ISU to Debut New Degrees
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana State University has announced two new academic programs. The architectural engineering technology bachelor's degree and athletic training doctorate will debut this fall. January 15, 2015
News Release
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State University will offer new programs this fall that are designed to keep pace with changes in architecture and health care.
The new programs, recently approved by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, are a Bachelor of Science in architectural engineering technology and a Doctor of Athletic Training.
The architectural engineering technology program will prepare students for careers in the planning, design, construction, operation or maintenance aspects of buildings, said Andrew Payne, chair of the department of built environment in Indiana State's College of Technology.
“The need for architectural engineering technologists is increasing as the need for sustainable construction increases,” Payne said. “We are excited about this new program and its mission to produce outstanding professionals that combine the needs of designers and engineers with the needs of society. Their knowledge and skills will enable them to assist architects and engineers in translating their designs into reality.”
Students will develop their skills through experiential learning in laboratories, cooperative practice, internships and other community and industry engagements, Payne said. They will critically examine the challenges of managing projects by understanding and utilizing the latest technologies, including building information modeling, intelligent software that is used to produce, communicate and analyze building models.
While the program will serve a variety of clientele, it is expected to enroll a significant number of Ivy Tech Community College students and is designed to accept up to 60 credit hours for students wanting to transfer to Indiana State to complete a four-year degree, said Robert English, dean of the College of Technology.
“This program is the first of its kind in Indiana and is just one more way Indiana State and the College of Technology is working to, not only produce a highly skilled workforce, but help the state meet its goal of increasing the number of residents with a bachelor's degree,” English said.
Indiana State has long been recognized as a pioneer in athletic training and the new doctoral program will be one of a very few of its kind in the nation, said John Pommier, interim chair of the department of applied medicine and rehabilitation in the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services.
“Changes in the healthcare system, practitioner needs and the direction of the National Athletic Trainers Association Education Council are the driving forces behind increasing entry-level athletic training education to a master's degree and the elevation of post-professional education to the doctoral level,” Pommier said. “Having one of the first Doctor of Athletic Training programs in the United States will help increase Indiana State's already strong name recognition in the field and help recruit even more top level students.”
The program will prepare students for careers as advanced practitioners with the appropriate level of skills in prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation, address a shortage of advanced athletic training practitioners in Indiana and improve patient care and quality care in rural and underserved populations, he said.
“The Doctor of Athletic Training degree marks the seventh new program developed in the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services in the past six years,” said Jack Turman, dean of the college. “This is an exciting, innovative education opportunity, offered by outstanding faculty. It will advance athletic training education and research nationally.”
Jack Maynard, Indiana State's provost and vice president for academic affairs, commended the colleges of technology and nursing, health, and human services, for their ongoing efforts to keep pace with rapid changes in their respective fields.
“Faculty and staff throughout the university work hard to stay on top of their fields,” Maynard said. “It is no surprise that some of the most rapid change has come in health care and technology. It is also no surprise that our talented professionals in these areas not only keep pace with that change but often lead the way in developing new programs.”
Source: Indiana State University