October 10, 2002
Board of Governors approves graduate program in alternative education
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
ThePennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors has approved four new degree programs, including the first online graduate degree program in alternative education in the nation, which will be offered by Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
The other new programs approved by the Board are:
· Bachelor of Science in geographic information science at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
· Bachelor of Science in paralegal studies at Lock Haven University.
· Associate in electronics engineering technology at Lock Haven University.
Lock Haven’s new Master of Education in alternative education degree will train teachers who will work in non-traditional classroom settings. Few alternative education programs exist in the nation, and none are available in Pennsylvania, even though the number of school districts, correctional facilities and private schools that provide alternative education has grown dramatically over the last decade.
In a survey of the 501 school district superintendents in Pennsylvania, 95 percent of those who responded indicated a need for professional development for teachers, administrators and other professionals working in alternative-education settings. More than 80 percent of respondents specifically identified a need for a graduate degree in alternative education.
The new program at Lock Haven will be aligned with standards set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Middle States Association and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Education has awarded the university a three-year, $2.25 million grant to help develop the program.
Geographic information science is a multi-disciplinary field that includes geography, computer science, information science, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, social science and statistics. GIS technologies and tools, such as global positioning systems, spatial databases and remote sensing, are increasing in use. Job growth in the field is expected to be significant.
The program to be offered at Cheyney will be the first available in the State System. The university also is pursuing an initiative with the Community College of Philadelphia that will connect CCP’s social science curriculum with the new GIS program.
Lock Haven will offer two tracks in paralegal studies – one leading to a Bachelor of Science degree; the other, to a paralegal certificate. Both programs are designed to prepare paralegals who are knowledgeable and proficient in the field.
The paralegal profession is one of the fastest growing employment fields nationally. It is projected that the number of paralegal positions in Pennsylvania will grow by more than 60 percent by 2008.
The university will seek approval from the American Bar Association for the program, which will be offered at night and on weekends at both the main campus and at the university’s branch campus in Clearfield to assure its availability to non-traditional students.
Lock Haven’s associate in applied science degree program in electronics engineering technology has been designed to help meet the growing demand for trained workers in computer-related fields. It is expected to enroll largely students from the immediate region.
With 101,546 students, the Pennsylvania 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.