Introduction
Pacific University’s Bachelor of Health Science in Healthcare Management is designed for working professionals and prepares graduates to move into management roles or advance their careers in the challenging and rapidly evolving field of healthcare management. The curriculum is designed for distance delivery using Moodle (online platform) and web conferencing technology. Courses are team taught with Pacific University faculty and healthcare professionals with topical expertise.
Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Health Science program is to provide quality educational experiences to working health professionals who have barriers to completing a traditional undergraduate program.
Accreditation
Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Program Format
The Bachelor of Health Science degree is a one year program (three semesters) with a blended curriculum that is delivered online and through distance web conferencing technology. Courses are delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, a required two-day introduction to the program and university orientation sessions in August, and the required presentation of the Senior Capstone Project. The BHS program has a block curriculum design, which means that every semester students complete six to seven courses, but take only 2-3 courses at one time.
Leadership Development Plan, Applied Internship & Capstone Project
Students are required to complete three major projects that span the length of the program: a Leadership Development Plan, Capstone Project (a research based program plan) and at least 120 hours of Applied Internship. The Leadership Development Plan helps students plan for a career in healthcare management. The Capstone Project and Applied Internship provide students with opportunities to apply and synthesize their learning. The requirements of the Capstone Project include aspects of each course completed in the BHS program. At the end of the project, each student or team of students is required to submit a final paper and complete an oral presentation. The Applied Internship is typically arranged at the student’s current place of employment but engages the student in the kinds of work that are relevant to healthcare management. Students must earn a final grade of B- or higher in HSC 407/471 Capstone and HSC 475 Internship to be eligible to graduate.
Program Purpose/Student Learning Outcomes
See: http://www.pacificu.edu/future-undergraduates/academics/areas-study/bachelor-health-science-online/purpose-student-learning-outcomes
Student Assessment Methods
See: http://www.pacificu.edu/future-undergraduates/academics/areas-study/bachelor-health-science-online/student-methods-assessment
Policies
BHS students must meet the requirements of all Pacific University, College of Health Professions, and School of Healthcare Administration and Leadership policies and procedures, including professional standards of conduct established by the field of healthcare administration, and those listed elsewhere in this catalog.
Non-degree Seekers
Only students who have been accepted into the degree program may take BHS courses.
Auditing
Courses are offered only for credit; students may not audit.
Add/Drop/Withdrawal Schedule
Students may drop a semester-long course through the 10th day of the semester without having the course appear on the transcript. After this point, and through the 10th week of the semester, students may withdraw from a course and a “W” is posted on the transcript.
Attendance Policy
All students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly. This applies to online classes with asynchronous sessions as well as course segments that require live web conferencing. Students who miss classes will be held responsible for all in-class course assignments. If a student repeatedly fails to attend classes without excused absences, they may be dismissed from the BHS program. It is the responsibility of each student to immediately notify the Program Director and course instructor prior to class if an absence is anticipated.
Students have the responsibility to take all scheduled assessments on the announced date and time. Students who report to class late on an assessment day may not be given any extra time. This also applies to online courses with dates indicated in the syllabus. An absence from an assessment shall be considered “excused” if it occurs because of any of the following circumstances (valid documentation may be requested):
- Hospitalization of the student or an immediate family member due to illness or accident
- Death in the student’s immediate family (i.e.; spouse, parents, guardians, siblings, children, grandparents, etc.)
- Summons of the student to appear for jury duty or before a court
- Any reason that has been approved by the BHS Program Director in advance
Grading
The Bachelor of Health Science Program uses the following grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, P, N
Continuation in the Program
Students must earn a 2.0 or higher GPA each term and maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA in all coursework earned at Pacific. A final grade of C or above must be earned in each course, with the exception of core project courses which require a final grade of B- or higher (HSC 470 /HSC 471 /HSC 475 ). Students who do not achieve a minimum grade of C in any course will be required to retake that course and delay graduation. Students who earn below C in one or multiple courses will be placed on academic warning and continued poor performance could result in dismissal from the program.
All degree requirements must be completed within 4 years of the first day of class during the student’s initial term in the program. If a student fails to complete coursework within 4 years, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Good academic standing in the Bachelor of Health Science program is defined as: continued enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, satisfactory progress towards total completion of internship hours, behavior that leads to professional competence and positive interpersonal and professional relations, and appropriate professional/ ethical conduct and attitudes. Students are monitored and evaluated regularly by the BHS Program Director according to standards defined in the program handbook.
