School of Health Professions 2019 - 2020 Catalog

About Our School

TTUHSC Mission

As a comprehensive health sciences center, our mission is to enrich the lives of others by educating students to become collaborative healthcare professionals, providing excellent patient care, and advancing knowledge through innovative research. To view the institution goals and vision statement please visit http://www.ttuhsc.edu/about/mission-vision.aspx.

SHP Mission

The mission of the TTUHSC School of Health Professions is to provide a high quality, inclusive and diverse, student-centered learning environment for graduate and undergraduate education in the health professions; advance knowledge through scholarship and research; and provide clinical services that improve health and quality of life in Texas and the nation.

As part of a state-supported university system, we serve the people of Texas, with particular emphasis on developing regional solutions to meet the educational and clinical needs of rural communities of West Texas.

SHP Vision

To earn regional and national recognition for excellence in graduate and undergraduate Health Professions education, research and clinical services.

We will progress toward achieving this vision by:

  1. Achieving high levels of excellence in teaching, research and clinical service while fostering the professional and personal competence, growth and success of our students, faculty and staff.

  2. Providing an environment that values, supports and rewards research and other scholarly activities.

  3. Contributing to the improvement of health status and the reduction of health disparities in the communities we serve.

  4. Expanding the cultural and ethnic diversity of our student body, faculty and staff.

  5. Remaining responsive to the evolving needs of the students, patients and communities we serve.


SHP Organizational Philosophy

As a multi-campus, regional element of the TTUHSC education system, we seek to encourage maximum learning and enhance the accessibility of our educational programs and services by applying a variety of innovative educational approaches and technologies.


We seek, through our research and clinical service activities, to contribute positively to improving the general health status and overall quality of life of the people of West Texas, while enhancing our professional and clinical competence.

Our faculty are, first and foremost, student-oriented and teaching focused. We value activities that enhance teaching effectiveness and learning while seeking to create an environment conducive to research and effective clinical service.

Our staff are student-oriented professionals who provide high-quality, responsive service to students and faculty. We strive to maintain an empowering environment based on mutual trust, respect and partnership among faculty, staff and students.

We accomplish our mission with the context of the mission, vision and policies of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the Board of Regents.

SHP Milestones

1981  67th Texas Legislature approves funding for School
1983  First students accepted
1985  Full Accreditation received for programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Technology
1991Emergency Medical Services program added
1993Department of Communication Disorders transferred from TTU, where it had existed since 1928
1994Expansion of PT and OT programs to Amarillo and Odessa with extensive reliance on HealthNet
Expansion of PT program from B.S. to M.P.T.
1999Addition of Physician Assistant Program at Midland
Expansion of OT program from B.S. to M.O.T.
Approval of B.S., Emergency Medical System Management Program
2000Addition of Master of Athletic Training Program
Addition of Masters of Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Addition of B.S. in Emergency Medical Systems Management
Expansion of Physician Assistant Program from B.S. to M.P.A.S.
Relocation of Department of Communication Disorders to TTUHSC facilities
Relocation of School of Allied Health-Odessa to permanent facilities at TTUHSC-Odessa
Approval of Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (Au.D.)
2001Relocation of School of Allied Health-Amarillo to permanent facility
Completion of Physician Assistant Program permanent facility
Approval of Center for Brain Mapping & Cortical Studies
2002  Approval/addition of "first-in-nation" M.S., Molecular Pathology (M.S., M.P.)
Approval/addition of M.S. in Rehabilitation Sciences (M.S., R.S.)
Approval/addition of B.S. in Clinical Support Services Management (B.S., C.S.S.M.)
Approval/addition of the ScD in PT Program
Approval of Center for Rehabilitation Assessment
2003Approval of School name change to "Allied Health Sciences"
Department name changes from Department of Clinical Laboratory Science to Department of Laboratory Sciences & Primary Care; Department of Communication Science & Disorders to Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
2004Approval/addition of Ph.D., Communication Sciences & Disorders
Approval/addition of B.S., Health Science
Approval of program name changes; Vocational Rehabilitation to Rehabilitation Counseling; CSSM to Clinical Services Management (C.S.M.); MSRS to Clinical Practice Management (C.P.M.)
2005Approval/addition of Department of Clinic Administration and Rehabilitation Counseling
Approval of Center for Rehabilitation Assessment name change to Center for Rehabilitation Research
2007Expansion of Physical Therapy from Masters (M.P.T.) to clinical entry-level Doctorate (D.P.T.)
CSM program expands to provide a specialty track in Long Term Care Administration with approval from the Texas Department of Aging & Disabilities
2008THECB grants School of Allied Health Sciences "planning authority" for Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science
The Doctorate of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) is implemented with enrollment of its first cohort of students
2009Approval/addition of Ph.D. Rehabilitation Sciences
Approval/addition of Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Pathway (tD.P.T.)
Approval/addition of Clinical Laboratory Science Second Degree & Certificate Programs
2010Physician Assistant facility expansion is completed
Enrollment for the Physician Assistant program is increased from 45 to 60 students per cohort
First NIH grant obtained by School of Allied Health Sciences Faculty
Approval of Center name change to "Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Research"
2011Major renovation of clinical & research space
Relocation of School of Allied Health Sciences faculty to 3C lab & office space
Opened the Health Promotion Research Laboratory on the Amarillo campus
2012Fall enrollment exceeds 1,300 for first time in school history
Paul P. Brooke, Jr., Ph.D., FACHE, Professor & Dean retired after serving for 14 years. Robin Satterwhite, MBA, EdD, FACHE was hired as the fifth Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences
2014Approval/addition of Respiratory Care, Medical Imaging & Emergency Medical Services concentration area to the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program
2015Board of Regents approved school name change from School of Allied Health Sciences to School of Health Professions
Approval/addition of Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Program
2016Lori Rice-Spearman, Ph.D., hired as the sixth Dean of the School of Health Professions
Department name & structural changes from Department of Clinic Administration & Rehabilitation Counseling to Department of Healthcare Management & Leadership
Program name changes from BS in Health Sciences and the BS in Clinical Services Management to Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management; MS in Clinical Practice Management to the Master of Science in Healthcare Administration
Approval/addition of Department of Clinical Counseling & Mental Health
2017Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) broke ground for new buildings that will bring additional opportunities for education & research initiatives plus create a more seamless campus experience for students & visitors. The $85.9 million project will consist of three parts: a north expansion that will create two new buildings north of the existing TTUHSC building, a west expansion that will add additional facilities to the existing TTUHSC building, and the creation of a boulevard entrance to campus for accessibility. 
Approval/addition of the Master of Science in Addiction Counseling program and the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Both programs are under the Department of Clinical Counseling & Mental Health.
2018Consolidation of the Ph.D. RS Program
Approval/addition of Graduate Certificate Programs under the Department of Healthcare Management & Leadership
8 Week Terms added for the Master of Science in Healthcare Administration Program


Accreditation

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The Commission should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support the institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

A member of the Texas Tech University System, TTUHSC has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) as a separate institution from Texas Tech University since 2004. TTUHSC received its reaffirmation of accreditation from SACSCOC in 2009 and will be seeking reaffirmation again in 2019.