Penn State Abington
Major in corporate communication: New major
Building on the interdisciplinary strengths of Penn State Abington, the corporate communication B.A. program prepares students for public information and media relations positions. The program is distinguished by its cross-disciplinary course work in business, information systems, human behavior and oral, written and visual communication. In addition, there is a required field experience.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Off-road equipment minor: New minor
The minor in off-road equipment complements several engineering, agricultural and mining degrees helping students understand some specific technological aspects of mobile equipment (from lawn tractors to large excavators). The minor would strengthen the program for students with machinery interests by exposing them to several of the technical aspects of off-road equipment such as electronics, power generation, power transmission, traction, ergonomics and safety.
Agribusiness management major and agribusiness management minor: Change in name from agricultural business management major and agricultural business management minor
The term "agricultural" connotes a narrower focus of farm production, while "agribusiness" is a term that encompasses a broad range of activities in the food system, including production, processing, finance, transportation, wholesaling and retailing. The change in name will bring the programs into conformity with the direction the discipline has taken in recent years.
Penn State Altoona
Dance studies minor: New minor
The minor in dance studies at Penn State Altoona increases the skill level in dance technique to include an awareness of human movement which requires an increase in ability to analyze individual movement -- self and others -- to become more efficient, non-injurious and expressive. The minor in dance studies is designed for students interested in furthering their study and exploration of the many areas of dance -- ballet, modern, jazz, creative process and performance, and movement theories. It also is designed to enhance various career opportunities for those majoring in areas such as integrative arts, education, business, psychology and others. There is no need to increase course offerings for this minor because all of the courses for the minor already are being offered at Penn State Altoona.
College of Arts and Architecture
Graphic design major: Change in
major from graphic design and photography major and drop of the photography
and graphic design options
The photography program in the School of Visual Arts has reoriented from a chemical to a digital process as the basis from which photography will be taught. Attempts at restructuring the photography option have resulted in time frames that the School of Visual Arts and the photography faculty believe would be too long to justify the continuance of the option. The coursework prescribed under the photography option can be more readily accommodated under the existing BA and BFA degree programs than in a redesigned photography option. By dropping the photography option, this degree would become a B.S. degree offering in only graphic design. Consequently, the graphic design option would not be necessary.
Integrated undergraduate-graduate degree programs: New programs
a) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in musicology
b) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in music theory
and history
c) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in music theory
d) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in musicology
e) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in music theory and history
f) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in music
theory
The integrated undergraduate-graduate programs will enable gifted music students to complete the undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a period of five years. Students admitted to the programs will develop a research focus during their last two years, which will prepare them for entry into a doctoral program. Penn State does not currently offer doctoral programs in musicology, music theory, or music theory and history. Candidates for the degree programs proposed will have to demonstrate a high level of aptitude and achievement in the core courses required and must be highly motivated to pursue a research project. The programs have been reviewed and approved by the Graduate Council.
Capital College
Citizenship education option and social sciences
option in the secondary education social sciences major at Penn State Harrisburg:
New options
In keeping with the new state requirements that strengthen preparation for secondary education teaching, the secondary education social sciences major at Penn State Harrisburg will offer two new options. The citizenship education option will be eligible for certification to teach courses in civics and government, economics, history and/or geography. The social sciences option will be eligible for certification to teach courses in anthropology, psychology and/or sociology.
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Meteorology minor: New minor
Undergraduate students, particularly from the College of Engineering and the Eberly College of Science, have shown interest in a minor in meteorology. In response, the meteorology faculty have developed the proposed minor. Students pursuing the meteorology minor seek to broaden their education by specializing in the applied science of meteorology. These students typically have met all the mathematics and physics prerequisites needed to take most of the meteorology courses.
College of Health and Human Development
Name changes within nutrition
a) Major in nutritional sciences: Change in name from major
in nutrition
b) Minor in nutritional sciences: Change in name from minor in nutrition
c) Option in applied sciences: Change in name from option
in applied nutrition
d) Option in basic sciences: Change in name from option in nutrition science
The name change requested for the major, minor and options is part of a larger effort to update the nutrition undergraduate curriculum in order to maintain the original strength of the program while reflecting changes in the external environment. In addition, changes in health care must be reflected in this program in order to maintain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Dietetics Education. In conjunction with these efforts, the minimum number of credits required for the bachelor of science degree in nutritional sciences has been reduced from 130 to 120 to allow graduation in eight semesters of 15 credits each.
