The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors has approved a new Master of Science degree in exercise science and health promotion (performance enhancement and injury prevention) to be offered online by California University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree in health services administration at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

The new master’s degree at California will be completely web-based and is designed for working athletic trainers, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, fitness professionals and other healthcare professionals who cannot follow a traditional course schedule. Graduates will be eligible to test for certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, which was consulted during program development.

The graduate program will be California University’s first contribution to the Keystone University Network, which will involve all 14 State System universities in the delivery of online education and training services.

The new health services administration major to be offered at East Stroudsburg also will help fill a growing workforce need. The number of jobs available in this area is expected to increase by 34,000 over the next five years, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis. The program was designed to appeal both to new students as well as to working healthcare professionals with associate’s degrees who wish to advance their careers. The university plans to recruit students from nearby two-year institutions that provide allied health training.

Students who enroll in the new program will take courses in three major areas: public health and health-service administration, public administration and business management. The university’s Health Department also has begun working with major healthcare facilities in the Poconos and Lehigh Valley to establish internship possibilities.

Both new programs will be available in the fall.

With more than 101,000 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. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.