Teaching and Curriculum in the Health Professions
Best DHSc Programs for Educators in Healthcare
The most useful DHSc programs for educators teach you how to design a course, assess learning, and improve a health-professions program. A doctorate with a broad leadership label won't necessarily provide that preparation. Read the education concentration and final project requirements before treating a DHSc as a teaching qualification.
These five editorial picks have named education-focused coursework or concentrations. We prioritize the connection between teaching methods, curriculum, assessment, and applied scholarly work. The order is specific to healthcare education; it does not predict a faculty appointment, professional licensure, or a salary increase.
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Compare DHSc Programs for Educators
| University and Program | Published Details | Decision to Make |
|---|---|---|
| 1. George Washington UniversityDHSc in Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education | Track: Educational Practice Leadership Credits: 48 Attendance: Online Courses and Two Residency Weekends Published Tuition: $52,464 Estimated Tuition | Confirm the residency calendar and total fees in addition to the published tuition estimate. |
| 2. MCPHS UniversityDoctor of Health Sciences | Concentration: Teaching and Learning in the Health Professions Credits: 36 Pace: Six Consecutive Semesters Final Work: Evidence-Based Healthcare Capstone | Make sure the capstone topic and teaching coursework match your intended academic role. |
| 3. Radford UniversityDoctor of Health Sciences | Concentration: Higher Education Degree Credits: 42 Concentration Credits: 12 Attendance: Online, Without Required Residency | Annual course availability and the next intake date can shape your calendar. |
| 4. A.T. Still UniversityDoctor of Health Sciences | Concentration: Fundamentals of Education Delivery: Online, Asynchronous Degree Scope: 65–70 Credits Across Program Options Final Work: Applied Research Project | Use the concentration-specific degree plan to establish credits, sequence, and total cost. |
| 5. University of New HavenDoctor of Health Sciences | Concentration: Educational Leadership Coursework: Asynchronous Online Residencies: Two Days, Then Three Days Final Work: Doctoral Thesis or Culminating Project | The second residency uses weekdays, and the final work requires a thesis chair and committee. |
The order reflects the education-specific editorial method explained below. Compare the attendance and project requirements before deciding which program fits your work.
George Washington University
DHSc in Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education
- Track
- Educational Practice Leadership
- Credits
- 48
- Attendance
- Online Courses and Two Residency Weekends
- Published Tuition
- $52,464 Estimated Tuition
GW's education track directly connects teaching strategies, curriculum development, assessment, and educational technology. That breadth is why it leads this education-specific comparison. The culminating manuscript gives the academic work a defined scholarly product rather than leaving teaching preparation at the level of a career aspiration.
The university publishes 48 credits at $1,093 per credit, or $52,464 estimated tuition. Budget separately for required residency travel and other expenses. The two weekend residencies also deserve a place in your work calendar before you compare the program with a no-travel doctorate.
Consider This If: A clinician who wants a named educational-practice track and a manuscript-centered final product.
Plan Around: Confirm the residency calendar and total fees in addition to the published tuition estimate.
Read George Washington University's DHSc in Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education DetailsMCPHS University
Doctor of Health Sciences
- Concentration
- Teaching and Learning in the Health Professions
- Credits
- 36
- Pace
- Six Consecutive Semesters
- Final Work
- Evidence-Based Healthcare Capstone
MCPHS combines a named teaching-and-learning concentration with a regular scholarship sequence. The degree's six-semester plan uses two three-credit courses each term, and its applied capstone asks you to connect evidence with a practice problem. That structure can suit an educator who wants the project to develop alongside the coursework.
Before choosing the concentration, ask to see the current teaching courses and recent project formats. Compare those with your intended responsibilities: a course instructor, curriculum lead, and program director may need different emphases. The regular part-time sequence is also a practical point to discuss with your employer.
Consider This If: A working health professional seeking a teaching concentration in a published part-time plan.
Plan Around: Make sure the capstone topic and teaching coursework match your intended academic role.
Read MCPHS University's Doctor of Health Sciences DetailsRadford University
Doctor of Health Sciences
- Concentration
- Higher Education
- Degree Credits
- 42
- Concentration Credits
- 12
- Attendance
- Online, Without Required Residency
Radford's Higher Education concentration includes educational theory, higher education, and educational strategies for health science. It sits within a 42-credit degree with an applied scholarly capstone. The named concentration gives you a more concrete teaching pathway than selecting unrelated electives in a general health doctorate.
Its sequence also requires planning: classes are normally offered annually. The current program notice says fall 2026 enrollment is full and welcomes interest in fall 2027. Use that next-cohort timing when comparing admission offers rather than assuming an immediate start.
Consider This If: You want a higher-education concentration and can plan ahead for a fall cohort.
Plan Around: Annual course availability and the next intake date can shape your calendar.
