Creating an Innovative Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program

Abstract

In response to a growing movement within higher education to provide interdisciplinary educational programs, this study describes the creation of an interdisciplinary graduate certificate program in healthcare policy and management. Building on prior research, we surveyed healthcare executives to examine their perceptions about the need for such a program and the importance of core subject areas. Drawing on our findings as well as the literature on "interactional expertise" and "wicked problems," we provide a detailed method for

Creating a responsive curriculum for postgraduates: lessons from a case in Ghana

“…McFadden et al 2011), the need to base teaching and learning on problems in the field (e.g. Kiguli-Malwadde et al 2006), and the importance of simultaneously developing learners' competences to perform tasks required of graduates in real-life (e.g.…”

“…They involve extensive deliberations and reflection on appropriate curriculum content and delivery methods (Wolf and Hughes 2007) in which previous decisions are revisited and revised (McFadden et al 2011). These iterations, deliberations and reflections can make such processes lengthy.…”

“…One such actor can be an educational expert who is not a faculty member to guide curriculum development (McFadden et al 2011;Smith-Sebasto and Shebitz 2013;Taylor 2000;Wolf and Hughes 2007). Actors outside academia, such as alumni, practitioners, and employers are also involved to ensure curriculum connects with the world of work (Barradell and Peseta 2016;Taylor 2000).…”

“…The purpose and extent of involvement of these external actors varies. Often, they are consulted as a source of information during needs assessment (McFadden et al 2011;Smith-Sebasto and Shebitz 2013). Other times they review (draft) curricula (Smith-Sebasto and Shebitz 2013).…”

“…Although the literature about curriculum development provides useful information on the requirements of responsive curricula, few studies provide empirical description of processes for developing such curricula in practice (da Cunha, Contento, and Morin 2000). Moreover, most of these studies are from the global North (Davis and Jacobsen 2014;McFadden et al 2011;Paulsen and Peseau 1992) with only few studies from the African context (e.g. Kiguli-Malwadde et al 2006).…”