Article Body
News Release
Contacts: Jack R. Warner, Executive Director and CEO
Janelle Toman, Director of Information & Institutional Research
Telephone: (605) 773-3455
Fax: (605) 773-5320
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 1, 2010
New Delivery Options Approved for Academic Programs
ABERDEEN, S.D. – South Dakota public universities will expand the reach of five popular academic programs by offering these degrees online or at additional locations.
The Board of Regents this week approved campus requests to deliver the following programs at new sites:
· The bachelor of science in elementary education/special education from Dakota State University via the Internet;
· Master’s degrees in teaching and learning and in leadership and administration from Northern State University, to be offered in Huron;
· The bachelor of science degree in sociology from South Dakota State University, to be offered at University Center in Sioux Falls; and
· The new master of social work degree from The University of South Dakota, to be offered at the Health Sciences Center in Sioux Falls.
“The intent is to make these degree offerings more convenient and accessible for a greater number of students, many of whom work full time while taking care of their families,” said Jack R. Warner, the regents’ executive director and CEO. “We will always look for ways to bring our public university programs to a wider audience, when there is sufficient interest and student numbers to make program delivery cost effective,” he said.
In other action at its regular meeting in Aberdeen, the regents approved:
· Stand-alone master’s degree programs in athletic training and engineering, all at SDSU, to replace existing degrees that offered only an emphasis or specialization in the particular field. The M.S. degrees now available are in athletic training, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and agricultural & biosystems engineering. Current resources fully support the reformatted degree programs; no additional costs were incurred.
· An 18-hour minor in rehabilitation services at SDSU to prepare graduates for employment as a job coach, placement specialist, or case manager. The minor will be available on campus in Brookings, as well as at University Center-Sioux Falls and by distance delivery.
· New 12-hour certificate programs in public history at NSU, literacy leadership and coaching at USD, and construction management at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Certificate programs are developed by packaging a small set of courses that allow students to develop expertise in a focused area of study addressing identified market needs.
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