Educ 500 - Educational Research for Teachers (3 credits) | back to top This course deals with understanding, developing, and utilizing data as applied to educational problems. The course will include an overview of quantitative and qualitative educational research. The major emphasis of the course will be teacher involvement in the action research process. This course is normally taken just before undertaking the Reading Research Project (Educ 575).
Educ 503 - Educational Statistics (3 credits) | back to top
Basic concepts of statistical reasoning and the underlying assumptions are presented. Analysis of variance is discussed. Designs for educational research are reviewed.
Educ 510 - Developmental Nature of Reading (3 credits) | back to top
The nature of literacy learning is explored from the perspective of children constructing meaning and being actively involved in their learning. The reading-writing relationship and authentic assessment procedures are stressed.
Educ 515 - Reading in the Content Area (3 credits) | back to top
The course emphasizes strategies that enhance a student's ability to understand content-area reading. Understanding the complexity of expository texts will be reviewed, along with techniques for improving vocabulary, comprehension, and study skills.
Educ 516 - Reading Disabilities: Diagnosis and Prescription (3 credits) | back to top
The course will review strategies for improving reading, writing, and study skills. Intervention based on assessment results to provide effective instruction will also be discussed. This course is the first half of the Reading practicum experience, which concludes with Educ 550.
Educ 517 - Organization, Administration, and Supervision of Reading Programs (3 credits) | back to top
The effectiveness of managing reading programs will be explored. The human resources, structural, economic, political, and symbolic relationships impacting on instruction will be examined. The organizational framework of actual settings and leadership styles will be analyzed.
Educ 518 - Computer Applications for Reading Instruction (3 credits) | back to top
This course explores how computer technology can be effectively used to support various theories of literacy instruction and learning. The course will provide hands-on opportunities to use and critique computer programs for use in reading programs. The course emphasizes effective integration of technology into teaching.
Educ 519 - Reading Instruction for the Exceptional Child (3 credits) | back to top
This course is designed to familiarize K-12 classroom teachers and reading specialists with children of varied exceptionalities, including behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, mental retardation, ADD/ADHD, and physical disabilities. While a theoretical base will be presented, the course will center around gathering useful pedagogical information from various sources that develop the literacy ability of these children and enhance instruction in all subject areas.
Educ 520 - The Writing Process K-12 (3 credits) | back to top
The course examines writing as a means of facilitating language development and learning. Practical means of implementing writing and the writing process into all aspects of the curriculum are examined, along with the reading-writing connection and writer's workshop. The goal of the course is to develop an understanding of the purpose for writing in K-12 classrooms.
Educ 521 - Alternative Assessment (3 credits) | back to top
This course considers alternative assessments for measuring performance, including portfolios, performance assessments, checklists, anecdotal records, and miscue analysis.
Educ 522 - Curriculum Development K-12 (3 credits) | back to top
This course examines the developmental nature of curriculum through elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Basic principles of curricular design are studied, as well as current curricular trends.
Educ 523 - Children's and Adolescent Literature in Reading Instruction (3 credits) | back to top
Students will survey the selection, evaluation, and utilization of literacy materials for children and adolescents. The course will focus upon the study of different literary genres, aesthetic and efferent responses to literature, and integrating literature into all curriculum areas.
Educ 524 - Seminar in Topics of Reading (3 credits) | back to top
This course examines current issues and trends in reading and literacy.
Educ 525 - Independent Study (3 credits) | back to top
Independent studies will be offered under special circumstance and will be designed with the program director. Permission required.
Educ 527 - Special Topics in Education (3 credits) | back to top
This course examines current issues in the field of education.
Educ 550 - Reading Clinic Practicum (3 credits) | back to top
The course is a clinic to implement instruction to improve a child's literacy abilities. The course provides for the application of the assessment and strategies discussed in Educ 516 and concludes the two-part Reading practicum experience. After working with a client, each student will write a report of the child's literacy ability, with a description of instruction, and recommend procedures for further assistance. Permission required.
Educ 575 - Reading Research Project (3 credits) | back to top
Each student will engage in a reading research project in an area of special interest. Upon completion of the project, students will write a professional-quality academic paper. Prerequisite: Educ 500. Permission required.
Graduate Certificate in English as a Second Language-Requirements
Educ 600 - Basics of English Grammar, First and Second Language Acquisition and Instructional Strategies for Second Language Acquisition (3 credits) | back to top
This course focuses on the grammar and structure of the English language including the components: lexical, syntactical, phonological and morphological and semantic. Theoretical perspectives of first and second language acquisition are examined. Students develop activities to demonstrate selected instructional strategies and theoretical acquisition perspectives.
Educ 605 - Instructional Materials, Technologies and Their Development (3 credits) | back to top
This course is designed around the methods, strategies, research and resources that enable students to develop and implement an ESL program, to help English Language Learners acquire English language and academic cognitive understanding and skills. Students design resource and teaching materials, implement them with their students, and provide reports to the class. Emphasis is placed on working with colleagues in schools, to help them understand that they, as well as ESL teachers, must adapt and modify content/lessons to enable ESL students to develop social and academic cognitive English.
