Academic Growth
Academic Growth
Cultivating the next generation of health care and public health leaders
The Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health at Loyola University Chicago prepares students to thrive in today’s fast-paced, complex health care ecosystem. We prioritize collaborative, interdisciplinary learning, and systems thinking to transform health in all of its dimensions.
Blending pragmatic, real world-informed coursework with hands-on learning, our students develop relevant skills for today’s health care environments and are inspired to be action-oriented professionals for those they serve. Parkinson regularly collaborates with colleagues in Loyola’s schools of medicine, nursing, social work, business, education, law, and environment and sustainability to help address the full range of the social determinants of health and the systems, practices, and pathways through which commercial actors drive human health and health equity.
- 3 undergraduate degree programs arming students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful health professionals
- 8 graduate degree programs designed to broaden students’ knowledge and unlock professional opportunities
- 7 innovative dual-degree programs cutting across disciplines such as business, medicine, and social work
We live and breathe an interdisciplinary approach at Parkinson because we understand the realities of today’s world. As our students learn about these related fields and discover diverse perspectives, their minds expand and their ability to problem solve and care for others grows stronger.
– JENNY O’ROURKE, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, PARKINSON SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
An Interdisciplinary Focus in the Student Experience
Loyola University Chicago is a Carnegie-recognized university for both community engagement and high research activity. As part of its mission, Parkinson immerses students in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment committed to social justice in the Jesuit tradition.
When members of different health care and health sciences disciplines work collaboratively toward a common purpose, it drives improved coordination of care, strengthens the systems approach, bolsters the effectiveness of interventions, and fuels health equity.
Broadening Perspective through Coursework
For many Parkinson students, exposure to other disciplines first occurs through courses providing a broader understanding of the contemporary health care landscape, including the varied positions and perspectives contributing to individual and population health.
At the undergraduate level, for instance, Parkinson offers several introductory courses providing Parkinson students an overview of distinct fields such as public health and nutrition. These courses also enroll non-Parkinson degree-seeking students as well, generating connections to students studying pre-med, biology, psychology, and other fields to further enliven Parkinson’s interdisciplinary mission.
As Parkinson students progress toward their undergraduate degree, they often take courses in other programs to expand their knowledge base, while a core Parkinson course like Fundamentals of Health Equity brings students from multiple fields together to examine health disparities in the U.S. as well as strategies to advance health equity.
Collaborating with Community Partners
But the Parkinson School’s focus on interdisciplinarity to fuel student growth extends far beyond the classroom doors.
Parkinson is intentional about finding community partners who share the school’s interdisciplinary ethos. Within capstone experiences, students from healthcare administration, exercise science, and informatics are often placed together at partner hospital sites while MATTER, a Chicago-based health care incubator, also welcomes students from various disciplines into its innovation- focused culture.
At Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, meanwhile, dietetic interns and nutrition students work alongside students from the University’s Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing to provide health and nutrition services to vulnerable local residents at the Loyola Community Nursing Center.
Expanding Research Opportunities
Parkinson also pulls students into interdisciplinary research projects. Associate dean for research and scholarship Dr. Pamela Xaverius recently spearheaded the launch of a micro-grant program enabling graduate students to work on research projects across disciplines.
One dietetic student, for example, worked with school leadership on a data analysis project for decision-making.
Convening Crucial Conversations
Finally, Parkinson hosts three signature events each year: Health Equity Quest, Salon: Data Science for Social Thinkers, and Loyola Stands Against Gun Violence. Each event welcomes attendees representing different disciplines, investigates entrenched problems in the health care landscape, and rallies multiple perspectives to forge potential solutions.
3
Undergraduate Degree Programs
8
Graduate Degree Programs
7
Innovative Dual-Degree Programs
An Interdisciplinary Focus in the Student Experience
Loyola University Chicago is a Carnegie-recognized university for both community engagement and high research activity. As part of its mission, Parkinson immerses students in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment committed to social justice in the Jesuit tradition.
When members of different health care and health sciences disciplines work collaboratively toward a common purpose, it drives improved coordination of care, strengthens the systems approach, bolsters the effectiveness of interventions, and fuels health equity.
Broadening Perspective through Coursework
For many Parkinson students, exposure to other disciplines first occurs through courses providing a broader understanding of the contemporary health care landscape, including the varied positions and perspectives contributing to individual and population health.
At the undergraduate level, for instance, Parkinson offers several introductory courses providing Parkinson students an overview of distinct fields such as public health and nutrition. These courses also enroll non-Parkinson degree-seeking students as well, generating connections to students studying pre-med, biology, psychology, and other fields to further enliven Parkinson’s interdisciplinary mission.
As Parkinson students progress toward their undergraduate degree, they often take courses in other programs to expand their knowledge base, while a core Parkinson course like Fundamentals of Health Equity brings students from multiple fields together to examine health disparities in the U.S. as well as strategies to advance health equity.
Collaborating with Community Partners
But the Parkinson School’s focus on interdisciplinarity to fuel student growth extends far beyond the classroom doors.
Parkinson is intentional about finding community partners who share the school’s interdisciplinary ethos. Within capstone experiences, students from healthcare administration, exercise science, and informatics are often placed together at partner hospital sites while MATTER, a Chicago-based health care incubator, also welcomes students from various disciplines into its innovation- focused culture.
At Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, meanwhile, dietetic interns and nutrition students work alongside students from the University’s Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing to provide health and nutrition services to vulnerable local residents at the Loyola Community Nursing Center.
Expanding Research Opportunities
Parkinson also pulls students into interdisciplinary research projects. Associate dean for research and scholarship Dr. Pamela Xaverius recently spearheaded the launch of a micro-grant program enabling graduate students to work on research projects across disciplines.
One dietetic student, for example, worked with school leadership on a data analysis project for decision-making.
Convening Crucial Conversations
Finally, Parkinson hosts three signature events each year: Health Equity Quest, Salon: Data Science for Social Thinkers, and Loyola Stands Against Gun Violence. Each event welcomes attendees representing different disciplines, investigates entrenched problems in the health care landscape, and rallies multiple perspectives to forge potential solutions.