermost levels of the health and wellness field, as their doctorate prepares them for a career in health leadership. DHSc students are taught similarly to Ph.D. students but often experience more flexibility, practical training, and less time in school.
How do DHSc programs do this? By offering students a versatile and online program offering, with concentrations in three areas: Clinician, Nutrition, and Education.
Below we explain what University of Bridgeport’s (UB) Health Sciences DHSc online program offers, and the three concentrations available to our students.
What is the DHSc Online Program at UB?
The Doctor of Health Sciences degree at UB prepares students for a career solving public health problems and influencing healthcare policy through research-backed local, state, or federal decision-making.
In our program, students develop the skills and experience necessary to lead healthcare centers, write public health policies, and even educate future health professionals at the college level.
By learning from our faculty of expert clinicians, healthcare providers, and public health professionals, students will understand best practices in all areas of the healthcare system.
Our Health Sciences DHSc Curriculum
University of Bridgeport’s Health Sciences DHSc degree is an online doctoral degree program, designed with busy working professionals in mind.
Students can take advantage of fully online coursework, including a four-week virtual seminar at the culmination of the program. With three start dates per year—spring, fall, and summer—this online model allows students to continue working while advancing their health sciences careers.
Our 61-credit program includes the following:
- 18 credits of core coursework
- The choice of one 12-credit specialized concentration track
- Clinician
- Clinical Nutrition
- Education
- 18 credits of electives
- 13 credits for the dissertation and seminar
- Four-week virtual residency at the end of the program
Our program ensures students hone their skills in research, evidence-informed care delivery, education, curriculum development, and public health. Students can complete UB’s Health Sciences DHSc online program in three years.
Health Sciences Concentrations Available Through the DHSc
1. Clinician Concentration
The clinician concentration focuses on managing the clinical aspects of a healthcare facility and improving its outcomes.
Upon completion of this concentration, you will be able to:
- Design strategies to improve clinical practice guidelines, clinician performance, and improved outcomes in a healthcare environment.
- Collaborate with your staff to address shared goals, like improved efficiency or satisfaction among patients and healthcare providers.
- Examine gaps between the outcome of best practice and the current practice in healthcare facilities and environments.
Classes in the clinician concentration at UB include:
- Lifestyle and Health Issues
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Integrative and Complementary Medicine
- Advanced Disease Processes and Treatment
2. Clinical Nutrition Concentration
The clinical nutrition concentration consists of four courses:
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition I
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition II
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition III
- Advanced Clinical Nutrition IV
These courses allow students to focus on integrative nutrition and functional medicine in metabolic and cardiovascular health, digestive health issues, chronic and degenerative diseases, and integrative nutrition and functional medicine in neurological and behavioral disorders.
Each course also includes critical assessment and evaluation of current Evidence-Based Nutrition (EBN) and other interventions.
3. Education Concentration
By selecting the DHSc education concentration at UB, you will learn how to improve higher education student outcomes and meet the rigorous standards for leadership positions in the field.
Students take the following courses in the DHSc education concentration:
- Teaching in the Health Professions
- Educational Assessment
- Curriculum and Syllabus Development in Higher Education
- Pedagogy and Teaching Strategies for College Instructors
Students also can do the following upon completion of this track:
- Create educational programs that prepare participants to serve as influential health professionals in complex healthcare environments
- Evaluate gaps in academic research to support the effectiveness of training health professionals
- Design and test educational innovations to support improved outcomes in healthcare education
Health science careers make up a substantial portion of the U.S. economy. UB’s DHSC online program graduates are well-prepared to take advantage of this high-demand industry in healthcare administration, advanced clinical practice, research, and teaching in higher education. Learn about the career options here.
If you are passionate about healthcare and making a difference in people’s lives, the Health Sciences DHSc online program at UB is an excellent choice. Financial aid is available, and we accept applications on a rolling basis.
Additionally, our comprehensive support services will guide you through this program and into the next step of your career as a healthcare professional. So apply and start your future today!