Health Sciences Degree Programs
With access to world-class facilities, an impactful faculty and updated curriculum, The University of Scranton’s health sciences programs are built for student success.
Our distinguished and widely-published faculty guide students to reach their goals in the healthcare field, while building courses that challenge and inform on the latest industry trends. All six health science programs feature extensive practical experience to put these trends in action.
The University's health science programs build tomorrow’s leaders in the healthcare industry, placing special emphasis on the latest trends and a focus on caring for the whole person.
For registered nurses interested in an advanced degree, Scranton offers four opportunities for growth.
The online MSN in Executive Nurse Leadership provides an avenue towards management and leadership, while the online MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner forms advanced practice nurses who can care for patients across the life span. The on-campus DNP in Nurse Anesthesia program instructs students to perform precise, specialized medicine to all patients, while the online DNP in Post-Master’s Leadership gives advanced experience with individuals who already hold a master’s degree.
The competitive and challenging DPT program prepares students to enter the physical therapy profession and make an immediate impact through service.
The MS in Speech-Language Pathology program offers a unique online learning experience that blends synchronous learning activity with experiential learning.
Available Health Sciences Programs
Program Benefits
- Earn more than 875 hours of clinical experience through the duration of the program
- Programs offered in a hybrid format with a combination of online and face-to-face classes to accommodate working adults
- Offered as a 36-credit master’s degree for baccalaureate-prepared nurses and a 27-credit post-master’s certificate for nurses already holding a nursing master’s degree in advanced practice.
- High certification pass rate and employment following graduation
Scranton’s Family Nurse Practitioner master’s program provides registered nurses with the knowledge and competencies necessary to become highly skilled, advanced practice nurses while instilling the ideal of “cura personalis,” - the care of the whole person. Students are able to gain practical knowledge from faculty who bring significant clinical work experiences to the classroom experience, while working alongside faculty who will assist with personal academic planning throughout the program.
Program Benefits
- Excellent clinical opportunities -- the class of 2023, for example, averaged 864 anesthetic cases.
- Clinical skills are learned in a variety of environments, each of which offers experiences in the anesthetic management of specialized patient populations.
- Students integrate classroom content with direct application of advanced techniques in providing anesthesia care to patients of all ages.
Students complete more than 2,000 hours of experience in those varied environments, building a profile to serve patients with varying needs.
The program builds upon itself, as students learn didactic coursework in their first year before advancing to lab and clinical work in their second year. The final year of coursework is clinical-heavy, culminating in a DNP scholarly project and portfolio presentation to show the knowledge each student gains.
Program Benefits
- Faculty-directed student research presented annually at national scientific meetings
- Internship components across the country
- Students can participate in multiple professional activities at state, regional, and national levels
- Opportunities to engage in domestic or international service experiences with peers and faculty
With clinical and laboratory experiences built into the coursework, students are exposed to hands-on learning and showcase what they have learned in several different services. Graduates are able to sit for the physical therapy licensure examination within six months of graduating from the program.
Program Benefits
- With our executive model format that combines on-campus and online course work, the program is specifically designed to accommodate full-time practice and full-time academic commitment.
- All students complete a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours toward their capstone project, and advanced nursing practice students will be given credit for the clinical hours completed in their master’s specialty program.
Program Benefits
- About 75% of the necessary coursework can be completed remotely, providing students with the option to earn a degree from anywhere in the world. Students in the program also attend in-person summer sessions to hone their clinical practice.
- Diverse range of academic and clinical experiences based upon Ignatian pedagogy.
- An ooptional 10 credit healthcare specialization allows students to focus their practice.
The program prepares competent clinicians who can effectively evaluate and treat individuals with communication and swallowing disorders or differences. Speech-language pathologists who graduate from Scranton are empowered to practice person-centered care in schools and healthcare settings, assessing and treating clients of all ages and backgrounds who struggle with communication and swallowing disorders or differences.
Gain Credentials for a Number of Healthcare Careers
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects about 1.8 million openings in healthcare occupations from 2022 to 2032, while indicating an above-average growth in employment compared to all occupations.1 This growth reflects the need for quality, credentialed healthcare workers who can traverse the changing healthcare industry.
Many of these roles require advanced degrees or experience, and one of our health science programs can help prepare you for the healthcare role you desire.
Nurse Practitioners $121,610 per year
Physical Therapists $97,720 per year
Speech Language Pathologists $84,140 per year
Sources:
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm (visited November 01, 2023).
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Speech Language Pathologists at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Physical Therapists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm (visited September 06, 2023).