Incomplete Grades
Instructors may issue a grade of Incomplete only when a major portion of a course has been completed satisfactorily and there are extenuating circumstances such as health emergencies, previously unanticipated demands on the job, disability, family circumstances or other emergent situations that prevent the student from completing all course requirements by the end of the semester.
The instructor(s) and the student must agree upon a plan that outlines the remaining coursework, and establish a deadline by which all outstanding course work will be completed and submitted to the instructor(s) for evaluation and assignment of a final course grade. This plan (Contract) must be submitted to the School Director for approval in advance. Students may take up to two academic semesters to make up any incomplete course work. If the incomplete course work is not completed within two semesters, the Incomplete automatically changes to a grade of “F” and the student may be dismissed from the program.
After submission of the work, the instructor completes a Grade Change form and submits it to the School Director for approval; the form then is processed by the Registrar.
The instructor and the student are required to agree upon a deadline by which all coursework will be completed and submitted to the instructor. Students may take up to two academic semesters to make up any incomplete work.
If agreed-upon work is not completed and no grade change form is submitted within two semesters (and an extension has not been granted), when the Incomplete grade expires the course grade becomes an F. Faculty may request an extension of an Incomplete (before the expiration date of the Incomplete) by notifying the Registrar’s office.
Students may not begin HSC 471 Capstone II: Syntheses & Presentation, until all Incompletes have been removed. Incomplete grades must be completed with a grade of C or higher. BHS students receiving Incomplete grades in more than two courses in any semester may be placed on Academic and/or Financial Aid Warning. Please see the section on “Academic Policies and Procedures” in the University Student Handbook for a full description of an Incomplete grade.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the BHS Program Director.
Normal Load
Twelve credits serve as a full-time course load for the fall and spring semesters, although 13-16 credits per semester is typical. Students are not permitted to take more than eighteen credits in a single semester without permission from the Program Director and course instructor(s).
Transfer Credit
The BHS Program is designed as a transfer degree program, with the expectation of a minimum of 76 semester credits being transferred to Pacific. Transfer credit must be of a 100-level or higher and not college-preparatory work, must have earned a grade of C- or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. Pacific may award transfer credit for any courses that are relevant to, and appropriate for, the BHS degree. Students must complete all required upper-division courses at Pacific University. Thirty (30) of the last 40 credits must be completed at Pacific University.
Graduation with Honors
Students graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 to 3.699 are designated Cum Laude; 3.70 to 3.909 are designated Magna Cum Laude; 3.91 to 4.00 are designated Summa Cum Laude.
Leave of Absence/Readmission
Students may apply for a leave of absence from the BHS program for up to one year. To apply for readmission after an absence of one semester or more, a student must complete a brief Application for Readmission form, and submit official transcripts from all colleges attended during the absence from Pacific to the Director of the School of Healthcare Administration and Leadership.
Appeals Process
In general, program decisions regarding academic standing are final. A decision may be appealed to the HAL Student Review Committee only if the student can show that 1) there was an error in the procedure used by the faculty, 2) there is new evidence sufficient to alter the decision, or 3) the sanction imposed was not appropriate to the severity of the violation of professional or academic standards. Appeals to the College of Health Professions Standards and Appeals Committee are to be filed with the Director’s office within 10 days from the date of notification of the original action. Students are not allowed to attend class until the student has filed an appeal. Further appeals may be pursued through the University Standards and Appeals Committee.
Academic Integrity
Students are required to adhere to all Program, School, College and University standards regarding academic integrity. Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated. If an instructor detects instances of plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, misrepresentation, failure to appropriately attribute reference materials or the reuse of a student’s written materials from other courses on any exam, paper, assignment or other work submitted by a student, or the submission of the work of another student as your own work, the result will be an immediate failure of the course, with a grade of F, and referral for immediate action including possible dismissal from the program.
In cases of flagrant or intentional violations of the University Code of Academic Conduct or the University Code of Student Conduct, a student may be removed from the BHS program without previous warning, at any time.
Please refer the Handbook regarding academic dishonesty and integrity: http://www.pacificu.edu/studentlife/handbook/index.cfm