Eberly College of Science
Biology minor: New minor
This minor is designed for students who desire to obtain an in-depth and well-rounded knowledge of biology -- the science of life and living organisms. After taking an introductory survey course that exposes students to the basics of biology -- including the chemistry of life, cell structure, genetics, mechanisms of evolution and evolutionary history of biological diversity, plant and animal form and function, and ecology -- students select additional courses based on their biological emphasis to account for a total of 18-20 credits. In conjunction with the student's major, the minor prepares students for entry to graduate school or professional school programs, as well as for technical or research careers with governmental agencies or industry. Majors complemented by this minor would include, but are not limited to, other life and physical sciences, engineering and business.
Abington, Berks-Lehigh Valley and Commonwealth Colleges
Business minor: New minor
This interdisciplinary minor provides students with a business-oriented supplement to their academic major. It is designed to introduce students to a variety of fundamental business skills and knowledge courses. While specific, focused minors exist in The Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration, no general business minor exists that provides the necessary basic general business courses delivered as a complement to other minors. The minor will be offered at Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Lehigh Valley and all Commonwealth College locations.
Master of education degree program in youth and family education in the College of Agricultural Sciences: Change in program
The proposal to change the requirements for the master of education degree program in youth and family education in the College of Agricultural Sciences was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The graduate program in youth and family education will add a thesis option for students completing the master of education degree. The addition of a thesis option will strengthen the program by ensuring that students have the opportunity to apply systematic scientific methods in the development of educational programs to enhance the well-being of children, youth and families, and will provide students with the opportunity to conduct rigorous research on an applied issue.
Option in watershed stewardship in the graduate program in agricultural, environmental and regional economics in the College of Agricultural Sciences: New option
The proposal to offer the option in watershed stewardship in the graduate program in agricultural, environmental and regional economics in the College of Agricultural Sciences was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The watershed stewardship option in agricultural, environmental and regional economics attracts students from several graduate programs and educates them to facilitate team-oriented, community-based watershed management planning directed at water resource problems. The option is coordinated through the Center for Watershed Stewardship and will prepare graduates for careers as watershed professionals with government, business and nonprofit organizations. The graduate option in watershed stewardship is currently offered in Forest Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, and Landscape Architecture.
Integrated undergraduate-graduate degree programs in the College of Arts and Architecture: New programs
The proposal to offer the following integrated undergraduate-graduate degree programs in the College of Arts and Architecture was approved by the Graduate Council at its February 20 meeting:
1) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in musicology
2) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in music theory and history
3) Bachelor of arts in music/master of arts in music theory
4) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in musicology
5) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in music theory and history
6) Bachelor of music in performance/master of arts in music theory
The integrated undergraduate-graduate programs will enable gifted music students to complete the undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a period of five years. Students admitted to the programs will develop a research focus during their last two years, which will prepare them for entry into a doctoral program. Penn State does not currently offer doctoral programs in musicology, music theory or music theory and history. Candidates for the degree programs proposed will have to demonstrate a high level of aptitude and achievement in the core courses required and must be highly motivated to pursue a research project.
Master of architecture degree program in architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture: New program
The proposal to offer the master of architecture degree program in architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The program will include three options central to the offering: architectural theory and design; community and urban design; and digital design. The program is designed to attract prospective graduate students who seek to renew and expand their knowledge in architecture and is more consistent with the expertise and interest of the architecture faculty. The master of architecture program culminates in a post-professional degree for students interested in advanced studies in architectural theory and/or design. The existing master of science degree program in architecture is being discontinued as the master of architecture degree will better prepare students for leadership positions in the profession, where interdisciplinary knowledge is becoming important.
Master of arts degree program in art history in the College of Arts and Architecture: Change in program
The proposal to change the requirements for the master of arts degree program in art history in the College of Arts and Architecture was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The changes in the master of arts degree in art history will encourage interdisciplinary study in that students now may take a course outside the department. Students also will have the option of completing either a master's thesis or a master's paper. In addition, all entering students now will be required to take Art History 551 (Historiography of Art History) providing students a common foundation through an introduction to literature and other issues in the field. The romance language requirement also has been changed to enable students to take Spanish in addition to French and Italian.
Master of science degree program in architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture: Drop of program
The proposal to drop the master of science degree program in architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The Department of Architecture will add a new master of architecture degree program as described above, which is designed to attract students who already have an accredited professional degree in architecture. The current master of science degree is not as popular as it once was and more schools are introducing the master of architecture degree program.
Master of arts degree program in criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg: New program
The proposal to offer the master of arts degree program in criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg was approved by the Graduate Council at its April 17 meeting. Penn State Harrisburg currently offers a successful undergraduate criminal justice program both at Harrisburg and Schuylkill campuses. The master of arts degree in criminal justice is designed to provide a cohesive foundation in a social systems approach to criminal justice and will prepare graduate students to function in corrections, institutionalized and non-institutionalized settings, victim services and other human service organizations as well as prepare students planning to enter doctoral studies with the mentoring and research skills for success.
