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1. Is the Program accredited? The Doctor of Health Sciences Program is an established program within the College of Allied Health and Nursing at NSU. NSU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone number 404-679-4501) to award bachelor's, master's, educational specialist and doctoral degrees. The DHSc program was officially approved by the NSU Board of Trustees on January 28, 2002 on recommendation from the NSU New Program Review Committee. Please see the SACS website for more information. 2. Can I complete the program from home? The program is designed to be completed in an online format. The only residency requirement is a 1-week summer seminar attended twice during your program of study. 3. Will I need an internet provider (ISP)? Yes. You will need access to the Internet through one of several internet service providers in order to access the course materials and online student center. We also recommend, though not required, cable or DSL access instead of dial-up. 4. Is this program for physician assistants only. No. The program is designed for masters level clinicians and public health professionals. We currently have several disciplines represented including, but not limited to, civilian and federally- employed physician assistants, physical therapists, nurses, respiratory therapists, radiologic and ultrasound technologists, nurse practitioners, and officers of the US Public Health Service. We currently have 200+ students of diverse health care backgrounds. 5. Are Chat Sessions and Discussion Boards required in each course? The short answer is "YES." But, each professor has their own method of instruction. Typically, chat sessions are used less than discussion boards due to the geographical and time zone differences. One or the other is a required element of each course. 6. How much time will I spend studying and working on assignments each week? How much time you spend will be based on several factors to include your study style, time management, the professors methods, and your study area. It is generally felt by polling current students that approximately 12 to 15 hours per week per class will be the average. 7. Is a dissertation required? No. The dissertation requirement has been replaced with an internship, practicum and the Doctoral Objective Analysis. 8. Can I take classes in any order? Students should start with Core block I classes for their first year, followed by Core Block II classes their second year and the Internship, Practicum, and Doctoral Analysis in their final or third year. Electives may be taken at any time. It is recommended to start with one class a semester; no more than two classes are recommended to be taken during a single semester throughout the program. 9. What is considered "Full Time?" We consider one class per semester to be full time. At 1 class per semester, with the exception of one summer institute that will require 2 courses, and completing the internship or practicum while taking another course, the program can be completed in 3.5 years. At 2 courses per semester, a student may complete the program in just over 2 years. 10. Are papers a major part of the program? Yes. As with most doctoral programs of study, papers compose a large portion. Many courses also require a journal to be kept as well as discussion board postings. Keep in mind, this is an online program. The majority of communications will be in writing. 11. How do I pay for the program? Courses are paid per semester hour. For the current cost, see the Tuition Page. All courses are paid for upon registration for any particular semester. If you take one course, you pay for 1 course and so on. Grades are withheld until tuition has been paid. 12. Can I just complete the work in each course as time permits? No. All instructors have due dates for assignments not unlike an in-class program. The online courses work very much like a classroom and you will be required to interact with the professor and the other students in your virtual classroom. 13. Are textbooks required? Yes. Each professor determines the need for a text book and internet readings. You will be responsible for purchasing the required text for each course. Because this is a doctoral level program, primary source readings, instead of textbooks, are emphasized. Use of the USU library is required and is available at a distance. 14. Do students have a place they can exchange information outside the virtual classroom? Yes. We have developed an online student center for the DHSc program. In this virtual student lounge, you can post messages, questions, and have chats with classmates. You will also find the schedule, course plans, links, library resources and much more. For more information regarding degree offerings at Nova Southeastern University, see our online Fact Book. |