Courses DHA

This course prepares learners for doctoral-level coursework in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Throughout the course, learners analyze and evaluate how the scholar-practitioner model provides guidance for developing competencies in effective and ethical health care leadership, including professional and interprofessional collaboration, communication, inclusion, and decision making. Must be taken during the learner’s first quarter. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

Learners in this course examine various innovative health care practices, including creating a culture of accountability for personal, departmental, and organizational performance. Learners evaluate their abilities as change leaders and assess their readiness to accept responsibility for their organizational performance. Learners also demonstrate the skills needed to communicate effectively, take initiative, and reflect industry standards in the workplace. For DHA learners only.

The focus of this course is appropriate use of financial information in the health care organization’s decision making process. Learners examine fundamental components of organizational stewardship, including information management; short- and long-term investment planning; and ethical, professional, and social accountability. Learners also demonstrate the skills needed to develop and implement short- and long-term organizational projects in the health care environment and garner the stakeholder support necessary for achieving the financial goals and objectives of the health care organization. For DHA learners only. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this course, learners investigate the impacts of health care policy and legislation on the availability of, access to, and cost of U.S. health care. Learners examine the implications and consequences of specific health care legislation; analyze the values and assumptions underlying changing priorities in health planning and resource allocation; evaluate the combined effects of social, economic, ethical, legal, and political forces on health care; and assess ways of addressing current gaps in health care policy. 

Learners in this course critically evaluate research in order to gain an understanding of the scientific methods of inquiry and the ethical considerations of research. Learners develop and apply skills needed to become educated consumers and creators of research. Learners also use their research design skills to analyze and apply research methodologies, validity, reliability and other components of scientific research related to their field of interest. Learners may only earn credit for PSY7860 or RSCH7860. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this course, learners investigate the fundamental concepts needed to conduct quantitative research. Learners examine and apply quantitative research techniques; appropriate applications of quantitative research; research design, measurement, and analysis, and their associated interdependencies; variable types and levels of measurement; sampling; descriptive and inferential statistics; and hypothesis testing. Learners define the strengths and limitations of descriptive statistics, analyze the quantitative scales of measurement, review the logic of probability and null hypothesis testing, and leverage technology when applicable. Learners also determine the steps necessary to ensure human subjects protection, and consider methodological adaptations when conducting research with vulnerable and diverse populations. Learners may only earn credit for PSY7864 or RSCH7864. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

Learners in this course assess the fundamental concepts needed to conduct qualitative research. Learners practice qualitative research techniques; appropriate applications of qualitative research; the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research design, sampling, and analysis and their associated interdependencies; and leverage technology when applicable. Learners also determine the steps necessary to ensure human subjects protection, and consider methodological adaptations when conducting research with vulnerable and diverse populations. Learners may only earn credit for PSY7868 or RSCH7868. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this ten-week virtual residency, learners develop and evaluate proposed topic areas and theories for their doctoral project. Learners analyze the literature on potential topics to assess relevance to the discipline and potential methods to use in the doctoral project. Learners gain an understanding of the writing, research, and critical thinking skills necessary to complete the final project. Further development of the doctoral project is determined through a final assessment. This residency includes required synchronous sessions. For DHA learners only. Grading for this course is S/NS. Prerequisite(s): DHA8026, RSCH7864, RSCH7868.

In this ten-week virtual residency, learners apply writing, research, and critical thinking skills by identifying a problem, developing project questions, and finalizing a project topic that is appropriate for the program. Learners use evidence to support the selection of theories, problems, and questions to guide further refinement of their topic. Learners establish an appropriate topic area, preliminary project design, and begin development of a literature review. Further development of the doctoral project is determined through a project topic framework. This residency includes required synchronous sessions. For DHA learners only. Grading for this course is S/NS. Prerequisite(s): DHA-V8925. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

Learners develop an understanding of the current compliance and regulatory issues health care leaders face and demonstrate the skills needed to develop a strong organizational compliance program. Throughout the course, learners gain the knowledge and skills needed to align current regulatory compliance mandates to current health care organizations. For DHA learners only.

Learners in this course develop a strategic orientation to evaluate short- and long-term operational and organizational performance goals. Learners analyze organizational systems, processes, and designs from a strategic perspective and examine various methods of strategic planning, including the use and upgrading of information management systems as a means of improving organizational outcomes within the health care environment. Learners also demonstrate the interpersonal communication and strategic decision-making skills health care administrators use to influence and optimize results. For DHA learners only.

In this course, learners explore human resource management strategies, tools, and issues related to the changing world of work. Learners analyze the ways in which HR professionals support the creation of innovative, engaging and productive work to meet the needs of the contemporary and future workplaces. Learners also examine the human resource components of employee engagement to include organizational design, leadership, career development, communication, flexibility, and virtual work environments. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this course, learners explore leadership practice in complex and dynamic environments. Learners use systems thinking and organizational theory to analyze leadership practice within the framework of organizational systems and evaluate the role of systems thinking in organizations to develop innovation in complex environments. Finally, learners apply these concepts to leadership practice. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this course, learners analyze the literature on leadership styles and theories, as well as more practical aspects of creative thinking. Throughout the course, learners cultivate their literature knowledge with scholarly and practical content from completed research studies. Learners also identify gaps in practice using established methods of gap analysis and consider specific actionable responses to the gaps. Learners investigate an array of leadership project ideas and current scenarios based on real world problems as found in the business literature.  Prerequisite(s): BMGT8614 or DB8420 or DHA8032 or NHS8051. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

In this course, learners  analyze the literature on strategy and innovation theories, as well as more practical aspects of creative thinking. Throughout the course, learners cultivate their literature knowledge with scholarly and practical content from completed research studies. Learners identify gaps in practice using established methods of gap analysis to consider specific actionable responses to the gaps. Learners investigate an array of strategy and innovation project ideas and current industrial, product-based, or market-based scenarios.  Prerequisite(s): DB8420 or DHA8032. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.

This course provides learners with resources, guidance, and support as they fulfill the required milestones toward completion of a doctoral capstone. Learners apply scholarly research within a particular professional context to advance their knowledge in the science and practice of the profession and solve organization, institutional, or community concerns. Department consent is required for registration. Grading for this course is S/NS. Learners must register for this course a minimum of four times to fulfill their program requirements. Prerequisite(s): Completion of all required and elective coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer.