The State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors has approved a new master of science degree program in multimedia technology to be offered by California University of Pennsylvania.

The new degree program is designed to enhance the knowledge and technical skills of currently employed professionals in a variety of career disciplines. It will provide students with advanced content knowledge, as well as analytical and problem-solving skills specific to the use of multimedia technology hardware and software, and will allow them to integrate these skills and technologies into their current or future professional experiences in the workplace.

Many employers today are requiring a higher level of computer-related expertise and technical skills from their employees. The expanding integration of Internet and multimedia technologies into businesses and organizations that provide public relations, marketing, sales, education, workforce training and development has increased demand for a variety of skilled professionals who can develop and support multimedia and web applications.

California will offer both a graduate certificate in multimedia technology program, which will require 15 credits, and the master of science degree, which will require the successful completion of 35 required credits and nine credits in electives. Students also will be required to complete a variety of multimedia projects to demonstrate what they have learned. They will design, develop and produce a comprehensive research-based multimedia production that integrates multimedia technology to solve problems or meet needs in their professional field of expertise.

With more than 96,000 students, the State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. More than 360,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned 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 System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.