DHSc Course Descriptions

Modern Healthcare

DHSC 821 –Health Equity and Wellness  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Modern Healthcare series presents elements of healthcare cost, access, attainment, wellness and prevention in the context of financial, political, social, and economic influence. With a heavy focus on the social determinants of health, students will explore historical and contemporary trajectories and their associated health impact on the national population as well as historically underrepresented populations.

DHSC 823 – Behavioral Health Issues  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Modern Healthcare series provides students the opportunity to explore the complexities of behavioral health access, funding, and multi-level policy governing the delivery of behavioral health services. The course presents the current and projected epidemiological profile of behavioral health issues in juxtaposition to current funding and policy challenges while exploring promising evidence-based approaches to increasing access and quality of behavioral health services.

DHSC 827 – Organizational Leadership  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Modern Healthcare series explores seminal leadership theories and practice in both public and private organizations. With a heavy focus on case application, students will have the opportunity to explore multiple domains of leadership and style while engaging in self-reflection using standardized instruments, qualitative inquiry, and peer feedback in a relevant healthcare related organization.

DHSC 828 – Interprofessional Education and Practice  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Modern Healthcare series presents the tenants of interprofessional collaboration and practice with an emphasis on cutting edge patient care delivery models. The benefits, challenges, and best practices associated with interprofessional practice will be explored alongside requisite educational elements for health care professionals to become competent, confident members of an interprofessional healthcare team.

Population Health

DHSC 831 – Community Health  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Population Health series provides students with the knowledge, competencies, and skills to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion and disease prevention programs for a defined community. Students will select a specific community, research a pressing public health issue, and design an educational campaign based on the population, health issue, and resources available.

DHSC 833 – Trends in Health Policy  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Population Health series presents the United States healthcare system and examines the structure of the healthcare system including policy process, program management, and evaluation. Particular attention is given to challenges and benefits associated with healthcare reform and Medicaid/Medicare expansion initiatives.

DHSC 837 – Innovations in Population Health  | Credit: 3

This course in the Population Health series explores the public health 3.0 model, high achieving public health departments best practices, and the collaborative impact framework for community health. The emphasis in this course is the process of innovation within community and population health as defined by the Public Health National Center for Innovation criteria.

Organizational Improvement

DHSC 841 – Safety and Risk Management  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Organizational Improvement series focuses on evidence-based practice aimed at improving and monitoring quality metrics, improving safety for both patients and staff, and manage risks in a dynamic healthcare environment. Students will learn to lead teams in a wide variety of quality and risk management initiatives.

DHSC 843 – Strategic Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Organizational Improvement series covers the process, implementation, and evaluation of strategic plans in healthcare related organizations. Divided into phases, students will explore the elements of the strategic planning process, elements of a strategic plan, Key Performance Indicators, Planning within context, Plan communication, Tactical and Action Planning, Plan Integration, and Evaluation.

DHSC 847 – Innovative Healthcare Technology  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Organizational Improvement series explores the role of technology in healthcare delivery. Specific attention is given to disruptive technologies that have the potential to significantly reduce healthcare associated cost, increase access, and promote positive patient outcomes. Evaluation and implementation considerations of technology are also discussed.

Doctoral Research Courses

DHSC 801 – Introduction to Research  |  Credit: 3

This course in the research series introduces the relationship between research and practice, study design approaches and methodologies, and ethical considerations for research. Students will develop research questions and evaluate related literature.

DHSC 815 – Healthcare Research Methods  |  Credit: 3

This course in the research series extends the focus on the research question developed in DHSC 801 to appropriate methodology and study design selection. Students will draft a methodology including participant recruitment, data collection instrument/method, and appropriate data analysis approach to the refined research question. Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed methods approaches will be covered in this course.

DHSC 852 – Research Project I  |  Credit: 3

This course in the research series builds upon DHSC 815 through implementation of the methodology finalized previously. Students will finalize their literature review, obtain final IRB approval, and collect data according to the approved methodology.

DHSC 854 – Research Project II  |  Credit: 3

This course in the research series focuses on the analysis and synthesis of data collected in DHSC 852. Students will employ appropriate analytic technique using technological tools for quantitative or qualitative inquiry for analysis.

DHSC 856 – Research Capstone  |  Credit: 3

This course in the research series represents the final step in the research sequence with an emphasis on dissemination of findings to multiple audiences and through multiple and varied medium. Students will use their findings to aid healthcare related organizations in improvement of organizational, community, and/or patient outcomes.

Health Administration

DHSC 781 – Healthcare Marketing  |  Credit: 3 

This course in the Health Administration series focuses on a customer centric approach for the promotion of health in order to find prospective patients and stay connected with them across various channels. Students will explore various general advertising and branding strategies to facilitate relationships among hospitals, healthcare organizations, physicians, patients, and community.

DHSC 785 – Quality Performance  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Healthcare Administration series focuses on equipping students to utilize quality improvement tools and techniques to effectively achieve an organization’s mission and strategic goals and improve health outcomes of the community. Strategies and approaches such as coaching, change management, and Lean Six Sigma will be covered. 

DHSC 787 – Healthcare Informatics  |  Credit: 3

This course in the Healthcare Administration series presents information and skills necessary for leadership in informatics roles in healthcare systems. Emphasizes design, implementation, and evaluation of electronic health record systems and clinical decision support systems. Also addresses regulatory, reimbursement, ethical issues, and emerging technology in health care informatics.

Interprofessional Education

DHSC 782 – Team Centered Active Learning  |  Credit: 3 

This course in the Interprofessional Education series presents the best practices derived from adult learner theories in the context of team centered active learning approaches to both didactic and experiential health professional education.

DHSC 784 – Program Planning and Implementation  |  Credit: 3 

This course in the Interprofessional Education series covers the principles and processes in adult learner programming, including basic theories and support of concepts in programming process. This course gives special attention to general programming framework, organizational needs and program roles of both professional and lay leaders in healthcare professions and the science of program implementation for health professions students and faculty.

DHSC 786 – Program Assessment & Evaluation  |  Credit: 3 

This course in the Interprofessional Education series presents educational program evaluation with emphasis on theory and conceptual models of evaluation, evaluation design, and environmental practical factors influencing design and implementation of evaluation studies in the context of health professions education.

Rural Health

DHSC 771 – Rural Health Issues  |  Credit: 3 

This course in the Rural Health series examines the social determinants of health in rural contexts.  Specific attention is given to healthcare systems in rural areas, challenges and opportunities with telehealth, and recruitment/retention of healthcare providers.

DHSC 773 – Community Based Participatory Approaches  |  Credit: 3  

This course in the Rural Health series surveys a range of participatory approaches that can be used in community assessment, program planning and evaluation, community-based participatory research, and asset-based community development.  Methods will include PhotoVoice, collaborative visualization, asset inventories, and network/power mapping.  Students will apply theory from participatory rural appraisal (PRA), participatory learning in action (PLA), and popular education.

DHSC 777 – Innovations in Rural Health  |  Credit: 3  

This course in the Rural Health series explores the fundamentals of cultivating innovation in government and healthcare systems.  The course centers on case studies of innovation in rural contexts–across the United States as well as abroad.  Special attention will be given to rurality in the context of philanthropic and governmental funding for innovation, implementation science, and adaptive leadership.