Master of engineering degree program in mineral engineering management in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences: Drop of program
The proposal to drop the master of engineering degree program in mineral engineering management in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The Department of Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering will drop the master of engineering degree in mineral engineering management due to a long period of inactivity, low enrollments, faculty retirements and changes in the program focus areas of the department. There are no students currently enrolled in the mineral engineering management program.
Master of engineering degree in oil and gas engineering management in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences via the World Campus: New program
The proposal to offer the master of engineering degree in oil and gas engineering management in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences via the World Campus was approved by the Graduate Council at its April 17 meeting. The master of engineering program will equip oil and gas engineers with the depth and breadth of knowledge required to better understand oil and gas technology and also will provide training in petroleum engineering. Graduate students in the program receive experience in the emerging oil and gas technology areas with special emphasis on the management of these technologies including project evaluation methodologies, risk analysis of oil and gas management, and in-depth focus in either reservoir engineering, transmission and processing, subsurface fluid flow dynamics or production engineering.
Minor in bioinformatics through the Engineering Division at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies: New program
The proposal to offer a minor in bioinformatics through the Engineering Division at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The interdisciplinary graduate minor in bioinformatics has its foundations in computational methods, statistics and information technology, rather than in laboratory science. The bioinformatics minor is highly specialized and will require 15 credits at the 500-level for students in the masters' programs. Students admitted to the minor will obtain a core competency in bioinformatics and ethics, gain experience in solving a variety of real problems using statistics and software, and have the opportunity to change or enhance their careers in a growth-oriented field.
Option in biotechnology and health industry management in the Graduate Program in Business Administration at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies: New option
The proposal to offer the option in biotechnology and health industry management in the Graduate Program in Business Administration at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies was approved by the Graduate Council at its April 17 meeting. The option will address both learning and career objectives of the M.B.A. students who work in the changing health-care sector and will provide students the opportunity to develop competencies in organization, finance, policy, regulatory and ethical dimensions of biotechnology and health industry management, and to examine the impact of technological innovation and new products on marketing, strategy and managerial decision-making in the health sector. The biotechnology and health industry management option will replace the current option in health care administration within the M.B.A. graduate program.
Option in applied linguistics in the Graduate Program in French in the College of the Liberal Arts: New option
The proposal to offer the option in applied linguistics in the Graduate Program in French in the College of the Liberal Arts was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The option in applied linguistics will train graduate students to apply appropriate research design and methodologies to the study of language, language acquisition, language use and language teaching; communicate knowledge of the field to students and faculty; and design and conduct research that illuminates the multiple dimensions of the study of the French language as a mode of social existence, communication and cognition. The option will replace the existing concentration in language acquisition and pedagogy currently offered in the Department of French.
Graduate program in speech communication to communication arts and sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts: Change in name
The proposal to change the graduate program name in speech communication to communication arts and sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The graduate curriculum in the Department of Speech Communication has not undergone a comprehensive review and revision for almost 20 years. During that time, the discipline has evolved and there have been many changes in the areas of emphasis. In addition, the name change is in line with the department's change in name approved by the Board of Trustees in January and spans both the humanistic approach and social science (qualitative and quantitative traditions) approach of the faculty. Thus, the graduate program name and curriculum have been changed to reflect these current traditions.
Option in watershed stewardship in the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology: New option
The proposal to offer the option in watershed stewardship in the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The objective of the option in watershed stewardship is to enhance the educational opportunities of ecology graduate students in community-based watershed stewardship which integrates creative problem-solving, science-based knowledge, technical and design expertise, and effective public communication and team leadership. Students admitted to the option will be trained for a variety of opportunities in government, business and nonprofit organizations. The graduate option in watershed stewardship is currently offered in Forest Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, and Landscape Architecture.
Option in watershed stewardship in the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Environmental Pollution Control: New option
The proposal to offer the option in watershed stewardship in the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Environmental Pollution Control was approved by the Graduate Council at its May 8 meeting. The option in watershed stewardship will train students in the environmental pollution control program as watershed-focused professionals for a variety of opportunities in business, government and nonprofit organizations. The objective of the option is to educate students to facilitate team-oriented, community-based watershed management planning directed at natural resources conservation and environmental problems encountered by Pennsylvania communities. The graduate option in watershed stewardship is currently offered in Forest Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, and Landscape Architecture.