Read Radford University's Doctor of Health Sciences DetailsA.T. Still University
Doctor of Health Sciences
- Concentration
- Fundamentals of Education
- Delivery
- Online, Asynchronous
- Degree Scope
- 65–70 Credits Across Program Options
- Final Work
- Applied Research Project
ATSU's Fundamentals of Education option addresses educational program evaluation, teaching and learning, and curriculum design. The university describes an asynchronous online curriculum ending in an applied research project. It is a useful comparison for someone interested in program-level education work as well as individual classroom teaching.
ATSU publishes different credit totals across its program options, so request the plan for your exact concentration. Its separate education certificate can also be a useful discussion if you need focused teaching preparation before committing to the full doctorate. Confirm how certificate credits would apply before enrolling in either route.
Consider This If: You want education-program evaluation and curriculum work within a broad health-sciences doctorate.
Plan Around: Use the concentration-specific degree plan to establish credits, sequence, and total cost.
Read A.T. Still University's Doctor of Health Sciences DetailsUniversity of New Haven
Doctor of Health Sciences
- Concentration
- Educational Leadership
- Coursework
- Asynchronous Online
- Residencies
- Two Days, Then Three Days
- Final Work
- Doctoral Thesis or Culminating Project
New Haven's Educational Leadership concentration covers teaching and learning, curriculum design, curriculum evaluation, and educational leadership. The culminating work can take a clinical, practical, or research form, including course development. That range lets a teaching problem become the center of the doctoral project, subject to committee approval.
The online coursework comes with two in-person residencies: an initial two-day weekend and a later three-day weekday visit. The weekday requirement is material for a clinician who has limited leave. Review the thesis expectations alongside travel and course plans so the program's flexibility doesn't hide the practical commitment.
Consider This If: You want an educational-leadership track with several permissible project formats.
Plan Around: The second residency uses weekdays, and the final work requires a thesis chair and committee.
Read University of New Haven's Doctor of Health Sciences DetailsHow We Ranked DHSc Programs for Educators
Inclusion required official evidence of a teaching or education concentration, named education coursework, and a DHSc degree. Our editorial order first considers whether the curriculum connects teaching methods, curriculum design, and assessment. We then consider the link to final scholarly work and the practical attendance requirements. We do not award points for an institution-wide undergraduate graduation rate or an unrelated ranking.
Sources were checked September 17, 2026. This is a reviewed shortlist rather than a census. GW's concentrated educational-practice sequence leads the comparison; MCPHS combines the teaching concentration with a regular scholarship plan. The other programs provide distinct higher-education, program-evaluation, or leadership options. Read the broader DHSc methodology before comparing this order with the national DHSc list.
Check What the Faculty Job Actually Requires
Find the hiring requirements for the role you want before selecting a doctorate. A health-professions department can require a particular professional license, clinical experience, subject expertise, or research record alongside a terminal degree. A DHSc adds doctoral study; it does not replace an entry-to-practice credential.
For someone already teaching, compare the degree with the work you need to do next. Improving assessment, coordinating clinical education, and leading a curriculum review are different projects. Ask prospective faculty supervisors how the program would support that specific responsibility. Our DHSc-versus-PhD guide addresses the broader research-degree decision.
Match Your Education Project to a Real Setting
A project becomes more feasible when you have access to a course, teaching team, or program that wants the work done. Agree on the problem before building a large data-collection plan. Establish who owns student records, who can authorize access, and how the university will review the proposal.
Read the DHSc capstone project examples for ways to turn a topic into a defined product. If you intend to keep teaching full time, compare part-time DHSc schedules and ask when project activity overlaps with your busiest academic term.
Compare Education Concentrations Without Assuming a Pay Raise
A named education concentration is useful evidence about coursework, not a guarantee of a faculty job. Compare program tuition and required fees with your current employer's promotion rules and tuition support. If an employer requires a doctorate for a particular role, get the acceptable degree types confirmed before you spend money.
For an external job search, read actual vacancies in your discipline and intended institution type. Decide whether you need stronger teaching preparation, a sustained research apprenticeship, or a professional credential. That distinction is more useful than choosing a degree solely because it can be completed online.
Questions About Choosing These DHSc Programs
Can a DHSc Prepare Me to Teach Health Sciences?
A DHSc with education coursework can develop teaching, curriculum, and assessment skills. Eligibility for a particular faculty role also depends on the department's degree, professional credential, experience, and research requirements.
What Should I Look for in DHSc Education Coursework?
Look for teaching methods, curriculum design, assessment, and an opportunity to apply those skills in the final project. Review course descriptions instead of relying only on an education-track name.
Are These DHSc Programs Fully Online?
Online coursework is common, but GW and New Haven require in-person residencies. Compare travel and live attendance separately from the delivery of weekly classes.
Is an Education DHSc the Same as an EdD?
No. They are different degrees, and their curricula and project expectations should be compared program by program. This list includes DHSc programs only.
Does No Dissertation Mean No Research?
No. Applied projects, capstones, and manuscripts still require scholarly work. Read the program's final-project requirements and committee process before deciding which format suits you.
Official Sources for This DHSc Guide
Program and project sources checked September 17, 2026. Historical graduate examples retain the dates reported by their universities.