Course Descriptions
Teaching and Learning Core Courses
MHPE 720: Diversity in Higher Education (3)
Learners will reflect upon and articulate an understanding of representation of individuals (primarily students and faculty) from diverse backgrounds in institutions of higher education. The social, legal, and political discourse that has shaped education (knowledge making) in the United States and its impact on diversity in higher education will be explored. Learners will research and determine ways to address issues such as equity, bias, and access to high quality education and develop effective teaching strategies illustrating best practices in establishing ideal learning environments. Historical (seminal texts dating back early as 1900) and dynamic, "real-time" literature and media will be explored and further enriched through our active participation.
MHPE 608/808: Sociocultural Contexts of Teaching and Learning (3)
The goal of the course is to provide students with a strong background for designing educational experiences, planning educational programs, and conducting research on a variety of teaching and learning-related questions. Application of principles to medical and health professions education is expected. The course is designed to help participants consider the meaning of learning and the various contextual factors that influence the learning process in higher education. This course explores the application of the learning science in the design of learning environments. Students evaluate inclusive, diverse, and equitable educational environments and use insights to improve practices, as well as the technologies higher education institutions use to document and assess learning.
MHPE 609/809: Designing Educational Experiences (3)
This course prepares students with theoretic foundations and best practices to plan, apply, design, and evaluate appropriate instructional methods to enhance learner achievement. Application of principles to medical and health professions education is expected. Learners will analyze a wide range of instructional methods and then design an array of formative and summative assessments utilizing evidence-based assessment instruments and techniques.
MHPE 810: Practicum (3)
The practicum provides students with an in-depth supervised opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained in the MHPE core teaching courses. This virtual practicum requires students to work individually to develop all aspects of an online course. Students will engage through media creation, planning for diverse course audiences, and peer review.
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Research Core Courses
MHPE 702: Program Evaluation (3)
Program evaluation is a relatively young discipline in the formal sense of systematically collecting data for the purpose of informing decision-making. Program evaluation builds on many other disciplines to include social sciences, education, and statistics. In this course, we will explore the philosophical and theoretical roots of evaluation and the bridge between those roots and evaluation practice. In particular, we will discuss the meaning of program evaluation and its historical roots; philosophical and theoretical orientations that provide guidance for thinking about evaluation; examine program evaluation approaches specific to health professions education; and finally, we will cover the specifics of planning, implementing, and managing the evaluation process.
MHPE 705: Applied Statistics (3)
Learners will gain an understanding of the statistical tests used in medical and health professions education research. The focus is on understanding why a particular test is used, and how to interpret and apply results obtained from each test. Utilizing SPSS statistical analysis software, learners will perform all statistical procedures related to descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and chi-square. Visual representation of data will also be covered.
MHPE 715: Educational Scholarship Methods (3)
Within the context of Boyer’s four models of scholarship, this course provides the knowledge necessary to understand the purposes and processes of research using an expanded definition of scholarship that goes beyond the scholarship of discovery (research) to include the scholarship of integration, the scholarship of application, and the scholarship of teaching. The course will also introduce students to quantitative and qualitative design approaches, examine foundational issues of research from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives, and build skills for interpreting and evaluating research including criteria for evaluating empirical studies, particularly in the social sciences and in education.
MHPE 806: Mixed Methods Research Designs (3)
Learners will explore general qualitative/quantitative research methods used in medical and health professions education research. The course will include investigation of quantitative and qualitative research approaches, sampling techniques, validity, and ethical considerations. The goal of the course is acquisition of skills needed to understand, plan, manage, analyze, and interpret studies where data is mixed (qualitative and quantitative).
MHPE 807: Advanced Research Methods (3)
This course equips students with skills necessary to conduct doctoral research concentrating on major methodological and analytic traditions, building on the context of educational research established in introductory courses. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies are included, including topics on ANOVA, Regression, and Coding with a special focus on analysis, interpretation, and presentation of findings.
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Dissertation Courses
MHPE 804: Educational Scholarship Seminar (1; repeated for a total of 3 credits)
The goals of the educational scholarship seminar are to explore opportunities for educational scholarship within medical and health professions education and to provide you with the tools to connect foundational research skills with your research interest in order to successfully complete a contemporary scholarly project. Proposal writing, literature review, and manuscript publication are core topics. The course will be repeated for a total of three credits.
MHPE 830: Candidacy Seminar (3)
This course is designed to thoroughly evaluate the learner’s knowledge of medical and health professions education and their concentration using combined written and oral evaluation strategies. Students must complete the Comprehensive exam and write and present a preliminary dissertation research proposal. Learners must successfully complete this course before moving on to complete their Dissertation research.
