Pacific Launches New Doctorate, Undergrad Programs
Pacific University will launch four new academic programs in Fall 2021.
The university expands its comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional programs with a brand new Doctor of Science Program designed for healthcare professionals and three new undergraduate majors: outdoor leadership, sport leadership and management, and sports communication.
The new programs join a robust set of rigorous academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business, education, health professions and optometry.
Doctor of Science
The Doctor of Science Program is designed for physician assistants and other allied healthcare clinicians and healthcare managers. Part of the College of Health Professions, the DSc provides a variety of routes to career advancement, all offered completely online.
Practicing physician assistants can earn their doctor of medical science, or DMSc, in just four semesters. A one-semester program also is available for physician assistants who have graduated in the past two years from the Pacific University School of Physician Assistant Studies or, starting with the Class of 2022, from the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Physician Assistant Program — adding just five months and a doctorate to students’ PA education.
Other allied health professionals, advanced practice clinicians or healthcare managers can take a similar four-semester route to a doctor of healthcare science, or DHSc.
All of the Doctor of Science Program pathways are offered completely online, with an opportunity to participate in on-site seminars each semester. The programs focus on either a clinical practice or clinical leadership focus through their scholarly project and clinical practicum work.
Admission is open now for a Fall 2021 start to the Doctor of Science Programs.
Outdoor Leadership
The outdoor leadership major capitalizes on Pacific’s placement in the heart of the Pacific Northwest and a growing outdoor adventure industry with more than 7 million jobs nationwide. Students will be prepared for careers in outdoor adventure and recreation, outdoor education, and land management.
Students who major in outdoor leadership will learn how to guide backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, rafting and kayaking trips, while honing their leadership skills and emphasizing a perspective on equity, diversity and inclusion.
The program includes an outdoor adventure immersion semester, during which students will live and learn off campus, building their technical and guiding skills.
Students who choose to major in other fields can also add an outdoor leadership minor, with a focus either on applied outdoor leadership (including the immersion semester) or on outdoor education.
Outdoor leadership previously was available as a minor at Pacific.
Sport Leadership & Management
The sport leadership and management major prepares students to pursue fields in coaching, recreation management, athletic administration and sports marketing. With a multi-disciplinary focus on economics and business, communication and marketing, coaching, and program development, students will gain a foundation to make ethical, data-driven, financial and legal decisions to lead sports programs and organizations.
With opportunities in performance, production or promotion, the field of sports management offers growing career pathways in a multibillion dollar industry.
Sports Communication
The new sports communication major prepares students to be an effective leader in the dynamic, and growing, world of sports information, media production, or broadcasting.
Students will study communication theory, practices, and media production, along with a wide range of liberal arts disciplines to broaden their understanding of communicating about the culture and impact of the sports industry.
The new program builds on the success of Pacific’s Media Arts Department, which has led many students to successful careers in journalism, film, and graphic design. Though sports communication is brand new to Pacific in 2021, several Pacific alumni have already found success in the field, including notables like Hillsboro Hops announcer Rich Burk ’88, Brian Pan ’09, who has worked in digital media video for the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders, and sports commentator Aaron Fentress ’91, who has covered the Oregon Ducks for The Oregonian and CSNNW.com.
The new undergraduate majors are offered through the College of Arts & Sciences on Pacific’s residential Forest Grove Campus. Available to incoming first-year and transfer students, as well as continuing undergrads, the programs launch this fall. Learn how to become a Pacific University Boxer today!