St. Cloud State University’s Applied Clinical Research (ACR) master’s degree and graduate certificate programs have been awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
They are now one of only three clinical research master’s programs in the United States with this discipline-specific accreditation.
“I am confident this accreditation adds to a program that is already very strong,” said Dr. Adel Ali, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering. “Year after year, we see a nearly 100 percent positive placement rate of ACR students in a related field. The knowledge and connections developed in SCSU’s program are exactly what industry professionals are searching for in future employees.”
The ACR program is the only clinical research graduate program in the United States focused on medical devices, while students will also learn about pharmaceutical and combination product therapeutic research.
Students gain key skills in learning how to design, conduct and evaluate human clinic trials, and they also learn how medical therapies are brought to market. Graduates go on to successful careers in a wide range of MedTech sectors, including clinical research coordinators, clinical trial managers and more.
“The accreditation process resulted in several modifications and improvements to our program,” said Dr. Will Collis-Prather, ACR Assistant Professor and Program Director. “We augmented our curriculum, added to our complement of advisory boards and strengthened our program assessment process. The evaluation by a group of national experts has demonstrated ACR’s high standards.”
The ACR program has established relationships with technology vendors common in the clinical research industry to provide students with valuable practical education and experience. Courses are also taught by industry professionals with specialized expertise.
Classes are held evenings and weekends at the SCSU Plymouth campus to accommodate working professionals, with remote attendance options available for those outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. With over 130 MedTech companies in Plymouth alone, it is a perfect location for students to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting, with full-time work experiences in students’ second year.
SCSU’s Plymouth campus offers three graduate programs in the MedTech industry: Applied Clinical Research, Medical Technology Quality and Regulatory Affairs & Services. Learn more about opportunities at our Plymouth campus.
