Saginaw Valley State University

What you'll study

This interdisciplinary master's programme combines core topics in health professions education, applied ethics and the humanities. You will study curriculum design for health professions, assessment and program evaluation, adult learning theory, and instructional methods for clinical and interprofessional education. Coursework in bioethics and clinical ethics equips you to address moral dilemmas in practice, while modules in medical humanities explore narrative medicine, visual and literary approaches to illness, and the social and cultural contexts of health.

Research methods and scholarship form a strong thread through the programme: you will cover qualitative and quantitative methods appropriate to education and humanities research, evidence synthesis, and educational scholarship. Most students complete a capstone project or thesis that involves curriculum development, an educational intervention, an ethics consultation framework, or a humanities-informed research project that is directly relevant to their workplace.

• Curriculum Design and Assessment in Health Professions Education
• Adult Learning Theory and Instructional Strategies
• Clinical and Interprofessional Education
• Bioethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation
• Medical Humanities: Narrative, Visual and Cultural Approaches
• Research Methods for Education and Humanities
• Capstone Project or Master's Thesis in Education, Ethics, or Humanities

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a recognised bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline such as a health profession, nursing, public health, social sciences, or humanities. Successful candidates often have professional experience in clinical practice, education, policy, or related fields; relevant workplace responsibility strengthens an application.

Typical application materials include a transcript of prior study, a current CV or résumé, a personal statement outlining educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation. Some applicants may be invited to an interview. International applicants should demonstrate proficiency in English where required by institutional policy.

Career prospects

Graduates work across clinical, academic and administrative roles where expertise in education, ethics and humanities is valued. Typical career paths include clinical educator or faculty in health profession programmes, curriculum developer, simulation and assessment specialist, and leaders of continuing professional development. Others work with hospital ethics committees, in bioethics consultation, patient advocacy, or in roles that integrate humanities-based approaches to patient care and communication.

Alumni also pursue doctoral study in health professions education, bioethics or humanities, and some move into policy, quality improvement, or leadership positions within healthcare organisations, professional associations and educational institutions.

Why study at Saginaw Valley State University

Saginaw Valley State University offers this programme within an environment that emphasises close faculty mentoring, applied learning and community engagement. The university's College of Health and Human Services maintains partnerships with regional hospitals, clinics and community organisations, providing opportunities for practice-informed projects and placements.

The programme draws on faculty with combined expertise in clinical practice, educational scholarship and ethical analysis, and benefits from a campus culture that values interdisciplinary collaboration across health sciences and the humanities. Flexible delivery formats, including evening and blended options, help working professionals combine study with ongoing employment.

Students also gain access to university resources such as teaching technology support, library collections with strengths in ethics and humanities, and networks of regional healthcare providers that support applied capstone work and career development.