Online Learning

Evidence in Motion Brings Hybrid Accelerated Doctoral Programs to Southern California University of Health Sciences

• By Kate Lucariello
• 08/16/23

Healthcare hybrid learning company Evidence in Motion (EIM) has partnered with Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) to offer three hybrid accelerated doctoral programs starting in 2024. The accredited program campuses will be located in Whittier, CA, and Phoenix. The accelerated programs mean students will graduate earlier than they would in traditional programs.

The new programs are planned to start with the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (ODT) in Phoenix. SCU will start accepting applications in January 2024, and classes will begin in early 2025. The accelerated hybrid program takes two years and combines online learning, hands-on labs, fieldwork, and a doctoral capstone, EIM said. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, traditionally a three-year program, also follows a two-year, hybrid accelerated model. Fifty percent will be online coursework, 20% in person in hands-on labs, and 30% in clinical education experiences. This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

The Masters in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) degree is a 16-month program with approximately 80% of coursework online, 10% in person during hands-on labs, and 10% in clinical education experiences. This program is accredited by American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).

Although students will be enrolled through SCU, they can live anywhere and do the bulk of their coursework in an online virtual classroom, with several visits to campus locations for labs and other needed in-person experience, the company said. EIM will assist SCU in recruiting faculty, obtaining clinical sites, attracting diverse and qualified students, and helping faculty develop content.

SCU believes that a diverse student body is essential for developing the knowledge and skills needed to address the complex range of health challenges facing patient populations and meeting them in their communities, EIM noted.

"Given the ability to recruit students from anywhere in the country in these hybrid programs, we expect a large number of our new students will come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and minority groups," said John Scaringe SCU president.

"We are honored that Southern California University of Health Sciences has entrusted us to deliver and support its newest graduate health care degree programs," said Pradeep Khandelwal, EIM's CEO. "Through this partnership, we are working side by side to expand access to quality hybrid education for these in-demand health care professions and further our shared mission to reach underserved communities across the country."