Course Descriptions
Core Courses
HLTH 8008 - Foundations for Doctoral Study (6 cr.)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. It provides a foundation for academic and professional success as a scholar-practitioner and social change agent. Course assignments focus on practical application of writing and critical thinking skills and promote professional and academic excellence. Major assignments include the preparation of the Professional Development Plan, Program of Study, and a sample KAM Learning Agreement. Note: Students are required to take this course immediately upon enrollment, and must successfully complete it before proceeding with KAMs or coursework.
RSCH 8100 Research Theory, Design, and Methods (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the doctoral level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the importance of theory in research, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method research designs and methods are introduced. Ethical and social change implications of conducting research, producing knowledge, and engaging in scholarship are emphasized. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing elements of simple research plans. (Prerequisite a Foundations course or first course in a program)
RSCH 8200 Quantitative Reasoning (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis and applying statistical concepts. Students explore classical quantitative research designs and common statistical tests, the importance of quality assurance, and ethical and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. This course approaches statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to calculate statistics and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a quantitative research plan. (Prerequisite: RSCH 810.0)
RSCH 8300 Qualitative Reasoning (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing qualitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry; fieldwork strategies and the nature of observation; theoretical approaches to qualitative research; the importance of quality assurance; and the ethical, legal, and social change implications of conducting qualitative research and producing knowledge. Students use software to code data and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan. (Prerequisite: RSCH 8100.)
HLTH 9000 Dissertation (30 cr.)
This course sequence offers doctoral students the opportunity to integrate their Program of Study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area that includes the completion of a research study. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a dissertation supervisory committee chair and committee members. Students complete a prospectus, proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and dissertation. Once students register for HLTH 9000, they are registered each term until successful completion of the dissertation. (Prerequisites: RSCH 8100, 8200, and 8300. For the General Program and for the Health Management and Policy specialization, students must first also complete the core KAMs, RSCH 8100, and RSCH 8200, and appoint their dissertation supervisory committee. For the Community Health Promotion and Education specialization, students must first also complete two KAMs, RSCH 8100, RSCH 8200, and the public health behavioral science foundation courses.)
General Program
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze public policy related to an important health services issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8120 Current Research in Social Change (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8130 Professional Practice and Social Change (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major human development theories. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory with applicability to health services. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health program using health behavior and utilization models that include human development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8220 Current Research in Human Development (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8230 Professional Practice and Human Development (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare health systems involving different delivery, international, or philosophical systems. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of a health services system evaluation.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8320 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8330 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM V: Advanced Theory, Methods, and Practice in Health Services (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze issues surrounding contemporary health services within the context of community health, health administration, or health and human behavior. They examine contemporary concepts and methods of community health and human behavior, strategic management of health services, or alternative health care. They also explore the application of selected concepts and methods, and their professional role within a specific theoretical and applied context in health services.
Breadth: HLTH 8510 Health Services in the Contemporary Context (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8520 Current Concepts and Methods in Health Services (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8530 Integrative Professional Practice in Health Services (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VI: Contemporary Issues and the Ethical Delivery of Health Services (14 cr.)
In this KAM, students analyze contemporary and future issues in a specific area of health services and their implications as considered from the perspective of various ethical paradigms. They examine a selected health services issue from the perspective of various ethical decision-making models. They also apply theory- and research-based ethical models to a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8610 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Implications (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8620 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Decision-Making (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8630 Ethical Theories Applied in Health Services (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VII: Advanced Case Study in Health Services (14 cr.)
This KAM provides an examination of methods and techniques employed in case studies and applied change in a health services setting. Students analyze current and upcoming social problems in a specific area of health services and their corresponding change interventions and implications. This KAM also includes the design, execution, and evaluation of a case study demonstrating the process of planned change in a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8710 Theories of Case Study Research and Applied Change in Health Services (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8720 Relating Change Theories to Practice in Health Services (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8730 A Case Study of Applied Change in Health Services (4 cr.)
Community Health Promotion and Education
PUBH 8115 Social, Behavioral, and Cultural Factors in Public Health (4 cr.)
This course presents an examination and analysis of the major social, behavioral, and cultural variables and issues that affect the health of populations, including community, gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and environment, as well as behavioral risks. Research, theoretical, and conceptual frameworks from the social and behavioral sciences are explored as applied to public health problems and the reduction of health disparities.
PUBH 8135 Leadership, Professionalism, and Ethics in Public Health Practice (4 cr.)
This course examines theories of leadership as well as the professional attributes, skills, styles, and strategies required to advance public health goals. Ethical choices, values, professionalism, opportunities for advocacy, and the application of principles of social justice implicit in public health decisions and practice are considered with emphasis on the importance of a collaborative approach to working with diverse communities and constituencies.
PUBH 8175 Health Policy and Management (4 cr.)
