School of Health and Medical Sciences
Interprofessional Health Sciences Campus
123 Metro Blvd., Suite S
Nutley, NJ 07110
(973) 275-2800
shms@shu.edu
https://www.shu.edu/health/
Dean: Brian B. Shulman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research: Michael F. La Fountaine, Ed.D., ATC, FACSM
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate and Clinical Education: TBA
Assistant Dean for Interprofessional Education and Operations: Vasiliki Sgouras-Kapralos, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Graduate Enrollment and Student Affairs: Patrick McDermott, M.A.
Departments and Programs
Athletic Training: Vicci Lombardi, Ed.D., ATC, Chair
Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration: Anne Hewitt, PhD, Interim Chair
PhD in Health Sciences: Genevieve Pinto Zipp, PT, EdD, FNAP, Interim Program Director
Health Administration: Nalin Johri, PhD., MPH, Interim Program Director
Bachelor of Science in Interprofessional Health Sciences: Nina Capone Singleton, PhD., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, Interim Program Director
Occupational Therapy: Ruth Segal, Ph.D., OTR, Chair
Physical Therapy: Jillian Duff, PT, Ph.D., Chair
Physician Assistant: Christopher Hanifin, Ed.D.., PA-C, Chair
Speech-Language Pathology: Vikram N. Dayalu, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Chair
Faculty: Balasubramanian; Boergers; Bolden; Bruza-Augatis; Capone Singleton; Cobb; D’Abundo; Dayalu; DeLuca; Downer; Duff; Dunn; Fernandez; Fiore; Goeckel; Gogtas; Grabowski; Guthrie; Guzman; Hanifin; Hewitt; Lombardi; Hoover; Hubler; Johri; Kolodny; Koutsoftas; LaFountaine; Lin; Lis; MacGregor; Maffucci; Marshall; McCarthy; McWeeney; Miller; Monaco; Nagle; Neubauer; Patel; Picard; Pilkington; Podvey; Rippon; Rodriguez; Saunders; Segal; Sgouras -Kapralos; Sheikovitz; Shulman; Snowdon; Wagner; Welling; Zhang; Zipp
The School of Health and Medical Sciences offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in health sciences. By design, the programs are intended to prepare healthcare practitioners to competently, competitively and creatively function in a dynamic healthcare environment.
General Information
The School of Health and Medical Sciences, established in 1987, is a professional school within the University structure. The School’s mission is to prepare healthcare professionals to assume leadership roles in the healthcare arena. To achieve this goal, a variety of unique and innovative educational programs are offered utilizing a multi-institutional/integrated approach to graduate education.
The School combines the expertise of Seton Hall University with the resources of affiliate healthcare sites to provide exemplary academic and clinical education in health sciences and health administration.
The School’s emphasis on interprofessional education, a forward-thinking approach to healthcare education, prepares healthcare leaders of tomorrow to focus on patient-centered care and to make a difference in their patients’ lives and their communities. This innovative team-based approach reflects the future of healthcare delivery; Seton Hall is one of only a few universities using this model. All classes are held on the Interprofessional Health Sciences Campus in Nutley, NJ. General information and admission information is available at http://shms.shu.edu/ or from shms@shu.edu.
The School offers several innovative graduate programs in the health sciences that prepare healthcare professionals for leadership roles in clinical practice, healthcare management, education and research. The School also offers an undergraduate degree (BS) in health sciences These programs are designed to provide healthcare professionals with an enhanced knowledge base through a flexible and diverse curriculum.
The School offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Health Sciences with specializations in health professions leadership, movement science, and speech-language pathology.
The School offers a Master of Healthcare Administration degree that prepares individuals to assume leadership responsibilities in a variety of healthcare organizations.
The School offers a Bachelor of Science in Interprofessional Health Sciences designed to prepare students for diverse degrees in the health sciences with concentrations in Exercise Science, Health Administration and Management, and Pharmaceutical Marketing.
The School offers a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program designed to prepare healthcare practitioners who will: provide a broad range of patient care services to persons of all ages within the scope of occupation-based interventions addressing self-maintenance, self-care, school, work and play/leisure occupations; critically analyze and convey research information to provide a broad range of patient care services; conduct clinical research; and carry out administrative responsibilities.
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant program prepares post-baccalaureate students to perform as certified physician assistants in the broad healthcare arena.
The School offers a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. The program prepares practitioners with the broad-based knowledge and skills to work with the infant-toddler, preschool, school-age, adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations in all settings that employ speech-language pathologists.
The School offers a Master of Science in Athletic Training. The program prepares students to practice as entry-level athletic training practitioners who provide a wide range of patient care services.
