Summer McGee, Ph.D., Dean
Renee Prajer, RDH, M.S., Assistant Dean
The School of Health Sciences (SHS) at the University of New Haven is a regional destination and nationally recognized provider of quality health professions education. The School of Health Sciences at the University of New Haven prepares students to develop the competencies necessary to be a successful healthcare professional in the 21st century. The signature of a University of New Haven School of Health Sciences education is our commitment to competency-based education assessed through hands-on learning experiences in simulated and real-world healthcare settings. Students learn and grow through health career exploration, interprofessional education, and hands-on experiences. Our curriculum is focused upon healthcare innovation, systems thinking, and using evidence-based approaches to solve today's biggest challenges in healthcare which gives students the tools to succeed in today's complex healthcare environment.
Mission
The mission of the School of Health Sciences is to deliver innovative, interdisciplinary healthcare education in health sciences and allied health professions to prepare students to succeed in 21st century healthcare organizations.
Vision
The vision of the School of Health Sciences is to become a regionally and nationally recognized leader in health professions education with quality faculty, innovative coursework, strong industry partnerships, and successful graduates.
Organizational Structure
The School of Health Sciences consists of three operational units as follows:
- The Department of Allied Health
- The Department of Health Administration and Policy
- The Department of Nutrition Sciences
Professional Accreditation
The BS in Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) (https://www.ada.org/en/coda)
The BS in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dietetic Internship Program are both accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ASCEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend).
The MS in Healthcare Administration Program is currently in the self-study phase for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) (https://www.cahme.org.)
Programs and Concentrations
Bachelor of Science
Dental Hygiene
Health Science
Nutrition and Dietetics
Associate in Science
Dental Hygiene
University Core Curriculum
In addition to departmental requirements, students must fulfill all requirements of the University Core Curriculum.
General Policies in the School of Health Sciences
Each student is assigned an academic adviser. Normally, the adviser is a member of the faculty in the major department for the student's degree program.
A student may select a minor in a department other than the major department after consultation with the adviser or the appropriate department chair.
To receive a degree from the School of Health Sciences, the student must be awarded his/her last 30 credits by the University of New Haven.
A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.
Experiential Education Requirement
The School of Health Sciences requires each student to complete at least one experiential education opportunity prior to graduation. These opportunities correspond to those endorsed by the university faculty. Given the diversity of programs within the college, there are experiential education differences among programs. The experiential education opportunity is included in many programs within a specific course requirement. Students are expected to consult with their advisor on the requirement in their programs. The student is responsible for ensuring that this requirement is met and has been approved by the student's advisor.
Students meet this requirement through satisfactory completion of one of the following options. Each option requires student reflection and assessment of the educational experience.
A University-sponsored or University-approved study-abroad or study-away educational experience. (Academic advisor approval of study-abroad or study-away plans other than University-sponsored courses is required.)
An internship, capstone, or practicum course that is approved by the student's advisor. Course credit may range from 0 to 3 credits and may be part of a student's major requirements.
A course involving faculty-supervised research or scholarship that has been approved by the student's advisor. Examples include Independent Study, Senior Project, and participation in the University-SURF program.
A course identified as an experiential education (e.g., academic service learning) course approved by the School of Health Sciences Curriculum Committee. These courses include students applying their discipline-specific knowledge to a problem or project outside of the classroom arranged and approved by the course professor.