The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) today approved new degree programs to be offered at three universities. The new programs are:

• Master of Education in school-based speech-language pathology at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
• Master of Arts in criminal justice at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
• Bachelor of Science in graphic design at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

The new program at Bloomsburg University was designed to help meet the need for certified speech-language pathologists in school settings across the Commonwealth. It will utilize a distance-learning format that will include both teleconferencing and web-based conferencing, as well as supervised on-site, field-based experiences.

Students enrolling in the program are expected to be able to complete all course requirements in two years while attending part time. Many schools currently use minimally-trained personnel to provide speech and language services under emergency certification.

Slippery Rock University’s new program in criminal justice will be offered online beginning in Fall 2010. Designed to comply with standards established by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, it will provide graduate-level training to working professionals in the criminal justice system.

Nationwide trends show a strong demand for criminal justice professionals in law enforcement, corrections, court services, juvenile justice and community corrections. Many of these agencies require or prefer a master’s degree for supervisory positions.

Cheyney University’s program in graphic design will prepare graduates to become professional graphic and web designers and to pursue graduate level education in the field. Demand for graphic designers is growing and is expected to continue to increase from advertisers, publishers and the entertainment industry.

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

Now in its 25^th year, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 112,500 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 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, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.