The School offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The program is intended to prepare individuals to become professional Doctors of Physical Therapy, who use contemporary and best practices in a safe, ethical, culturally competent and legal manner. Through diverse academic and clinical experiences, graduates are prepared to be critical consumers of the literature as evidence-based practitioners as well as active contributors and leaders as physical therapists within the health care system and community through education, consultation, and collaboration.
Center for Interprofessional Education in Health Sciences
Genevieve Pinto Zipp, PT, Ed.D., FNAP, Director
The Center for Interprofessional Education in Health Sciences (CIEHS) is the result of the School of Health and Medical Sciences’ (SHSM) faculty-led Task Force on Interprofessional Education’s (IPE) strategic planning efforts to create meaningful and cross-disciplinary educational and research experiences for students, faculty and clinical partners in order to further develop SHMS’ person-centered care mission. Innovative research opportunities, meaningful scholarship activities and the Center’s interprofessional “Journey of Professional Transformation” provide a solid foundation for continuous growth, ground-breaking developments and, ultimately, synergistic collaboration amongst health professions. Specifically, the “Journey of Professional Transformation” which engages SHMS students in “5 Core Signature IPE Experiences” and “4 On-Line Asynchronous Learning Modules” provides graduate students a rich and meaningful 2 yearlong continuum of engagement in IPE experiences that develop the skillsets needed for effective communication and teaming across healthcare professions. A cornerstone of the CIEHS is interprofessional involvement from across and beyond the Seton Hall community.
Institute for Advanced Study of Rehabilitation and Sports Science
Michael LaFountaine, Ed.D., ATC, Director
The Institute for Advanced Study of Rehabilitation and Sports Science (IASRSS) provides an interdisciplinary forum for the conduct of clinical research on injuries that result from individuals’ participation in recreational exercise or competitive sports, as well as research on the physiological and biomechanical elucidation of novel or minimally explored topics in sports medicine, exercise and movement science or physical rehabilitation. A hallmark of IASRSS is its fostering of interprofessional dialogue on contemporary issues in sports, exercise and physical rehabilitation through hosted journal clubs, continuing education seminars and outreach within and beyond the Seton Hall community. The IASRSS Scientific Advisory Board, comprised of volunteer leaders, will present opportunities for faculty and clinical staff to become more involved in the Institute’s worthwhile pursuits.
Elizabeth A. Seton Institute for Community and Population Health
Anne M. Hewitt, Ph.D., Director
The Elizabeth A. Seton Institute for Community and Population Health was established in 2004 as an academic resource for collaboration, learning, and research to enhance the quality of life for individuals and improve the health status of New Jersey residents. The ICPH is located in the Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration in the School of Health and Medical Sciences. It provides technical assistance and scholarship to local community agencies using a partnership approach and involves students who are pursuing the M.H.A., Ph.D. in Health Sciences, and other graduate degree programs. Students enrolled in the BS in Interprofessional Health Sciences will also be eligible to participate.
Class Attendance and Academic Integrity
Attendance at each class meeting is expected. Instructors may take class attendance into account when determining grades.
All forms of dishonesty, whether by act or omission, including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and knowingly furnishing false information to the University, are prohibited. Intentional disruption or obstruction of teaching, research or administrative proceedings is prohibited. University sanctions may extend to suspension and dismissal.
Work submitted in courses must be the product of the efforts of the student presenting it, and contributions of others to the finished work must be appropriately acknowledged. The presentation of another’s work as one’s own is a serious violation of the academic process, and it is penalized accordingly. The decision on the appropriate penalty is in the first instance the professor’s, and it may extend to a failing grade for the course.
Admission Criteria
Admission to the School of Health and Medical Sciences is competitive. Admission decisions are holistic and based on multiple indicators of likely student success; it will not be possible to admit every student who meets minimum qualifications for any one criterion. Program needs and capacities are also factors in the admission decisions.
Grading Policy/Repetition of Courses
Students who have completed SHMS courses and received a grade of C or higher are not permitted to repeat such courses. However, any student receiving a grade of less than “C” (including a grade of “U” when applicable) will receive an automatic failure (“F” grade) and shall be required to repeat the course the next time the course is offered to earn a grade of “B” or higher (or “S”, when applicable), in the repeated course and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. As a result of a course failure, the student shall be placed on academic probation. A student will have only one opportunity to repeat a failed course. Failure to successfully retake and/or pass a failed course shall result in a recommendation of dismissal from the program.
For further information see the SHMS Academic Performance Standards Policy and Student Performance Review Committee (SPRC) Procedures document.
Note to Students: The following listing represents those courses that are in the active rotation for each department, i.e., have been offered in the past five years. Some departments have additional courses offered more rarely but still available – to find the complete list of all official courses for a department, please use the “Course Catalogue Search” function in Self-Service Banner.
