Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education
The Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education (EdD) program at A.T. Still University’s College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS) is specifically focused on health professions education curriculum and instruction. This fully online EdD program prepares healthcare educators with the skills and knowledge needed to teach and inspire the next generation of health professionals.
ATSU-CGHS’ EdD program curriculum encompasses a 55 credit-hour program that’s 100 percent online. With 10 core courses and five research project courses, students will build a solid foundation for their EdD doctorate. No residency is required, allowing students to continue their careers without interruption as they expand their future professional options.
ATSU faculty are dedicated to the success of EdD doctorate students and are prepared to support their professional and intellectual advancement. Hailing from diverse professional and academic backgrounds, most ATSU-CGHS instructors hold doctorates and are committed to providing a challenging and comprehensive health professions degree curriculum. Unlike most online EdD programs, ATSU’s EdD focuses on developing curriculum and instruction methods in health professions education. Sharing their knowledge and experiences with others, graduates with this highly respected health professions EdD doctorate excel as leaders in the rapidly expanding field of health professions education.
The comprehensive Doctoral Research Project (DRP) is supported by the completion of five courses that guide EdD doctorate students from proposal to dissemination through faculty mentorship and supervision.
Certificates in Health Professions Education
Students can earn a graduate certificate in health professions education which can demonstrate their foundational knowledge and skills in teaching and learning, curriculum development, and assessment. Those who go on to complete the full EdD program may transfer in nine credits from the completed certificate.
100% online
flexibility
experience-focused
learning
GRADUATE IN
2.5-5 years
5 dedicated
research courses
engage
asynchronously
4 START DATES
PER YEAR
Program essentials
Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education Curriculum Overview
Students in ATSU's EdD in Health Professions Education program are empowered with the most updated curriculum designed for relevance and immediate impact in the industry. Curriculum design is context-based and mission-driven.
Health education degree courses are conducted through virtual teaching methods, such as web-based instruction, video demonstrations, directed readings, and email and online discussions with faculty. Student learning is monitored through authentic embedded assessments.
The curriculum complements ATSU’s mission, encouraging its constituencies to become leaders in improving community health and wellness with a comprehensive appreciation of the whole individual while helping to create the best health professions educators in the world.
Course Descriptions
Course descriptions, course durations, and related information are subject to change. All courses are three credit hours, unless otherwise specified.
*Students take either Finance and Budgeting (focused on institutions of higher education) or Healthcare Economics and Financial Budgeting (focused on healthcare organizations), depending on their area of interest.
Career Advancement
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the college faculty profession is predicted to grow by 9% from 2019 to 2029 much faster than the average for all occupations.
- Professor at a college or university in a multitude of health professions
- Director of health education department or program
- Director of community health services
- Health professions clinical educator
Requirements
- Application:
- Completed and signed admissions application along with a nonrefundable application fee.
Academic:
- An accredited Masters degree from a university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Applicants who received their qualifying degree from a university outside the United States will have to provide a degree equivalency evaluation.*
- Official transcript from the qualifying degree-granting institution. For students using VA benefits transcripts for all institutions attended are required.
- Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) at the qualifying degree institution.
Elements of Success:
- A current resume
- Completion of an essay
- English Proficiency **
- Meet technology requirements***
*Applicants who have graduated from a foreign college or university should submit acceptable evidence of U.S. degree/course equivalency. All course work taken at the foreign institution must be evaluated for American institution equivalence by one of the following services:
- World Education Services P.O. Box 5087 Bowling Green Station New York, NY 10274-5087 p: (212) 966-6311 f: (212) 739-6139 info@wes.org
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. P.O. Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 (414) 289-3400
- American Assn. of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 520 Washington, DC 20036-1135 (202) 293-9161
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. International Education Consultants 7101 SW 102 Avenue Miami FL 33173 p: (305) 273 -1616 f: (305) 273 -1338 info@jsilny.com
- Intl. Education Research Foundation, Inc. PO Box 3665 Culver City, CA 90231-3665 (310) 258-9451
**Applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to A.T. Still University’s College of Graduate Studies. Written and spoken proficiency in the English language may be demonstrated by one of the following options:
- Option 1 - English is your first language.
- Option 2 - Graduated from a regionally accredited four year college/university in the United States with a BA/BS or graduate degree.
