Proposed Four-Year Expansion of Degree Planning Authority

 

University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College

 

 Table of Programs

Requests for Planning Authority

June 2003

College of Liberal Arts

Master of Public Policy and Administration: This degree will emphasize four specific public policy and administrative areas: Criminal Justice, Public Policy, Public Health, and Community and Economic Development. It will provide academic leadership to the intellectual, cultural, social, and economic life of this bi-national urban region.  It also will offer research opportunities, which will expand present programs, and promote public service in areas of economic development, criminal justice administration, and public health. Border issues will be emphasized throughout the program.

Master of Arts in Juvenile Justice:  As more and more juveniles are incarcerated, the tendency in the nation has focused on both intervention and prevention. The problem of juvenile truancy, juvenile drug abuse, juvenile gangs, and juvenile crime is on the rise in the Rio Grande Valley. Recently, the county has enlarged its juvenile probation office and established a juvenile boot camp. To address issues involved with juveniles entering the crime world, we need trained professionals who can offer both services and research in this area. Furthermore, the demand for a graduate program focusing specifically on juvenile issues has been on the increase among our student population who are currently seeking a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. There is growing need for trained professionals with expertise in the area of juvenile justice. Such expertise will provide immediate job opportunities for our graduates.

 

Master of Music: There is a great demand for a Masters of Music degree at UTB/TSC. It is a standard degree on university campuses. Our students currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Music are extremely talented and routinely bring in national and international awards for UTB/TSC. It is incumbent upon this institution to offer these students the opportunity to acquire a Masters degree in their field without having to leave their families and teaching positions to pursue a graduate education elsewhere. We have fully qualified faculty who can teach in this Masters program.  South Texas is renowned for excellent band and choral programs with large faculties of music educators in every district.  For example, Brownsville ISD has over 100 music educators and only six have a Masters degree. Texas now requires that every educator meet a certain number of professional development or in-service hours to maintain their teaching certificate.  The Masters program will be an excellent source for these educators.

 

 

 

 

 

Master in Social Work:  Bachelor degree graduates of the present psychology and sociology programs would have opportunity to enter this Master’s program, which would be a collaboration between the Health Sciences Department and the College of Liberal Arts.   Area social services are maximally extended and it is evident that additional master’s-level graduates in Social Work are necessary for the upcoming demand in social services.  South Texas is the fastest growing region in the state, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley is among the poorest in the nation.  The Texas-Mexico border population is expected to double within the next 25 years.  As a result of these demands, the university must assist the Valley in meeting the professional need in this important workforce area.

 

College of Science, Math &Technology

 

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science: The University of Texas at Brownsville is located in the Rio Grande Valley, which experiences a number of environmental impacts-issues including water management and pollution. This degree will prepare graduates to handle such issues and be employed in the region. This program of study will be interdisciplinary in nature, including chemistry, biology, physics, geology and technology, most of which already are offered separately as undergraduate degree programs.

 

Master of Science in Computer Science:  There is a need in the regional industry for computer scientists who have been trained at the graduate level. UTB/TSC presently graduates students in Computer Science with a Bachelor degree, and this graduate degree will offer them the opportunity to continue their education in their chosen field.

 

Master of Science in Software Engineering:  Small, intermediate and large businesses and industries from both sides of the Mexican-American border are in need of software engineers. This program will offer the opportunity to working professionals, as well as recent graduates in computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, and other related areas, to undertake this field of study.

 

Master of Science in Physics:  With the growth of our young university in graduate studies, it is imperative to establish a graduate degree program in Physics, a program whose faculty has been very successful in funded research and world-wide research activities. This program will enhance research in the department and the university and will attract students from our own undergraduate Physics degree program as well as from other universities from both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border.

 

Ph.D. in Biology: The Biology doctoral program will have an emphasis in biomedicine.  It is intended to provide a rigorous, research-based education that will give students the skills and background to successfully participate in:  a) diverse biological careers; b) the broad spectrum of health-related careers, including medicine; c) the rapidly growing biotechnology industry; and d) biomedical academic careers.  This program will involve other departments of the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, including Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Computer Sciences, and Engineering Technology, and departments from the College of Health Science, including Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.  The improvement of life conditions in the Lower Rio Grande Valley clearly requires the development of academic programs that will allow its inhabitants to successfully confront the challenges of the 21st Century.   The Valley’s institutions should produce professionals with skills that are necessary to cover the present and future regional needs and assure their success in any part of our country.  Valley demographics and the recent creation of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) demonstrate the importance of the health industry in the future of the region.

 

Ph.D. in Physics:  The doctoral degree in Physics will build on existing collaborations in Physics with The University of Texas at El Paso and The University of Texas at Dallas. This program will enhance research in the department and the university and will attract students from our own undergraduate Physics degree program and proposed Master’s Degree program, as well as from other universities in the United States and Latin America.  The Physics faculty has been very successful in funded research and world-wide research activities, and a Ph.D. in Physics will further enhance this capability.

 

 

School of Business

 

Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management: Tourism has a major economic impact on the Lower Rio Grande Valley, particularly “Winter Texans,” “Spring Breakers,” “Birders,” and vacationers to South Padre Island. This degree would meet the THECB goal of access since there is no similar program or degree in the region.  It provides for increased minority participation at the management level since it will serve the largely Hispanic region of lower Rio Grande Valley.  This proposal additionally provides for greater economic development for the region by supporting high quality regional tourism.

 

Master of Accountancy:  This is a professional program designed to meet student demand and regional need. Texas requires candidates sitting for the CPA exam to complete 150 semester credit hours. The combination of a BBA in accounting and the Masters in Accountancy is an effective way to meet the certification requirements.   Developing more professional accountants is an important contribution to the economic development of our region.

 

Master of Arts in Hospitality Management:  Tourism has a major economic impact on the Lower Rio Grande Valley, particularly “Winter Texans,” “Spring Breakers,” “Birders,” and vacationers to South Padre Island.  It provides for increased minority participation at the management level since it will serve the largely Hispanic region of Lower Rio Grande Valley.  This proposal additionally provides for greater economic development for the region by supporting high quality regional tourism. There is no similar program or degree in the region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School of Education

Ed.D. or Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction: The university currently offers a collaborative doctoral degree with the University of Houston in Curriculum and Instruction.  This program receives at least 20 new students per year and graduates an average of 6 students per year.  The large enrollments in the Masters in Curriculum & Instruction and the strong interest from area educators suggest that enrollments and degrees in an Ed.D or Ph.D. could be substantially higher if this degree is offered locally. This program effectively will contribute to the mission of the university and the goals of “Closing the Gaps” by creating professionals who can add to present capabilities and effectiveness in delivering education at all levels in the region.

 

School of Health Sciences

 

Master of Science in Physician Assistant:  As the Texas border region experiences the fastest growth in population in the state, there is an increasing need for physician-extenders in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.  Whereas, the newly created Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) has been formed to provide increased physicians, this program would provide more physician assistants for Cameron County and surrounding areas.  It is important that the university meet its mission to provide master’s degree programs designed to meet student demand and regional needs.

 

 

Master of Speech-Language Pathology: The vast majority of the population served by UTB/TSC is a minority whose conversation in the home is in Spanish. Because of this, many children in this population have speech problems which are frequently not diagnosed.  The need for professionals to serve this population coincides with the increasing recognition of this problem in the school districts.  This program would complement existing programs on campus in English as a Second Language, Special Education Diagnostician, and Guidance and Counseling.