Davenport University

What you'll study

This master's combines contemporary approaches to health professions education with courses in ethics, medical humanities and research methods. The curriculum emphasises applied pedagogy for adult learners, the ethical complexities of clinical practice, and narrative, historical and philosophical perspectives that inform compassionate care.

• Foundations of Health Professions Education — adult learning theory, instructional design, and the roles of clinical teachers.
• Curriculum Design and Assessment — competency-based curricula, learning outcomes, formative and summative assessment, and program evaluation.
• Clinical Teaching Practicum — supervised practice in teaching or curriculum leadership within a clinical or educational setting, with reflective supervision.
• Ethics in Healthcare — clinical ethics, ethical decision-making frameworks, professionalism and systems-level ethical issues.
• Medical and Health Humanities — narrative medicine, illness narratives, history of medicine, and arts-based approaches to empathy and reflective practice.
• Research Methods and Scholarship — qualitative and quantitative methods relevant to educational research, evaluation methods, and scholarship of teaching and learning.
• Leadership and Change in Health Professions Education — leadership theory, interprofessional education, curricular change management and policy implications.
• Capstone Project or Thesis — an applied project or research thesis demonstrating integration of education, ethics and humanities in a real-world context.

Entry requirements

Applicants are typically expected to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Successful candidates often have professional qualifications or clinical licensure in health-related fields (for example nursing, medicine, allied health, pharmacy, or public health) and relevant practice experience.

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline; a degree in a non-health field may be considered alongside relevant professional experience.
• A demonstrated academic record; specific GPA expectations are set by the admissions office and considered in context with professional experience.
• Professional CV or résumé outlining clinical, teaching or leadership experience.
• Personal statement describing career goals, interest in health professions education, and how the programme fits those goals.
• References from academic or professional referees who can speak to the applicant’s suitability for graduate study and educational work.
• International applicants will need to meet English language proficiency requirements as specified by the university.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for a range of roles that combine clinical expertise with educational leadership and ethical insight. Many find positions within academic medical centres, hospitals, professional schools and continuing education units.

• Clinical educator or faculty member in nursing, medicine, allied health or pharmacy programmes.
• Curriculum developer or instructional designer for health professions programmes and continuing professional development.
• Educational leader or programme director responsible for assessment, accreditation and faculty development.
• Member or leader of hospital ethics committees, clinical governance or quality improvement teams.
• Roles in health professions regulatory bodies, professional associations or educational consultancy.
• Further academic study, including doctoral programmes in health professions education, bioethics or medical humanities.

Why study at Davenport University

Davenport University offers an applied, practitioner-focused approach to graduate education with flexible delivery options suited to working professionals. The programme leverages small cohort sizes and faculty who combine academic expertise with clinical and educational experience.

• Practical orientation — emphasis on real-world teaching practice, applied capstone projects and skills you can implement immediately in clinical or educational settings.
• Flexible study modes — blended and online options enable learners to balance work and study.
• Interdisciplinary focus — integrates pedagogy, ethics and humanities to foster well-rounded educators and leaders.
• Local healthcare connections — access to clinical sites and professional networks within Michigan that support practicum placements and collaborative projects.
• Student support — academic advising, library resources and professional development services to support scholarly and career goals.