Course Descriptions
This course reviews and applies research study design methodologies (quantitative, qualitative and mixed), as well as statistics for healthcare professionals and practitioners. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics, issues in sampling and hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, and regression. Students use hands-on applications essential to developing, analyzing, and interpreting healthcare studies. Computer software is used for statistical analysis.
Provides a hands-on introduction to basic financial reports and financial analysis for planning and decision-making. Emphasizes tools for analyzing financial statements, determining profitability, cost and pricing models and budgeting critical for managerial decision making. Comprehensive understanding of the application of financial information to support managerial planning, control, and resource allocation functions will be emphasized by exploring the interaction of financial, strategic, organizational policy and the external environment information on decisions.
This course studies the role of the contemporary healthcare manager with emphasis on identifying basic managerial skills and knowledge that contribute to effective healthcare administration. Course materials focus on contemporary knowledge, skills and real-world applications for management of diverse healthcare organizations.
Designed to enhance both analytical and decision-making skills, this course covers financial accounting as applied to healthcare organizations. Emphasizes tools for analyzing financial statements as well as key management issues (profitability and liquidity) and explores the use of debt as part of financial structure. Prepares students to apply financial management theory and concepts as real-world managers in the health services industry. Prerequisite: HCAD 6005 or permission of instructor.
This course is designed to provide health professionals with an essential global health systems skill set. The approach, organization and outcomes of global health systems provides invaluable lessons for health system delivery that can be applied across the continuum of healthcare service and delivery. With the assistance of the instructor, students will complete weekly assignments building on the six components of global health systems and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The intended result of the course is for the students to complete projects that integrate an understanding of global health systems approaches appropriate for making strategic choices in healthcare organization, management, delivery, and outcomes.
Designed to enhance analytical and managerial decision-making skills; this course builds on the concepts presented in HCAD 6005 and covers financial analysis applications such as: working capital needs assessment, risk and return, capital planning, the use of debt and equity in organizational financing structures and the cost of capital as applied to health sector organizations. By focusing on the proper application of financial analysis into the managerial decision-making process this course will enable students to become better stewards of scarce resources. This course has been designed to ensure that students understand, think through and correctly apply key financial concepts and processes to better manage health sector organizations.
Designed to examine the manager’s role, responsibilities and involvement in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies for community health initiatives. Topics covered include community health assessment techniques, collaboration strategies, and the application of population management models for health promotion. Emphasis on managerial epidemiology (study of distribution and determinants of diseases) and its integration with health systems planning to meet local community needs. Prerequisite: HCAD 7521 or permission of instructor.
Population Health Management provides a comprehensive review of population health approaches, strategies, and programs designed to improve consumers’ access and quality of care while managing costs. Course content covers policy implications and delivery of population health best practices within the health sector, their impact on consumers and providers, and consumer engagement programs throughout the continuum of care. The course also integrates social determinant identification, basic managerial epidemiological concepts, and highlights the potential use of data analytics for decision-making.
This course is designed to provide health professionals with an essential data analytics skill set that can be applied across the continuum of healthcare service and delivery. With the assistance of the instructor, students will complete weekly assignments building on the core functions of data analysis, visualization and presentation, data mining strategies, database management, modelling of trends and population-health management applications. The intended result of the course is for the students to complete projects that integrate an understanding of health data and analytic strategies that are appropriate for making strategic choices in health policy and general healthcare delivery research and management within the Triple Aim framework.
Provides a systematic overview of the structures and organizations in U.S. healthcare delivery systems with emphasis on interactions of governmental policy, authorities, delivery systems, financing of health care, regulation, competition, organizational innovations in healthcare services and alternate delivery strategies. Also examines stakeholder interests.
A major overview of current U.S. health policies and their implications with in-depth study of the policy process and analytical approaches to decision making. Special emphasis on the nature and role of healthcare policy studies in decision-making. Also includes an examination of comparative international systems
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of medical practice management, the issues, tools and techniques to resolve administrative issues. Practice Management will provide the learner with insights into contemporary financial models and regulatory issues that influence today’s practice environment. Specific attention is focused on culture dynamics, human resource applications, and governance issues that make medical practices unique among healthcare organizations.
Designed for pre-service students or for those with fewer than two years of management experience, this course affords students an opportunity to learn management skills through onsite experience. The students must complete a minimum of 300 hours of managerial or administrative work under the tutelage of a healthcare administrator and complete all assignments associated with the internship. Seminar discussions link students’ real-world experience with common human resource management topics. Requires instructor approval. Students may be required to complete and pay for site-specific testing requirements.
Consists of a 3-credit, group-consulting project related to an area of healthcare administration or management. The practicum typically requires the writing of a management report and the delivery of an oral presentation for the partner organization. All work is completed under faculty supervision. May require transportation to practicum site. Requires instructor approval.
