January 25, 2018
Board of Governors approves new degrees, streamlines program approval process
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg – The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education today approved six new academic programs designed to address workforce needs, even as it moved to streamline the program approval process to enable universities to respond more quickly to address those demands in the future.
The new process, while continuing to ensure proposed programs meet all of the necessary
standards, will shorten the time from when a new academic program is conceived until
it can be considered for final approval.
“As we move to implement the System Redesign, actions such as this one taken today
not only will reduce some of the bureaucracy our universities must navigate; but,
more important, will help our students by speeding up the process involved in getting
new, innovative programs into the classroom,” said Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia
D. Shapira. “This addresses all three of our strategic priorities, especially our
No. 1 priority of ensuring student success.”
The State System is undertaking a redesign process guided by three strategic priorities:
ensuring student success; leveraging university strengths; and transforming the governance
and leadership structure.
The universities developed the new degree programs to help prepare students for successful
careers in high-demand fields where there currently are not enough potential employees
to fill all of the available job openings. Several of the programs respond to findings
included in the supply/demand “gap analysis” conducted on behalf of the State System
to gauge the current and future needs of employers across Pennsylvania. All of the
new programs will begin this fall.
The new degrees are:
•Bachelor of Science in statistics and data science at California University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Science in manufacturing engineering technology at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
•Bachelor of Science in music business technology at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
•Master of Arts in communications at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
•Master of Business Administration at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
•Master of Science in strategic communications at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
The Bachelor of Science in statistics and data science degree to be offered at Cal
U will prepare students for entry-level professional employment opportunities as manufacturing
engineers, industrial engineers, research and development engineers, field engineers,
quality control inspectors, robotics technicians, CNC programmers, and a variety of
other manufacturing technology positions. It will provide students with knowledge
and skills in the key areas of statistics, computer programming, mathematics, data
analytics and database technology. The program will integrate a variety of industry
standard technologies into each course to provide students with appropriate preparation
in leading-edge software programs and systems used in the field.
A 2017 study conducted by the Business-Higher Education Forum and PricewaterhouseCoopers
indicated there is a significant shortage in the number of job candidates with fluency
in data science and analytics. The State System’s “gap analysis” found that as many
as one-third of the industry’s projected job openings could go unfilled unless new
college-level programs are developed.
The Bachelor of Science in manufacturing engineering technology degree at Millersville
University will emphasize automated manufacturing, robotics, and computer aided drafting
and design, often collectively referred to as computer integrated manufacturing (CIM).
Laboratory courses, which will be a key component of the new program, will require
students to design, develop and construct projects independently as well as in small
groups. The curriculum will emphasize technologies commonly used by major corporations.
Upper level students will be encouraged to participate in a cooperative education
or internship experience to enhance their knowledge in technical areas within an industrial
environment.
The program will prepare graduates for career opportunities that exist locally, regionally,
nationally and internationally. Despite misconceptions that “manufacturing is dead,”
the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation estimates that the industry employs
approximately 12 million people nationwide, about 9 percent of the total U.S. workforce.
The manufacturing industry also attracts about 57 percent of engineers and scientists
and generates about 80 percent of all U.S. patents.
Millersville University’s Bachelor of Science in music business technology program
will include three concentrations: music production, music management and audio technology.
It responds to marketplace and student demands, especially locally. More music industry
related businesses are moving into the Lancaster area because of the expansion of
international businesses such as Clair Global and the associated businesses at Rock
Lititz. The region supports a thriving arts and entertainment industry that serves
local residents as well as tourists, including venues such as American Music Theatre,
Sight & Sound, Hershey Entertainment, and a wide range of music and theater venues.
The Master of Arts in communications degree at East Stroudsburg University addresses
a rapidly growing need throughout the Lehigh Valley as well as in neighboring New
Jersey and New York. Designed to be completed in 15 months, it will include a combination
of traditional face-to-face courses and online offerings, and will be targeted to
both currently enrolled undergraduates as well as professionals working within driving
distance who are seeking a master’s degree for professional development and/or for
improved employment prospects
Various organizations that have conducted market studies have indicated “vast regional
job openings” in public relations, applied communication, political communication
and advertising. The State System’s gap analysis projects 78,000 new jobs in professional,
technical and management fields that require skills and dispositions consistent with
the communication discipline. The data gathered in the study showed that recipients
of the new degree would be well suited for occupations including general and operations
managers, sales representatives, market research analysts and marketing specialists,
social and human service assistants, human resource specialists and management analysts.
The Master of Business Administration degree at Edinboro University will serve individuals
who hold or seek management positions in various organizations as well as students
for whom a graduate degree is an entry requirement for their career. Erie County has
a skills gap that is not being met by northwest Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio or western
New York colleges and universities, according to a study conducted by the Education
Advisory Board,
Students will be able to take courses both in a traditional classroom setting and
online in an accelerated formant. The program will begin with a concentration in business
administration, with possible expansion into a variety of other areas, including accounting,
finance, communication studies, education and criminal justice. Students enrolled
in the program will be able to take some courses at either Clarion or Slippery Rock
universities if it better meets their schedules and/or their areas of interest.
IUP’s new Master of Science in strategic communications degree will serve current
and aspiring communication professionals by combining writing, research and production.
It will prepare students to pursue a variety of careers or for career advancement
in professional communication, including crisis communication, communication management,
political communication, health communication and strategic online messaging. The
program will provide an option for a six-credit thesis or internship as the culminating
experience. The research track will prepare students for doctoral study.
A recent search of job announcements seeking professionals for positions in “strategic
communication” resulted in 495 position openings in the greater Pittsburgh area and
2,135 position openings across the Commonwealth. Organizations searching for these
skilled individuals include higher education, healthcare, pharmaceutical companies,
technology and media companies and consumer direct businesses.
For more information on any of the new programs, please contact the appropriate university.