In an effort to update the education opportunities available to current students, as well as to keep up with the demands of prospective students, Houghton is looking into a number of new major programs. Because the majors would depend on first gaining state approval, they will not be available until Fall of 2019 at the earliest, explained Provost and Dean of the Faculty Jack Connell.
“There are eight potential new programs currently under consideration by the faculty,” said Connell. “And of course, we have already submitted a proposal for a new major in electrical engineering and are waiting for New York State approval.”
Aside from electrical engineering, the science department could potentially benefit from the addition of undergraduate majors in environmental science, exercise science, and clinical lab science. Prospective students more drawn to the stage than the lab may have the chance to major in worship arts or to minor in theatre. A major in criminal justice, meanwhile, could introduce a focus entirely new to the school. Houghton may also expand further into graduate education with the potential addition of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Masters in Education.
When asked about the reasoning behind the chosen programs, Connell said, “No final decisions have been made yet, but these particular programs are under consideration because they are consistent with our mission and our strengths—and because we believe they would be attractive to prospective students.”
When The Princeton Review identified the ten most popular college majors, its number included business and several programs that focus on practical science. A similar article from CNBC tracked the top six programs and reported that business majors account for 19% of college students.
“Houghton’s challenge is to translate our academic program strengths into the language of prospective students—while also preserving all that is best in the Christian liberal arts tradition,” explained President Shirley Mullen. “That is no easy task—but it is a critical one in today’s world.”
In line with the difficulty of the situation, she commented, “I am grateful to Dean Connell and the Area Deans for their leadership in ensuring that Houghton’s mix of academic programs matches the needs—and the perceived needs—of today’s marketplace.”
Mullen reflected on the value of the proposed additions, for both potential students and Houghton as a whole. “While a liberal arts education, with its emphasis on critical thinking, communication, and learning skills, is arguably still the very best preparation for lifelong personal and career effectiveness in a changing world, this is not the way most 18-year-olds and their parents think when they are choosing a college,” she commented. “They are looking for a particular major that they perceive will lead to a job in the short term.”
The majority of the proposed majors could be taught by Houghton’s existing faculty, although “a couple of them would require additional faculty hires,” according to Connell.
It’s too early to count on the new majors quite yet, however. Connell explained that, while the process differs from program to program, gaining state approval to offer new majors is “an extensive process of submitting the program proposal and supporting documentation so the New York State Department of Education can ensure that the program will be of high quality.”