Designed for students currently working full time on a supervisory or management level in healthcare, this course gives theeach individual anthe opportunity to design and conduct a research project that focuses on a management or policy problem at his/her place of employment or in the public arena. The student presents methodology, results and recommendations both as a written capstone project and as an oral presentation. Requires instructor approval.
This course is an independent project based on an aspect of healthcare delivery, administration or policy. With the assistance of the instructor, the topic is of the student’s own choosing. The course provides an excellent opportunity for the student to delve more deeply into an area of healthcare which he or she has not previously studied, or to relate the curriculum to their workplace. The intended result of the project is for the student to make a contribution to his or her organization or profession. Requires instructor approval.
The study and application of economic process and methods pertinent to healthcare managers and policy practitioners. Traditional economic models pertaining to supply and demand, competition, market power, production function and efficiency are applied to the healthcare industry. Case studies reflect recent economic conditions and their application to real world management decisions. Prerequisite: HCAD 7521 or permission of instructor.
The study and application of economic process and methods pertinent to healthcare managers and policy practitioners. Traditional economic models of supply and demand, competition, market power, labor choices, production functions and efficiency are applied to the health sector. Primary focus is on the application of economic principles to facilitate real world management decisions.
Study of the role, functions and application of strategic planning and marketing in healthcare organizations. Emphasis on the process of strategy assessment, development, and implementation and the unique aspects of healthcare services and service design/performance as they interact with marketing plans. Prerequisites: HCAD 6005, 7513, 7521, and 8515 or permission of instructor.
Overview of legal issues associated with the delivery of healthcare and the legal pitfalls surrounding everyday practice and administration. Additionally, explores legal aspects of human resource administration in health care, as well as issues of liability and corporate responsibility.
This course provides an overview of quality improvement and information management systems for health care leaders. Quality performance management models, approaches, tools, and techniques are presented in the context of organizational culture and leadership. Management techniques applicable to the use of health information systems are discussed along with QI/QM applications and topics - computerized records, order entry systems, and electronic health care applications. Reviews current ethical, legal and policy implications and regulations.
This course offers students a basis for analyzing medical and healthcare ethics involving clinical practice, legal dimensions, and public policy. Personal, professional, and organizational ethical dilemmas and decision-making responsibilities are discussed in the context of contemporary healthcare factors and environment.
As health professionals at all levels seek to understand the impact of natural and man-made disasters on health status, best practices for emergency management strategies are emerging. Using an all-hazards approach, this course provides an overview of emergency preparedness and its application to all aspects of a population’s health. Focuses on issues such as bioterrorism, food security, pandemics, and other related topics. Skills necessary for performing risk vulnerability assessments, developing emergency management plans, and crisis versus traditional operational processes will be covered.
As health professionals at all levels seek to understand the impact of natural and man-made disasters on health status, best practices for emergency management strategies are emerging. Using an all-hazards approach, this course provides an overview of emergency preparedness and its application to all aspects of a population’s health. Focuses on issues such as bioterrorism, food security, pandemics, and other related topics. Skills necessary for performing risk vulnerability assessments, developing emergency management plans, and crisis versus traditional operational processes will be covered. Prerequisite: HCAD 7521 or permission of instructor.
This course provides an opportunity for intensive graduate study by examining the dynamic nature of leadership in the context of modern healthcare organizations. Students learn and apply leadership principles, theories, models and skills to enhance personal capabilities. Addresses ways of managing career decisions under conditions of accelerated change and focuses on the development of servant leadership skills. Prerequisites: HCAD 7513, 7514, 7522, and 8518 or permission of instructor.
In this first of three courses in Professionalism and Leadership, students will explore the dynamic nature of leadership in the context of modern healthcare organizations. Various theories and models concerning leadership styles will be considered and students will utilize instruments to consider their preferences regarding leadership styles. Additionally, to assist students in their professional development the course will focus on several introductory elements of the MHA Program’s Professionalism Module.
In this second of three courses in Professionalism and Leadership, students will explore the dynamic nature of leadership in the context of modern healthcare organizations. Various concepts related to leadership, including but not limited to power, motivation, talent management, emotional intelligence…etc. will be considered. Additionally, to assist students in their professional development the course will focus on several mid-program elements of the MHA Program’s Professionalism Module.
In this third of three courses in Professionalism and Leadership, students will focus on synthesizing prior MHA course learning and applying it to case studies of modern healthcare organizations facing transformational challenges and to career planning. Students will also reconsider leadership styles, but in the context of leadership teams. Additionally, to assist students in their professional development the course will focus on several noted last year elements of the MHA Program’s Professionalism Module.
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