- Option 3 - You are demonstrating your English proficiency by submitting acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Accepted test types for CGHS are: The Computer Based Test (CBT), Internet Based Test (iBT), or the Paper Based Test (PBT) are accepted. The following are the minimum required score based on test type:
- CBT - minimum total score of 213
- iBT - minimum total score of 80
- PBT - minimum total score of 550
The TOEFL is administered by TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ, 08541-6151, USA 609. 771.7100. A.T. Still University’s institutional code is 0339. Please be sure to include this information when you submit your application packet. TOEFL Educational Testing Services P.O. Box 6151 Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, 609.771.7100 ***ATSU technology requirements
Tuition
Review tuition and fees for the Doctor of Education in Health Professions program. Please note tuition and fees are subject to change.
Financial Aid
Federal financial aid is available for qualifying students. For more information visit Enrollment Services or contact them at 660.626.2019 or by email at enrollmentservices@atsu.edu.
Associate Professor and Chair
Dr. Erin Breitenbach is program chair of the Health Education program at ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies. She holds a BA in Kinesiology (1991), an MA in Health Education (1996), and a PhD (1998) in health education from The University of Texas at Austin. After several years conducting health education research, Dr. Breitenbach spent time managing oncology clinical research before returning to health education as a public health instructor for ATSU.
Dr. Breitenbach’s research interests include cancer screening in Hispanic women, school nutrition behaviors, and developing collaborative partnerships among institutions of higher learning, state-level organizations, and local school districts to improve comprehensive school health education.
Associate Professor
Joshua Bernstein joined A.T. Still University College of Graduate Health Studies in 2010. His work involves outcomes-based higher education andragogy, course development, curriculum assessment, and contributions to the literature in health promotion, health education, and wellness. Dr. Bernstein is involved in health sciences research activities, editing and reviewing for professional publications, course authorship and administration, and undergraduate health education internship and mentorship programs.
Research interests include wellness among transitional populations, nutrition in emerging and low-income regions, higher education, and adolescent risk perception.
Dr. Bernstein holds a doctorate degree in health education from Texas Woman’s University. His dissertation investigated the relationship between automobile-related fatalities among novice drivers and state-level graduated drivers licensing programs. He also earned a masters degree in education from Centenary College of Louisiana and a bachelors degree in sports medicine from New Mexico State University. Dr. Bernstein also holds leadership positions within the American Public Health Association and the National Wellness Institute.
Prior experiences include 15 years in sports medicine as a professional athletic trainer and manager of an outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation clinic. Dr. Bernstein lives in Dallas, Tx, enjoys cultural and sporting events, and serves as a varsity official for high school basketball and the Special Olympics.
Associate Professor
Dr. Ayars holds a doctoral degree in Community Health Science from the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, and completed her postdoctoral research fellowship at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. She also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in biology with a physiology concentration and two Bachelor of Science degrees (biology/anthropology) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Dr. Ayars is a member of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the American Evaluation Association.
She has more than 20 years of experience in the field of chronic disease risk factors in children, beginning as a project and field director for three large NIH funded epidemiologic studies (Project HeartBeat!, Project HealthVOICE, and The Heartfelt Study). Most recently, she served as the Director of the Healthy Communities Section of the Kansas Department of Health & Environment where she led evidence-based statewide efforts to reduce the burden of primary chronic disease risk factors in Kansas. She served as the State Health Department Expert Advisor for the Kansas ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health Innovation and Environmental Change) grants. Prior to joining KDHE, she collaborated with clinicians in the Geisinger Healthcare System of Pennsylvania to develop research initiatives for primary care and school-based pediatric obesity prevention and treatment programs. Dr. Ayars’ work in chronic disease risk factors in children has been published in peer-reviewed publications, such as Preventive Medicine, and presented at national and international conferences, including The Obesity Society and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
Associate Professor
Lynda Tierney Konecny earned her doctor of health education degree from ATSU-CGHS. She obtained her master of science in counseling/student personnel services from Emporia State University in Kansas and bachelor of science in behavioral psychology from Northern Michigan University. Dr. Konecny is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES).
Dr. Konecny has been with ATSU since 2005 and began teaching for ATSU-CGHS in 2008. In addition to her experience with online education, she has taught in various public and private, civilian and military residential institutions. Dr. Konecny speaks at many state, national, and international conferences. She is involved in professional organizations serving on various committees, acting as governing councilor, conference session peer-reviewer, and session moderator. She is a published author, and serves as a journal review board member. During her career, she has held a variety of positions in college student services including admissions/recruitment, marketing, student activities/intramural sports, and residential life. Dr. Konecny also spent many years as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. In addition, she has extensive experience working in the fitness industry as a certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and fitness center manager.
