EdD Curriculum

*Students earn the ImPACT® Trained Athletic Trainers (ITAT) certification and 3.0 continuing education units (CEUs).

REQUIRED COURSES

IPE7000 Introduction to Interprofessional Scholarly Studies

This course provides the student with a foundation for success in a post-professional program. Emphasis is on interprofessional communication and collaboration, ethical decision-making, location and use of scientific evidence, professional writing including prevention of inadvertent plagiarism, and resources available to students to support their learning and success in the post-professional program.

EDF7050 Teaching Methods in Higher Education

This course allows learners the ability to examine the basic concepts associated with teaching and learning within higher educational environments. Emphasis is placed on the application of knowledge to demonstrate mastery of seminar content taking into consideration the needs of adult learners.

EDF7111 Research Methods I

An examination and critical evaluation of research processes including the principles of applied and practical statistical analysis, descriptive statistical approaches, evaluation of research theory, and the various quantitative and qualitative research designs utilized in the health science fields, with a special focus on educational research.

EDF7121 Research Methods II

An examination of research applications and methods using inferential and predictive statistical analysis commonly used, as well as qualitative and quasi-experimental approaches. Focus is on developing the authentic skills necessary for research practice in the health sciences and educational settings, including the skills necessary to publish and present research in peer-reviewed forums. Prerequisite: Research Methods I.

EDF7175 Foundational Theory in Education

An in depth study of the historic and current theories in education. Students will evaluate, synthesize and apply the educational theories to a classroom setting for health sciences education. A culminating e-portfolio project will allow the student to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of theoretical models in light of innovative educational delivery.

EDF7171 Motivation Theory in Education

This course provides a discussion and investigation into the causes of behavior from the theories of Motivation generated in Education research. Students will examine questions related to how students and patients develop motivation to complete tasks, participate in activities, and learn.

EDF7200 Residency I

This course will serve as an introduction to a variety of topics and will occur over the course of one weekend on the Florida Campus. There will be didactic classroom sessions with invited guest speakers, as well as debates, presentations and Q and A sessions. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with faculty and to interact with other students in a face-to-face manner. There will be written and interactive online assignments to align with the topics presented on campus. It is expected these activities would be completed in 2-3 days. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Introduction to Doctoral Studies.

EDF 7225 Residency II

This course will serve as an advanced presentation of topics that will build upon Residency I. There will be didactic classroom sessions with invited guest speakers. Students will spend time focused on developing a dissertation topic, working with advisors, and completing their final preparations for beginning their dissertation work. There will be interactive and online assignments to align with their topics. Students will be asked to make a teaching presentation and will be evaluated by peers and faculty during this time. The focus of this residency will be moving the student from coursework to the more independent work required in the latter portion of the curriculum. Prerequisite: Residency I.

EDF7325 Dissertation Research Preparation

Focus is on the successful passage of the written comprehensive examination, certification in research ethics and human subjects’ protection, formation of the dissertation committee, and approval of the dissertation topic to move forward in the dissertation process.
Course Prerequisites: Completion of 44 credits of coursework (all courses except this course and EDF 7870 Dissertation). In some cases, the Program Director may wave this.

EDF 7871 Dissertation, EDF 7872 Dissertation II & EDF 7873 Dissertation III

Dissertation I, II, and III

As part of the doctorate of education program, students will have three terms in which the milestones for Dissertation I, II, and III will need to be completed. Students are required to take a minimum of 12 dissertation credits until completion of the dissertation. This component of the program requires students to work independently on a research study or project, with weekly communication and in close collaboration with their dissertation chair and committee members. Requirements, product type, and details are outlined in the Dissertation Handbook. Successful completion will culminate in an oral defense of the product.