MHPE 900: Research (2, 4, or 6)
Work on dissertation under the direction of the dissertation chair. Students will work with Dissertation Chairs to allocate MHPE 900 credit and may graduate in any semester they are ready for dissertation defense. Students who do not fulfill all dissertation requirements prior to the date designated in the Student Handbook will continuously enroll in MHPE 905 Research Continuance (2 credits) each term until which time the dissertation is successfully defended. Prerequisites: Permission of the research advisor.
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Contemporary Human Anatomy Education Concentration Courses
CHAE 813: Stewards of Teaching Anatomy (3)
This course will address what it means to be a steward of teaching anatomy, preparing students for a variety of settings and tasks associated with leadership in anatomy education. Topics include a cross-section of various classroom settings and teaching anatomy to the public. It further discusses the role of teaching assistants, sessional teachers, and engaging clinical faculty in anatomy education. The course ends with lessons on research and scholarship within the anatomical sciences, potentially suitable for students to share with professionals in their discipline, advancing anatomy education knowledge.
CHAE 814: Anatomy Education Foundations (3)
The purpose of this course is to prepare future anatomy educators to analyze instructional situations and determine appropriate methods to support student learning. This is achieved by exploring foundational human anatomy education approaches, discussing pedagogical strategies, and developing assessments aligned with theories of adult learning
CHAE 815: Teaching & Technology for Advanced Anatomical Sciences (3)
This course provides a comparison of traditional and contemporary teaching modalities such as the use of body donations and medical imaging. Course topics will include ethics and donor acquisition, variations in lab experiences, and technology in teaching modalities. Various emergent teaching methods will be discussed and learners will place them into their professional contexts.
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Higher Education Concentration Courses
MHPE 814: Organization and Management of Higher Education (3)
Learners will research and understand higher education organizational structures and issues of oversight and will develop an understanding of how colleges and universities are governed. Who are the key decision makers at these institutions? What roles do various constituents such as the board members, presidents, deans, faculty and staff, and students play? Learners will explore how organizational structures, culture, context, and characteristics influence institutional governance and decision making. Learners will become knowledgeable about the history of and current trends in the management and operations of higher education institutions with a focus on academic health centers. This course will make use of current research literature, debate, and discussion of current events as a means to better understand higher education organization and management.
MHPE 815: Current Issues in Higher Education (3)
Learners will explore issues of contemporary concern among higher education practitioners, faculty, and administrators. The course utilizes a historical perspective to establish the background for the discussion of the issues influencing higher education today. Topics related to academic and student affairs in academic health centers will be identified and examined. Coursework and readings provide a nuanced understanding of differing perspectives on complex issues. Learners will utilize higher education research to examine issues, identify pros and cons, and challenge assumptions. Doctoral-level writing is emphasized.
MHPE 813: Community Partnerships in Health Professions Education (3)
This course is designed to prepare health professions educators and administrators to embrace and model a commitment to service through effective community engagement practices. During this course, students will explore, analyze, and discuss partnership frameworks with diverse stakeholders including state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and other educational institutions, and will apply philosophies and techniques for effective cross-sector collaboration.
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Simulation Education Concentration Courses
MHPE 704: Simulation in Healthcare (3)
This course will examine the use of medical modeling and simulation as instructional and assessment tools of the modern health professions educator. Participants will explore the key features of simulation-based healthcare education that lead to effective learning, evaluate the range of simulation methodologies, and critically review current research and trends in simulation-based education and assessment. Participants will apply learning with a systematic instructional design process to develop a practical simulation-based teaching and/or assessment project by the end of the course.
MHPE 725: Business of Simulation (3)
Today’s simulation centers are analogous to small businesses, in that they involve small teams leveraging limited resources to support the mission critical needs of clients (students, faculty, residents, practicing clinicians, etc.). Like small businesses, it is critical for simulation leaders to understand and manage both immediate and long term resource requirements and planning considerations be they funding, staff, equipment, or space related. This course explores the core business principles required to help leaders both better manage their center and develop or hone their business model for both internal and external opportunities.
MHPE 814: Organization & Management in Higher Education (3)
Learners will research and understand higher education organizational structures and issues of oversight and will develop an understanding of how colleges and universities are governed. Who are the key decision makers at these institutions? What roles do various constituents such as the board members, presidents, deans, faculty and staff, and students play? Learners will explore how organizational structures, culture, context, and characteristics influence institutional governance and decision making. Learners will become knowledgeable about the history of and current trends in the management and operations of higher education institutions with a focus on academic health centers. This course will make use of current research literature, debate, and discussion of current events as a means to better understand higher education organization and management.
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