Dr. Konecny’s research interests include the development, implementation and evaluation of innovative teaching methodologies and introducing new technologies to enhance curriculum delivery and student learning; educating and improving overall wellness, or dimensions of wellness, within various and diverse populations; exploring the practical application of health education behavior theories and the educational aspects of health promotion; examining learning theory in relation to online and residential instructional design, assessing the impact and value of student services for the online learner; and psychological research emphasizing behavior modification in public health and health education settings.
Dean
Marisa Hastie, EdD, MS, ACSM-EP, PN-1, FACSM is the Dean of the College of Graduate Health Studies at AT Still University. Dr. Hastie received her doctor of education from George Fox University (2013), her master of science in exercise and sport science with an emphasis in biomechanics from the University of Oregon (2003), and her bachelor of science in exercise science from Gonzaga University (2001). She is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is a certified Exercise Physiologist.
Prior to joining ATSU, she was a Professor of Exercise Science and Program Chair for the Exercise Science Program at Lasell University (Newton, MA). Dr. Hastie also served as the Faculty Fellow for the Fuss Center for Research on Intergenerational Education and Aging and received the deWitt Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from Lasell University. Dr. Hastie served as Faculty Chair of the University’s governance system.
Dr. Hastie has served in several leadership roles at the regional and national level of the ACSM, which include her current roles on the Professional Education Committee at the national level and as the President-Elect for the New England chapter. Her research interests have included exploring the connection between lifelong physical activity and long-term health outcomes, the relationship between exercise training and cognition, and the effects of discrimination experiences on health-related coping behaviors.
Dr. Hastie has extensive experience in online program development, teaching, and assessment. She developed an online Master of Science in Nutrition for Human Performance program and has 18 years of experience in both synchronous and asynchronous teaching formats. She became an educator because she strongly believes in the development of the whole student as a crucial responsibility of higher education institutions.
Chair, Department of Health Professions Education
Dr. Erin Breitenbach is program chair of the Health Education program at ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies. She holds a BA in Kinesiology (1991), an MA in Health Education (1996), and a PhD (1998) in health education from The University of Texas at Austin. After several years conducting health education research, Dr. Breitenbach spent time managing oncology clinical research before returning to health education as a public health instructor for ATSU.
Dr. Breitenbach’s research interests include cancer screening in Hispanic women, school nutrition behaviors, and developing collaborative partnerships among institutions of higher learning, state-level organizations, and local school districts to improve comprehensive school health education.
University Catalog
Read more about the Doctor of Education in Health Professions in the University Catalog to learn more about detailed course descriptions and doctoral research project specifications for the EdD in Health Professions and find answers for many of your questions regarding application information and tuition.
A.T. Still University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 800.621.7440 | Fax: 312.263.7462
Email: info@hlcommission.org
Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education Degree Faculty
The ATSU-CGHS faculty and staff are dedicated to the success of each health professions degree student. All ATSU-CGHS instructors hold doctorate degrees, with diverse academic and professional backgrounds in education, public health and health education.
Their academic areas of interest include curriculum and instruction, adult education, health professions education, health literacy, community health, health behavior, college health, child and adolescent health, rural health, environmental health, parasitology, microbiology, epidemiology, emerging pathogens and infectious disease, program evaluation, professional education of health educators, allied health and health sciences education, online learning, and innovative teaching methodologies.
Offering a challenging educational experience, the Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education program enables professional and intellectual advancement with the resources that support you throughout your journey. Comprehensive student services are available, including advising, tutoring, technical support, and career services.
Faculty Forums
Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education Degree Admissions
ATSU's Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education online program will admit professionals who have a master’s or doctorate degree.
EdD in Health Professions Education degree students are selected by an admission committee that considers the overall qualities of the applicant through application content, academic record, and personal motivation.
Application
Review application deadline dates
For additional information contact an Enrollment Counselor:
877.626.5577 or cghsonlineadmissions@atsu.edu
Request Information
Have a question for ATSU?
Submit an inquiry for more information on your program of interest.
Missouri Campus
800 W. Jefferson Street Kirksville, MO 63501
877.626.5577
cghsonlineadmissions@atsu.edu
Wondering if the EdD is the perfect fit for you?
ATSU-CGHS offers a variety of doctoral programs that meet your professional needs and career goals.