GENERAL ELECTIVE COURSES

EDF7160 Curriculum Development in Health Sciences Education

Through application of sound educational principles, theories, and research evidence, the student will demonstrate knowledge of learner-centered curriculum development and program assessment for academic, clinical, and staff development settings. Curriculum development will include identifying program philosophy and outcomes, developing competency statements, writing course objectives, and selecting appropriate learning activities and evaluation methods. Problem-based learning will be explored for its application to health sciences education. Both initial curriculum development and strategic plans for change will occur in collaboration with external constituencies and within the context of current and future trends in health care, community and societal needs, and the health care environment. Prerequisite: Successful completion of core coursework.

IPE7120 Organizational Leadership and Policy in Health Care

Effective organizational leadership in healthcare is critical for developing, implementing, sustaining, and modifying appropriate policies to address major health concerns including controlling costs, increasing access to services, improving the quality of health services, and enhancing the effectiveness of program outcomes. A skilled workforce, ethical and trained leaders, and effective policies are integral to the implementation of programs and services that successfully promote the public’s health. The goal of this course is to examine the conceptual, methodological, and ethical foundations of health care leadership and administration leading to the development and analysis of health related policy at all levels. The course will focus on analyzing the process of policymaking in the formulation, implementation, adoption, and modification phases of current health policy through effective leadership and administration.

EDF7180 Technology in Higher Education

It is important for educators to understand both the potentials and pitfalls of technology in education. This course will provide the student with an understanding of learning models and the impact technology can have towards enhancing and enriching the learning process. The primary focus will be the application of teaching and learning strategies that integrate technology as a method or tool to enrich the educational process. Using technology tools for solving a variety of problems, teaching presentation, evaluating student performance, and implementing distance learning systems will also be explored.

EDF7190 Current Issues in Health Sciences Education

This course will allow students to research and choose those current issues most prevalent and most useful to the student in their current learning program. The course will focus on self-guided learning and will drive the student through a process whereby they will explore relevant issues, debate with classmates, and present a final portfolio useful to the student in future teaching endeavors. Possible topics the student may research include: ADA, Higher Education Law, Ethics, Health Care Law, Student Retention, and Advisement.

EDF7250 Teaching Internship

Students will be required to participate in a teaching internship that may be arranged in a variety of differing formats. Students may teach a continuing education course, an online course, or a course for academic credit along with a mentor who will work closely in the development of course materials, content and presentation. Teaching may be done in a traditional face-to-face environment or as part of an online delivery method.

HSC7200 Information Literacy for Evidence-Based Practice

Information literacy is an important skill for evidence-based practice. It incorporates such skills as: recognizing when information is needed, searching for information (including developing a research question and creating a search strategy), incorporating new information into an already established knowledge base, and using information ethically and legally. Multiple studies show that one of the most prominent barriers to EBP among clinicians is limited search skills combined with difficulty accessing evidence. This course can help students develop the information literacy skills they need to incorporate evidence into their practices. The course will also teach students how to use the University of St. Augustine library’s online resources specifically, and help clinicians identify what information resources are available to them beyond the University of St. Augustine.

IDS7455 Independent Directed Study

To receive academic credit for a University course, you must attend the seminar (if available) and complete an assignment that is developed and proposed for approval by your committee and any course advisor to obtain the number of credits listed in the catalog. The format for an independent study proposal may be used for University course assignment proposals. The assignments for learners are thus largely self-directed. You have one trimester (15 weeks) to complete each approved assignment.

NURSING EDUCATION ELECTIVE COURSES

EDF 7324 Contemporary Issues in Nursing Education

This course provides an overview of the history, trends and current landscapes in nursing education. It focuses on the identification and analysis of issues, innovations, global trends, and policies of importance and influence in contemporary nursing education. Topics will include the different types and characteristics of public, private, and for-profit colleges and universities with their variety of entries into nursing practice. Topics include key stakeholders; changing student demographics; student retention; faculty and leadership development; accountability and accreditation; life-long learning; and technology and distance learning.  Discussions will focus on the best curriculum design to meet the challenges nurses face in the healthcare work environment will be examined.