Educ 610 - Assessment and Evaluation of Student, Program, Instruction, Family Involvement and Support Services (3 credits) | back to top
This course emphasizes multiple assessment models to determine English language performance and proficiency. Models include: paper and pencil tests, authentic assessment, and conferencing evaluation methods. Emphasis is placed on linking instruction with assessment results using individual and small group activities. Students design an ESL Unit to be implemented with ESL students in their classrooms. Additional ways of assisting families to participate in their children's learning are examined. Finally, the ESL placement and annual state tests mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) are examined.
Educ 615 - Cultural and Linguistic Diversities, Approaches and Collaborative Methods for Developing Cultural Awareness (3 credits) | back to top
In this course, cultural and linguistic diversities are examined through the mosaic of groups immigrating to the United States. The analyses focus on: time period of immigration, reasons for immigrating, and differences among immigrating groups in education, occupation, religion, native language, ESL mode or type used with these groups, and other variables. Methods of working with culturally and linguistically diverse families and ways to collaborate with them and their needs are examined.
Graduate Certificate: Early-Childhood Program Director-Requirements
Educ 560 - Education of Young Children: Theories, Practices and Policies (3 credits) | back to top
This course examines the education of infants, toddlers, preschool, and primary school-aged children. It provides a comprehensive view of programs and practices, including historical foundations, multiple influences on development, learning, relationships with families and the community, as well as the latest ideas and practices in the field. Identification of personal and ethical beliefs and becoming engaged in advocacy as an early childhood professional is explored. This course will offer students an overview of relevant quantitative and qualitative research in the field of early childhood education. It is designed to provide practitioners with an early childhood knowledge base, as well as an opportunity to analyze relevant issues and apply developmentally-appropriate methods. Students will be introduced to the Portfolio Assessment System and will begin to build their own portfolios. It requires approximately ten hours of observation in early childhood settings.
Educ 564 - Leadership of Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction (3 credits) | back to top
This course stresses leadership in building relationships with staff, families, children, and community. The learning environment, observation and assessment, and financial and legal considerations are considered. The course explores leadership in curriculum and instruction as a means of inspiring, guiding and effecting school change. Theories on the basic principles of curricular design, as well as recent studies on trends in curriculum and instruction, will be a major focus. Educ 560 recommended as a pre-requisite for individuals without prior study in the field of early childhood .
Educ 566 - Organization and Administration of Early Childhood Education (3 credits) | back to top
This course is designed to simulate the process of organizing and administering early-childhood programs serving children aged from newborn through age five. It examines establishing, managing, staffing, training, and supervising personnel. Additionally, it will cover financial and legal considerations, physical space requirements, nutrition and meals, marketing the program, and accessing important sources for any early childhood program. Participants will develop program tools based on child-development theory, educational practice, and governmental regulations. They will also explore recent educational research on supervision styles, while studying the organizational framework of actual settings.
Health Care Administration Program Requirements and Electives
HCA 500 - Introduction to Health Services Systems (3 credits) | back to top
This course is designed as a comprehensive introduction to the organization of the U.S. health care "system." It examines the major institutions, professions, and political forces that influence the provision of health care services in the United States. Students explore the development of each major component of the medical care system from an historical perspective by examining the changes in their organization and role over time. They also consider the major problems presently confronting each aspect of health care and discuss alternative means of resolving these issues for the future.
HCA 501 - Health Policy (3 credits) | back to top
This course introduces the student to current major issues in health policy. This course discusses the politics of health policy in terms of legislation at both the state and federal level. Key forces such as power development, special interest groups, economics and cost benefit analysis are discussed. Major policy issues that are reviewed include managed care, public health, Medicare and Medicaid, technology assessment, and population-based medicine.
HCA 502 - Human Resources Management (3 credits) | back to top
This course surveys the activities and decision-making functions of the human resources manager, including personnel planning, recruitment, interviewing, training and development, compensation practices, benefits administration, maintaining personnel records, employee communication, labor relations and succession planning, with an emphasis on the legal dimensions of these various activities. Attention is also drawn to the professional and legal responsibilities of the individual manager or team leader in matters such as employee rights, privacy, sexual harassment, discrimination in the workplace, employee evaluations, workers' compensation and recruitment of personnel. This comprehensive review occurs from the unique perspective of the health services organization.
HCA 504 - Health Care Economics (3 credits) | back to top
This course is an in-depth study of the major topics in health care economics. The course examines the production, cost, and financing of health care services, delivery mechanisms and their effects, health labor markets and professional training, and use of economic evaluation tools (cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses) in making decisions about allocation of scarce resources. Students comprehend the essential economic concepts, critically review relevant research evidence, and consider the policy implications for the various interest groups in both private and public sector.
HCA 505 - Epidemiology for Health Care Managers (3 credits) | back to top
This course is an in-depth study of the distribution and determinants of health, disease, and disability in human populations. Specific topics include: descriptive and analytical epidemiology, community assessment, and study design. Case studies that involve all of the tools of epidemiology are utilized. The student becomes aware of the uses of epidemiology in population-based medicine and managerial decision making.
