The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors has approved six new degree programs designed to respond to the Commonwealth’s workforce needs.

The new degree programs and the universities at which they will be offered are:

• Master of Social Work to be offered jointly by Millersville and Shippensburg Universities of Pennsylvania.
• Master of Science in information technology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
• Master of Education in health and physical education at IUP.
• Bachelor of Science in mathematics at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
• Bachelor of Science in leisure and sport studies at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
• Bachelor of Arts in women’s studies at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

The Master of Social Work program to be offered by Millersville and Shippensburg Universities was designed to prepare advanced-level practitioners who will be able to address the needs of rural and other under-served populations within a seven-county region of south central Pennsylvania. Faculty from both Universities will participate in the program, with a faculty member from each campus serving as a program director to help ensure adequate student support.

The Master of Science in information technology degree program to be offered at IUP will prepare students for positions involving the development, implementation and management of technology. Students will select from two tracks. Those who choose information systems management will be able to work in areas including data warehousing, data mining and systems development. The information technology management track will prepare students to work in areas including Web security issues and integration of new technology.

The Master of Education in health and physical education at IUP will provide educators with new and innovative concepts and teaching strategies to improve the health of children and adolescents. New state regulations require school districts to establish a physical education curriculum that includes specific goals and objectives. This program will prepare educators to take a leadership role in revising curriculum and assuring successful implementation of the state regulations.

The Bachelor of Science in mathematics degree program at West Chester University will address a large and growing demand for mathematicians who can work in the five branches of applied mathematics – actuarial science, statistics, mathematics of finance, industrial mathematics and computational mathematics. The demand for computer science and mathematics related jobs is expected to increase by 69 percent in Southeastern Pennsylvania in the next several years.

The Bachelor of Science in leisure and sport studies degree program at Kutztown University will address employment needs within the growing leisure and sport profession by producing trained, entry-level personnel. A survey of more than 200 potential employers, including health clubs, fitness centers and professional sports teams, in the region surrounding Kutztown indicated a need for the program and its graduates.

The Bachelor of Arts in women’s studies degree program at Edinboro University will prepare students for graduate studies in law, social work, psychology and business. It also will enhance the career opportunities of those working in the social services and communications fields and for federal, state and local government agencies.

For more information on any of the new programs, please contact the individual universities.

With more than 107,000 students, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. The 14 PASSHE Universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. More than 405,000 PASSHE 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. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.