The CSU Board of Trustees this week gave CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) a unanimous green light for a proposal to add 18 new academic programs.
CSUCI President Richard Yao was invited by the Board of Trustees to present the campus’ new Academic Master Plan (AMP) on March 21 in Long Beach. Yao pointed out that the proposal, presented as the university celebrates its 20th anniversary, represents the first significant revision to CSUCI’s AMP in 10 years.
“The degree proposals presented today represent over 15 months of intensive work,” Yao said. “Beginning in December 2021, over 50 faculty members worked in various teams facilitated by our Provost, Dr. Mitch Avila.”
That effort established the foundation for the development of the 2023 AMP submission, which listed 18 proposed undergraduate and graduate programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, media, computer science, psychology, business, Spanish, nursing and health sciences, Black and Africana studies, and Native American & Indigenous Studies.
There is also a proposal for CSUCI to offer its own doctorate of education (Ed.D) in educational leadership.
Avila cautioned that the list of proposed programs signals the university’s intent to offer the degree, but to actually be developed a new degree must meet a number of criteria such as student demand, workforce need, and sufficient resources.
He offered examples of programs he anticipated would meet such criteria.
“I think a bachelor of science in cybersecurity is a good example of workforce demand and funding,” he said. “Cinema and emerging media has a good chance, too, as there is demand for video and film production degrees.”
Avila also thought the master of science degree in counseling proposed through the School of Education would create a pathway for students and professionals to become qualified as a school counselor in the PreK-12 school system
When considering which degrees to offer, the teams that developed the AMP considered four major criteria. It must:
Match statewide workforce demands identified by Gov. Gavin Newsom in the CSU Compact; meet regional workforce needs; meet student demand and drive enrollment growth; and reflect CSUCI’s values and mission, “explicitly including diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” Yao told the board.
Many of the graduate program proposals will incorporate a “four-plus-one” strategy in which students in their senior year can take courses that will apply toward both their baccalaureate and master’s degrees. The value of offering courses through a hybrid or remote format will also be considered, Yao said.
“I just can’t help but believe that if we really stick to those criteria and continue to build innovative programs, students will come,” Trustee Leslie Gilbert-Lurie said.
The proposals now go to the Chancellor’s Office for review, possible revisions, and either final acceptance or rejection.
Below are the proposed new degrees for CSUCI Academic Master Plan:
BS Data Science
BS Cybersecurity
BS Forensic Science
BS Statistics
BA Cinema & Emerging Media
BA Spanish/English Translation and Interpretation
BA Black & Africana Studies
BA Native American & Indigenous Studies
MS Business Analytics
MA Psychology
MA Public Administration
MS Counseling
MS Biology
MS Digital Marketing
MS Health Admin with Cert in Gerontology
MS Public Health
MA English
Ed.D. Educational Leadership