by Sarah Mummert
Staying on the cutting edge, Cedarville University is launching a new concentration in the Master of Arts in Innovation beginning in August. The new health care innovation program is not yet widely offered at other universities, but it is in increasingly high demand.
The program was created to meet a growing demand for solving health care problems. This program connects creativity with problem-solving that will generate innovative solutions.
Development of the academic courses was completed by Dr. Justin Cole, associate professor of pharmacy practice and director of the Cedarville University Center for Pharmacy Innovation; Dr. Aleda Chen, associate dean of the school of pharmacy and professor of pharmacy practice; and Jim Stevenson, the program director for the industrial and innovative design major and president and co-founder of the International Center for Creativity (ICC) in suburban Columbus, Ohio.
“Leaders in the health care field are looking for professionals who are creative problem-solvers,” said Cole. “The goal of this new concentration is to equip individuals with the knowledge and practical skills needed by people who lead the way in enacting real change through creative ideas in health care.”
The coursework was created in conjunction with the ICC, which has had a long-standing partnership with the university in developing innovative programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in industrial and innovative design, the Master of Business Administration concentration in innovation and entrepreneurship and the M.A. in Innovation.
“Health care innovation is an advanced degree that people frequently search for online, so by having the ICC’s core innovation curriculum combined with other existing, in-demand coursework, the Graduate School at Cedarville University has been able to react quickly to this market opportunity,” said Stevenson.
A flexible online program, the new master’s in health care innovation allows students to be self-paced with an estimated completion time of two years and the option to be condensed or prolonged, depending on student needs. This degree program joins the ranks of 30 graduate programs that Cedarville has to offer.
Health care is a rapidly changing industry that needs creative innovators who are ready to tackle the challenges ahead — Cedarville is ready to fill that void. This program is designed to benefit health care providers and individuals on the business side of health care.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 5,456 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Master of Arts in Innovation (M.A.I.), and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the university, visit cedarville.edu.