HCA 507 - Health Care Financial Management (3 credits) | back to top
This course introduces both the theory and concepts behind financial decision making in the health services industry. The primary goal of this course is to provide an operational knowledge of financial management theory and concepts. Students will be given the opportunity to apply these ideas to real-world healthcare business settings and to use spreadsheet analyses to help make better financial decisions. It is strongly recommended that students take HCA 541 before taking this course.
HCA 511 - Quantitative Business Methods for Health Care (3 credits) | back to top
This course focuses on the development and use of statistical analysis in health care. Students are introduced to the essential definitions, concepts, and tools of statistical analysis and Excel statistical functions. Students will use their knowledge of statistics and Excel to identify and run appropriate statistical tests based on the goal(s) of the analysis and data availability. Statistical tests covered include chi-square, t-test, analysis of variance, regression, and Logit. The goal of the course is to improve policy and administrative decision-making in health care settings using statistical techniques.
HCA 521 - Community Health Administration (3 credits) | back to top
This course examines community health initiatives designed to protect and advance the general health of the public. Topics to be covered include: history of public health, epidemiology, community assessment, public health management, health education, child health programs, communicable and chronic diseases, environmental health, and the future of the public health. Particular attention is paid to partnering with managed care organizations in order to acquire needed resources.
HCA 531 - Understanding Organizational Ethics (3 credits) | back to top
This course is designed to expose graduate students to the kinds of moral problems they will encounter as professionals in their functional areas. The focus of the course is policy formulation and implementation, with emphasis placed on the ethical dimensions and ramifications of that process. A series of current corporate case problems is reviewed and discussed in order to raise some of the major ethical issues involved in managing the organization's relationships with its many publics.
HCA 541 - Managerial Accounting for Health Care Administration (3 credits) | back to top
This course is intended to provide an overview of the subject of accounting. Students will learn financial and managerial accounting concepts with an emphasis on contemporary management control theory as applied in the health services industry. The course begins with the characteristics of the management control function. It then examines the nature and purpose of financial statements and introduces fund accounting. The course concludes with coverage of full cost accounting, the measurement and use of differential costs, and pricing decisions.
HCA 570 - Topics In Health Care Administration (3 credits) | back to top
This course is an in-depth review of the most current issues and problems facing the health care industry and those who deal with it.
HCA 571 - Health Care Marketing (3 credits) | back to top
This course provides a survey of marketing concepts as applied to health services organizations. An examination of marketing strategies useful in the delivery of health care services is provided to students. Special attention will be focused on market research, pricing, targeting a market, new product development, innovation, and the development of a marketing plan.
HCA 572 - Health Law (3 credits) | back to top
This course will explore the legal aspects of the health care environment. Particular emphasis will be placed on the court system's effect on the health care executive. Topics to be discussed include the following: medical negligence, employment/agency relationships, prolongation of life, patients' rights, and corporate liability.
HCA 573 - Health Care Information Systems (3 credits) | back to top
An introduction to information and its key role in the effective functioning and management of health care organizations. The course provides students with sufficient background on fundamental terminology pertaining to computer hardware and operating systems to communicate effectively with technical personnel. It explores clinical-care and administrative application of the computers in health services delivery.
HCA 575 - Health Promotion (3 credits) | back to top
This course explores the various methods of delivering messages related to good health habits. The development, implementation, and evaluation of health messages will be discussed. Health education and promotional strategies will be outlined, in addition to the evaluation of various case studies of successful health communication programs
HCA 591 - Directed Study in Health Care Administration (3 credits) | back to top
This course allows the student the opportunity to pursue the study of special interest under the direction of a faculty member. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
HCA 595 - Leadership and Executive Skills For Health Care Managers (3 credits) | back to top
This course focuses on a value-added and process-centered method of goal attainment. Topics include leadership theories, culture, human resources management, contingency and transformational theories, communication skills, mentorship, and team building and change theories.
HCA 597 - Total Quality Management in Health Care (3 credits) | back to top
This course integrates all the major topics covered in the required courses, including accounting, finance, statistical analysis, epidemiology, operations management, information management, ethics and law, and leadership, and incorporates them into a final course experience. The focus of this course is to use all the learning experiences in the program to be able to apply continuous quality improvement processes to health care organizations. Students will apply the various disciplines they have learned to cases involving real-life applications of quality management in health care delivery systems. Prevention of medical errors and compliance with patient rights will also be covered. This is the capstone course in the graduate program in health care administration program. It is usually taken as the final course in the program.
HCA 599 - Health Care Administration Internship (3 or 6 credits) | back to top
Provides students with administrative experience in a health service agency. Internship with a health-care facility may be substituted for one elective course. The internship is coordinated through the Center for Experiential Learning (described above). Permission of the director of the Health Care Administrative Program is required.
Physician Assistant Program Requirements
The course descriptions for courses and clinical rotations required in the Physician Assistant master's program can be found in the King's College Undergraduate Catalogue. They may also be requested from the Physician Assistant Office by calling (570) 208-5853.
