GRADUATE DEGREES
Modern healthcare demands skilled professionals who understand the importance of collaborative patient care. With Speech Language Pathology, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy programs, the College of Health Sciences at Faulkner University prepares students for rewarding careers in these essential fields. Learn more about health science majors at our Montgomery, Alabama, campus today.
What Are Health Sciences?
A health sciences degree helps prepare students for licensure and employment in the healthcare field of their choice. In addition to future career prospects, a health science major also provides the critical technical and foundational skills required to succeed professionally and personally. Along with the degrees offered by Faulkner University, health sciences encompass:
- Mental and behavioral health
- Community health
- Medical imaging technologies
- Diet and nutrition
- Hearing care
- Patient education and advocacy
- Public health administration
Health sciences draw on a wide range of disciplines to inform patient care and improve health outcomes. This field of study not only prepares students with technical training for future careers, but also emphasizes the connections between these professions and the roles they play together in patient care. Program participants complete traditional classroom learning and in-depth laboratory work alongside immersive real-world experiences that expose them to the challenges – and rewards – of this field.
Our Health Science Majors
The College of Health Science offers an undergraduate degree that prepares students for health related graduate programs, and four graduate degree programs that help prepare students for licensure and future employment. These undergraduate and graduate-level majors include:
Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS)
The BSHS program provides a broad understanding of the scientific underpinnings of the health sciences, but also includes content in medical terminology, healthcare delivery systems, healthcare administration/leadership, bioethics, statistics and research, cultural competency, interprofessional practice, and healthcare law, as well as key skills such as effective oral and written communication. The BSHS is a bachelor’s degree that prepares students to apply for a graduate degree in health sciences.
Master of Arts and Sciences in Speech Language Pathology (MSLP)
Speech language pathologists work with pediatric and adult patients to diagnose and treat communication disorders. Students complete 65 credit hours in a five-semester program that includes research, classroom and lab instruction, and more than 400 hours of clinical work. Upon completion, graduates are prepared to achieve state licensure and American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) certification.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
The vision of Faulkner’s OTD program is to earn a reputation as a leading contributor to the field of occupational therapy by graduating exceptional occupational therapists who have a heart for service, advancing the field through the development of distinguished faculty members, promoting academic and professional excellence through academic research, and serving the local community through exemplary therapy services.*
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Physical therapists play a critical role in multimodal care plans, providing diagnosis and treatment for individuals affected by disease, injury, chronic pain, and more. This eight-semester program includes 32 weeks of full-time clinical education, up to six weeks of integrated clinical and community experiences, and the opportunity for service activities within real-world applications. Program graduates are prepared to apply for licensure to practice and may seek employment as generalists.
Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MS-PAS)
Physician assistants may serve as primary care providers or support other healthcare specialists, providing diagnoses, managing patient care plans, and performing a diverse range of duties. During a 27-month program, students complete 15 months of classroom instruction and 12 months of clinical education with rotations in family, internal, pediatric, emergency, women’s, and behavioral medicine, urgent care, and more at healthcare facilities in the Montgomery, Alabama, area. Graduates are well-qualified to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) upon completion of their degree.
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (PhD HS)
The PhD in Health Sciences in an accelerated, fully online doctoral program designed to prepare healthcare practitioners for advanced roles in administrative, academic, and clinical environments. The program challenges the student to examine the current state of healthcare both locally and globally; apply sophisticated knowledge of research design, biostatistics, and epidemiology to the literature of their core discipline; develop ethical leadership skills for inter-professional environments; and design and conduct original research in healthcare.
Doctor of Health Science (DHSc)
The Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) is a post-professional academic doctoral degree for those who intend to pursue or advance a professional practice career in Health Sciences and Health Care Delivery Systems, which can include clinical practice, education, administration, and research. Master's credentials are a requirement for DHSc programs. Individuals who complete the DHSc face the particular task of understanding, adapting, and applying scientific knowledge in order to achieve health gain and impactful results. This degree leads to a career in high-level administration, teaching, applied research, or practice, where advanced analytical and conceptual capabilities are required. The Doctor of Health Science is a degree that prepares scholarly professionals in healthcare and leadership roles.
Why Choose Faulkner University for Your Health Science Major?
Founded in 1942, Faulkner University has a long-standing commitment to excellence in Christian education. We proudly offer 85 undergraduate degree programs in addition to online degrees and our well-respected graduate programs. Students work with experienced, dedicated faculty members who are fully committed to clinical excellence, personal and professional development, and growth as a Christian healthcare practitioner.
Christian values form the foundation of a Faulkner University education. Upon graduation, health science majors are prepared to live these values, devoting themselves to service in their communities and making a difference in the life of every patient.
Explore Health Science Majors at Faulkner University
If you are called to service in the allied health fields, a degree from Faulkner University’s College of Health Sciences can bring you one step closer to this goal. To learn more about our health science majors in Montgomery, Alabama, request more information or apply online today.
*An occupational therapy educational program must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) prior to students’ graduation for its students to be eligible to sit for the national certification examination offered by the National Board of Certification in occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Faulkner University’s OTD program is considered an applicant program by ACOTE that seeking candidacy status. If candidacy is granted, we will begin to accept students into our program in May 2022. We will be notified of candidacy status by April 2022 and will be notified of accreditation status by 2024. The first cohort is expected to graduate in May of 2025.