January 19, 2012

PASSHE Board of Governors approves new academic programs

Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu

Harrisburg – The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) today approved three new academic programs, all in high-demand STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines.

Among the new programs is a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in technical leadership that will involve a unique collaborative among Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) and the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. The Board also approved a new Bachelor of Science degree in allied health leadership to be offered by Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in science education to be offered by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

“Graduating more students in high-need STEM disciplines is of vital importance to the Commonwealth and the nation,” said PASSHE Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Kathleen Howley. “The innovative curriculum of each of these programs is designed to meet the flexible needs of today’s students, many of whom have competing demands for their time.”

The new applied science degree at Bloomsburg University is designed to provide those with associate degrees in technical fields a pathway to a four-year degree that will enable them to expand their career options and move into supervisory and management positions. It should appeal to and support the needs of non-traditional students and working professionals, many of whom often cannot access the additional education they need to advance in their fields. Students will be able to enroll in the program full- or part-time.

The unique design of the program not only will provide those already in the workforce the opportunity to develop and enhance their leadership and management skills, but also will make available courses to students enrolled at the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. By essentially starting college early, some students could earn their bachelor’s degree within three years after graduating from high school. LCCC will host the baccalaureate level courses. Some courses also will be offered online.

The program, which could be easily modeled to include other community colleges in the state, initially will focus on computer specialties in web design and development, network technology and programming, helping to immediately address a critical workforce need in the Commonwealth.

The new bachelor’s degree program in allied health leadership at Clarion University will enable current health care workers to further advance their careers in areas including health services management, health care education and medical sales. It will offer core courses in health care, with a significant clinical component, and business administration combined with courses in the liberal arts that support the development of decision makers and leaders.

The program will be offered online, providing opportunities to working professionals who otherwise might not have a way to obtain the additional education they need for career advancement while also meeting their family and work demands. A market study has indicated a strong demand for medical and health services managers.

The new master’s degree program in science education at Shippensburg University is designed to meet the need for highly qualified science teachers in the Commonwealth and beyond by helping to bring more second-career science professionals into the classroom. It was developed, in part, through a grant from PASSHE. The program will consist of technology-based coursework as well as extensive field-based experiences, and could be expanded to involve other PASSHE universities.

The 18-month program will include training in areas such as lesson planning, safety and classroom management, assessment, accommodating students with special needs, research methods and history and philosophy in science education. A 12-week student teaching practicum also will be required.

For more information on any of the new programs, please contact the appropriate university.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 120,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. About 500,000 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.