October 08, 2015
State System's Board of Governors approves eight new degrees
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg – The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education today
approved eight academic degree programs in a range of new, emerging and growing fields,
including intelligent robotics technology, corporate and homeland security, nursing,
public health and community nutrition.
The new programs represent the State System universities’ latest efforts to address
the changing needs of students and employers in Pennsylvania and beyond. In just the
last five years, the 14 universities combined have introduced more than 275 new degree
and certificate programs and minors and reorganized and updated 99 others, while discontinuing
143 outdated programs and placing 246 others in moratorium.
Many of the new programs that have been introduced in recent years are being offered
online, making them more convenient to more students, regardless of where they live
or when they are available to take classes. Many were designed specifically for working
professionals seeking career advancement. The universities now offer a total of 100
degree programs, including 66 master’s degrees and six doctoral degrees, fully online.
“This latest group of new degrees approved by the Board demonstrates the State System’s
commitment to identifying, developing and offering high-quality, relevant programs
that match both student and employer needs,” said Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. “Not
only are they in areas where there is high demand, most will be offered through a
variety of delivery methods—not just in the traditional classroom setting—so they
will be available to a greater range of potential students.”
The new programs approved today are:
•Master of Science in accounting at Clarion University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Arts in art history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Science in automation and intelligent robotics engineering technology at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
•Doctor of Nursing Practice in nursing practice at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Science in corporate security at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Science in homeland security at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
•Master of Public Health in public health at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
•Master of Science in community nutrition at West Chester University of Pennsylvania
The 14 State System universities have significantly expanded their array of academic
programs as they have grown from their historic beginnings as teachers’ colleges into
comprehensive regional universities. The universities today offer more than 2,300
degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas.
Student enrollment patterns have shifted significantly as a result of the new program
array, especially over the last decade. Since 2005, enrollment in STEM (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics) and healthcare-related majors has increased by 41 percent,
while the number of students enrolled in teacher education programs has decreased
by 36 percent. Other majors that have experienced significant enrollment growth over
the last decade include protective services, which has seen a 34 percent increase;
parks and recreation, 25 percent; and business management, 24 percent.
While the number of students studying to become teachers has declined—in keeping with
workforce demand—the universities’ teacher education programs remain among the most
highly rated in the Commonwealth.
“We can continue to take pride in our teacher education programs. Our graduates remain
among the most sought-after new teachers,” said Board of Governors Chairman Guido
M. Pichini. “The growth beyond teacher education clearly demonstrates how seriously
all of our institutions take their mission as Pennsylvania’s public universities,
providing a broad range of educational opportunities for students from every corner
of the state.”
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher
education in the Commonwealth, with about 107,000 degree-seeking students and thousands
more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Nearly
520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.
The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate
branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield
(Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.
(Note: For more information on each of the new programs, please see below, or contact the respective university.)
(Note: For more information on each of the new programs, please see below, or contact the respective university.)
Newly approved academic programs
Clarion
The Master of Science in accounting degree, which will be offered online, will prepare individuals for careers in public
accounting or auditing. As the accounting field has become more specialized, the M.S.
in accounting has become the preferred degree for those who desire careers in public
accounting, according to the 2015 report from the American Institute of Certified
Public Accounting. These programs now enroll 88 percent of all master’s level students
desiring careers in public accounting. The program will be housed within the Association
to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredited College of Business
Administration and Information Science. (available beginning in Spring 2016)
Kutztown
The Bachelor of Arts in art history degree will include coursework in art history for students seeking additional graduate-level
study in art history or related areas; career opportunities in the arts, museums,
and cultural venues; or a path toward a graduate degree in a disparate field, such
as law or business. It will prepare individuals for a variety of high-level careers
with art galleries, centers and museums. The arts are a Program of Distinction at
KU. The art history minor, started in spring 2013, is the university’s sixth-largest
minor. (Fall 2016)
Millersville
The Bachelor of Science in automation and intelligent robotics engineering technology
degree will prepare individuals to work with multiple types of technology to design
and implement projects that have advanced programming needs. Possible career fields
include software engineering, research and development, computer and systems engineering
and robotics programming. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of power,
electronic systems and formal programming techniques common in industry. There is
a high demand for robotics engineers in the state and region, according to the state
Department of Labor & Industry. As an example, Foxconn Technology Group, a global
electronics manufacturer that makes Apple Inc.'s iPhone, is planning to invest $40
million in Pennsylvania, including $30 million for a site in Dauphin County. The new
high-technology manufacturing facility would create 500 jobs over the next two years,
many in the fields of robotics and advanced manufacturing. (Spring 2016)
The Doctor of Nursing Practice in nursing practice degree is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses with the higher-level training
and skills needed in today’s dynamic health care environment. The program will focus
on practice-oriented, evidence-based research analysis and application within the
health care community. Unique to this particular program is the regional focus, such
as the importance of understanding and addressing the regional health issues among
the Amish and Plain communities. (Summer 2016)
Slippery Rock
The Bachelor of Science in corporate security degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in a wide array of corporate
security fields, including security management, fraud/economic crime, risk management,
personnel security management and physical security management. Courses will be taught
face-to-face, online, and blended, which will maximize flexibility for students. Graduates
will possess the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to prevent, detect, investigate
and correct organizational security breaches due to man-made and natural disasters
that threaten property, people, information, economic assets and business continuity.
The program will prepare students with the requisite work experience to obtain certifications
from the American Society of Industrial Security International, the Certified Fraud
Examiners organization, National Association of Legal Investigators, or various private
security management firms that offer the Facility Security Officer certificate. (Fall
2016)
The Bachelor of Science in homeland security degree program will prepare students to become experts in the prevention, detection,
investigation and remediation of threats to the United States. It will be taught face-to-face,
online and in blended settings. Students will take courses in policing and intelligence,
risk assessment, threat detection, legalities, terrorism prevention, investigation,
as well as disaster response, strategic planning, establishing collaborative partnerships
and professional articulation/communication. Economic Modeling Specialists International
predicts that the investigation and security services industry is set to grow by 17
percent between 2015 and 2025, adding more than 145,000 jobs to the national economy.
In Butler County, where Slippery Rock is located, this industry is projected to add
more than 400 new jobs in the next 10 years, growing by 28 percent. (Fall 2016)
The Master of Public Health in public health degree program will include concentrations in health promotion and wellness and environmental
and occupational health. It will include both face-to-face teaching and online learning
and can be completed in two years. Classes will be held at the Regional Learning Alliance
in Cranberry Township and will be scheduled to accommodate working professionals.
The program will follow a practitioner-based approach and the required capstone experience
will provide an opportunity for students to further develop relevant experience in
an applied setting. (Fall 2016)
West Chester
The Master of Science in community nutrition degree program, which will be offered fully online, is the result of the reorganization
of an existing program and was designed to better meet the demands of the nutrition
profession, undergraduate student demand, market need and changes in health care.
This change will allow the Nutrition Department to transition from providing a nutrition
concentration within the Health Department’s MPH degree to a M.S. in community nutrition
degree completely developed and managed within the Nutrition Department. The M.S.
in community nutrition is expected to be a more desirable option for nutrition professionals
than the current arrangement and will continue to attract recent WCU graduates, resulting
in an even larger number of students pursuing graduate level nutrition education than
currently exists in the nutrition concentration. (Spring 2016)