This course examines the factors that influence and improve health outcomes of individuals and populations, with attention to the goals of Healthy People 2010 and the main components and issues of organization, financing, and delivery of health services and public health systems in the United States. Topics include management theories and processes, systems thinking, strategic planning and partnerships, quality and performance improvement, leadership, and organizational behavior. The policy process as well as the advocacy role of the public health professional in influencing local, state, and federal policy is addressed. The impact of global trends on public health practice, policy, and systems is also considered.
PUBH 8235 Program Design, Planning, and Evaluation (4 cr.)
This course focuses on the competencies required of the public health professional in planning for the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of community health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. Attention is given to needs assessment and the social, behavioral, environmental, biological, and economic factors that contribute to health outcomes. Strategic approaches to planning, implementation, and evaluation including cost benefit analysis are addressed. Health behavior theories are considered in the development of educational programs, the application of evaluation findings, and prioritization of community concerns and resources.
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
The first KAM provides students with a critical analysis of classic and contemporary theories of social and cultural change. Students examine the social history of health promotion and education through literary classics from the humanities. They perform research-based analysis of the present and projected impact of societal forces on the health promotion and education profession or type and setting of service delivery. Students analyze public policy related to an important health promotion and education issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8125 Current Research in Social Change: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8135 Professional Practice and Social Change: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major theories of human development. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory relevant to health promotion and education. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health promotion and education program using health behavior and utilization models that include human development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8225 Current Research in Human Development: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8235 Professional Practice and Human Development: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare different delivery, international, or philosophical systems pertaining to health promotion and education. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of an evaluation of a health promotion and education system.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8325 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8335 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems: Health Promotion and Education (4 cr.)
PUBH 8200 Organizing Community Action for Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
This course explores leadership in the effective organization of communities, interagency collaborative efforts, and work sites for collective action regarding health promotion and education. Course topics include analysis of risk factors at the community, work site, local, state, national, and international levels. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)
PUBH 8210 Public Campaigns for Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
This course investigates the persuasive use of mass communications media and marketing strategies in promoting health, reducing risk factors, and influencing community leadership to support healthful conditions. Topics include the design of mass media campaigns, target markets, and working with and responding to media, including broadcast, print, World Wide Web, and other electronic communication media. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)
PUBH 8215 Public Health Policy Design and Implementation (5 cr.)
This course examines the application of scientific data in the formulation of policy recommendations and the drafting of legislation and ordinances to promote equitable distribution of health resources, healthy living conditions, and other activities to reduce health risk. Students learn leadership strategies for effective lobbying of decision-makers and community leaders. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)
PUBH 8220 Health Promotion and Education Interventions in Diverse Populations (5 cr.)
This course examines the planning and organization of health promotion programs for underserved, economically disadvantaged, and underrepresented populations. Students learn to design health promotion programs that consider the social, economic, and medical conditions influencing the health status of diverse populations. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)
PUBH 8225 Design and Analysis of Community Trials (5 cr.)
This course investigates randomized controlled trials of health promotion and education programs, and disease-prevention interventions, with communities as the units of analysis. It provides students with an in-depth study of techniques for randomization, multicenter coordination, data management, team building, statistical analysis, models for community assessment, publication, and ethics. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)
Health Management and Policy
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
The first KAM provides students with a critical analysis of classic and contemporary theories of social and cultural change. Students examine the social history of management and policy through literary classics from the humanities. They perform research-based analysis of the present and projected impact of societal forces on the health management and policy profession or a health services organization or industry. Students analyze public policy related to an important health services issue, based on both theory and research.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8123 Current Research in Social Change: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8133 Professional Practice and Social Change: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
This KAM provides students with a critical analysis of major human development theories. Students perform a research-based examination of a human development theory relevant to health management and policy. This KAM also includes a theory- and research-based design of a health program using health behavior and utilization models that include human-development variables.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8223 Current Research in Human Development: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8233 Professional Practice and Human Development: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM offers students a critical examination of major systems theories and theorists. Students analyze and compare different delivery, international, or philosophical systems pertaining to health services management and policy. This KAM also includes the design, implementation, and execution of an evaluation of a health services system.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8323 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8333 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM V: Advanced Theory, Methods, and Practice in Health Services (14 cr.)
This KAM provides an examination of methods and techniques employed in case studies and applied change in health management and policy. Students analyze current and future social problems and issues in health services management and policy and corresponding change interventions and implications. This KAM also includes the design, execution, and evaluation of a case study demonstrating the process of planned change in a health services setting.
Breadth: HLTH 8513 Health Services in the Contemporary Context: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8523 Current Concepts and Methods in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8533 Integrative Professional Practice in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VI: Contemporary Issues and the Ethical Delivery of Health Services (14 cr.)
Breadth: HLTH 8613 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Implications: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8623 Health Services Delivery and Ethical Decision-Making: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8633 Ethical Theories Applied in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
Specialized KAM VII: Advanced Case Study in Health Services (14 cr.)
Breadth: HLTH 8713 Theories of Case Study Research and Applied Change in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Depth: HLTH 8723 Relating Change Theories to Practice in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (5 cr.)
Application: HLTH 8733 A Case Study of Applied Change in Health Services: Health Management and Policy (4 cr.)