EDF 7182 Innovations in Healthcare Education

This course challenges learners as they explore innovative evidence-based teaching methods and strategies in the development of healthcare curricula for a diverse population of students. Consideration for a variety of adult learning theories, student learning styles, interprofessional foci, and how and why students learn best is incorporated into designing healthcare curricula. A variety of teaching and instructional design strategies that promote active student-centered learning and their appropriate use are examined.

EDF 7260 Assessment and Evaluation in Health Professions Education

Students will learn evaluation methods used in health professions education curriculum. Content includes developing skills to create valid and reliable assessments of student learning using norm referenced and criterion referenced evaluation methods. A variety of classroom assessments will be explored as well as basic psychometric statistics; grading; communicating assessment information; testing ethics; and the use of assessments and evaluations in educational policy decisions. Students will explore assessments used for the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains and current issues and research related to alternatives to standardized evaluation methods, and outcome measurement in education.

EDF 7235 Ethical Principles in Healthcare

This course provides a comprehensive perspective on ethical issues in healthcare education and clinical practice. It takes a practical approach toward contemporary ethical issues surrounding healthcare professions and emphasizes an interprofessional appreciation of ethical decision-making. Ethical principles, theory and decision-making models will provide the foundation for ethical case analysis and other critical thinking activities. Principles and constructs such as morality, goals of professional practice, professional and organizational values, and socio-cultural contexts of a health care will be defined and realistic solutions will be presented with discipline specific emphasis to create an interprofessional classroom culture. Understanding the ethical-legal relationship in areas of greatest risk, minimizing such risk, and gaining the knowledge required to prepare for the circumstances will result from substantive engagement with core content and scenarios.

Leadership in Nursing Education

This course allows learners to demonstrate the ability to lead faculty and staff in important decision-making associated with nursing education. Through use of a simulated virtual learning environment and interactive case studies, learners will apply principles of nursing practice standards, as well as leadership to address commonly faced issues and decisions inherent in nursing educational programs. Collaboration and team building will be primary concepts stressed throughout the course, as learners demonstrate behaviors associated with leadership and management of faculty and staff.

ATHLETIC TRAINING ELECTIVE COURSES

ATP7050 Advanced Topics: Cultural Competence in Healthcare

This course introduces participants to population demographics and their impact on cultural influence with regard to health care. Emphasis is placed on cultural awareness and cultural competence, discussing methods of inclusion and appropriate intervention. Emphasis is also placed on curriculum development.

ATP7135 Advanced Topics: Evidence-Based Injury Prevention

This course highlights the importance of injury prevention from a scientific perspective. Research supporting the evidence of an intervention, effective implementation, cost analysis, and outcomes effectiveness will be discussed. Basic and advanced principles of assessing research are presented. Emphasis is placed on curriculum development.

ATP 7255 Concussions in Sport

A contemporary approach to understanding the prevention, assessment and rehabilitation of sport concussions. This course examines position statements, various methods of neurocognitive testing, legal cases regarding sport concussions, and individual state laws.

ATP7280 Advanced Topics: Psychosocial Patient Care

This innovative course explores the evidence surrounding holistic patient care across the allied healthcare professions. Psychosocial characteristics of effective clinicians are identified and patient education tools for use across clinical settings are presented. Critical examination of contemporary literature serves as the foundation for implementation and application as a health sciences educator. Emphasis is placed on curriculum development.

ATP7100 Advanced Topics: Ethics in Healthcare

A practical approach toward contemporary ethical and legal issues surrounding allied healthcare professions. Ethical content includes exploring the challenges associated with patient privacy and confidentiality, patient discharge readiness (e.g., return to play), and professional behaviors that relate to unethical decisions. Principles of ethics will be defined and realistic solutions will be discussed. Understanding the areas of greatest risk, minimizing such risk, and gaining the knowledge required to prepare for ethical or legal circumstances will be discussed. Emphasis is also placed on curriculum development for the health sciences educator.

TEACHING & LEARNING ELECTIVE COURSES

EDF 7013 Practical Application of Online Teaching

Learners will understand the tenets of online and blended learning theory and principles in adult learning.  Course design and methodology will be used in applying teaching theories utilized in the creation of engaging online learning activities for the health science learner.  Learners will show proficiency in outlining and developing key content areas within the online classroom through planning and practice while paying attention to the importance of formative and summative feedback. Prerequisite: IPE 7000 Introduction to Interprofessional Scholarly Studies. The instructor or student may seek an exception to the prerequisite via the program director.

EDF7140 Philosophy of Knowledge

Philosophy of knowledge is concerned most fundamentally with epistemology, or in other words, the nature and scope of knowledge—what we know, how we know it, and how we organize what we know into systems such as academic and professional knowledge communities. This course examines how such systems of knowledge have developed in the contemporary world and investigates our beliefs about what can be known. Moreover, the course analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness and consequences to knowledge of dividing the pursuit and practices of knowing into academic and professional disciplines.

EDF7160 Curriculum Development in Health Sciences Education

The focus of this course is a systematic approach to course/curriculum development and instructional design in the health professions. Through application of sound educational philosophies, ideologies and theories, the student will demonstrate knowledge of learner-centered curriculum development and program assessment for academic, clinical, and staff development settings. The seminar will address the following features of curriculum development prospectively in weekly units: curriculum design, writing objectives, selecting appropriate learning activities and evaluating student progress. Current issues influencing curriculum development in higher education and the health profession disciplines will be emphasized.

EDF7190 Current Issues in Higher Education

The Current Issues in Higher Education course will allow students to research and choose those current issues most prevalent and most useful to the student in their current learning program. The course will focus on self-guided learning and will drive the student through a process whereby they will explore relevant issues, debate with classmates and present a final portfolio useful to the student in future teaching endeavors. Possible topics the student may research include: ADA, Higher Education Law, Ethics, Health Care Law, Student Retention and Advisement.

EDF7180 Technology in Higher Education

The Technology in Higher Education course will provide the student with an understanding of learning models and the impact technology can have towards enhancing and enriching the learning process. The primary focus will be the application of teaching and learning strategies that integrate technology as a method or tool to enrich the educational process. Using technology tools for solving a variety of problems, teaching presentation, evaluating student performance, and implementing distance learning systems will also be explored.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP ELECTIVE COURSES

HSA7200 Foundations of Healthcare Administration

Required first course of the Executive Leadership Specialization. Students investigate and analyze the transformational nature of the healthcare environment and the factors affecting the practice of healthcare administration.

HSA7250 Human Resource Management and Organizational Development in Healthcare

Students in this course examine organizational behavior as well as the roles and responsibilities of management and leadership within healthcare organizations through the macro (organization-wide) and micro (individual and team performance) perspectives.

HSA7225 Strategic Planning in Healthcare Administration

Students gain an understanding of the importance and process of formulating, implementing, and evaluating a strategic plan and its effect on organizational performance. The notion of planning as a cyclical process within the healthcare organization is emphasized.

HSA7260 Operations and Quality Management in Healthcare

This course introduces the student to a framework of various concepts and tools necessary for understanding the operationalization of health service delivery processes and their effect on performance outcomes. The essential relationship linking operations and quality management will be revealed.

HSC 7460 Accounting, Finance and Economics

Financial management concepts including budgeting, interpreting financial reporting statements, performing cost variance analysis, understanding the effects of timing on monetary decision-making, exploiting marginal revenue sources, etc. for health care managers are explored using basic health care financial tools.

IPE7120 Organizational Leadership and Policy in Healthcare

Effective organizational leadership in healthcare is critical for developing, implementing, sustaining, and modifying appropriate policies to address major health concerns including controlling costs, increasing access to services, improving the quality of health services, and enhancing the effectiveness of performance outcomes.