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Shepherd receives full accreditation for three new master's programs ISSUED: 7 July 2005 Shepherdstown, WV--Shepherd University has received full accreditation for three new graduate programs from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The degree programs receiving accreditation are the master of business administration, master of arts in teaching, and master of music, music education. The accreditation is the culmination of two years of planning and preparation by Shepherd to develop high quality graduate programs in response to the most pressing educational needs of the Eastern Panhandle and the surrounding region. "The request submitted to the Higher Learning Commission was not simply to accredit these three graduate programs, but to change Shepherd's status from a baccalaureate institution to an institution offering limited but substantial programs at the master's level," said Dr. Michael Austin, dean of graduate studies. "With this accreditation, Shepherd's change in name to Shepherd University, approved last year by the West Virginia Legislature, has become a change that will have profound implications for the direction that Shepherd grows and develops as an institution." These three programs will join Shepherd's one existing program, the master of arts in curriculum and instruction, which has been in place for two years and which saw its first five graduates in May. The M.B.A. will begin immediately under the direction of Dr. Lois Patton, who has been named Shepherd's first M.B.A. program coordinator. Applications for the program can be obtained by contacting Patton at lpatton@shepherd.edu or from the graduate studies Web site at www.shepherd.edu/graduate-studies. The Shepherd M.B.A. will feature night and weekend courses geared to the working professional. The first three courses in the program will be offered this fall semester, which begins August 15. The master of arts in teaching degree will begin in spring 2006, pending final approval by the West Virginia Board of Education. This program is an education degree designed for those who are not currently certified to teach. In addition to taking a full slate of graduate education courses, students in the M.A.T. program will participate in a student teaching program and will be eligible to seek certification. Since the fall of 2001, Shepherd has offered a collaborative M.A.T. program with Marshall University. With this new accreditation, Shepherd will be able to offer the M.A.T. as its own degree. For more information about the M.A.T. degree, contact Dr. Lynne Hannah, chair of the Department of Education, 304/876-5279 or Dr. Michael Austin, dean of graduate studies, 304/876-5313. The master of music, music education degree is currently being submitted to the National Association of Schools of Music for approval. If this approval is obtained, it will begin in summer 2006. This degree program has been designed for currently certified music educators teaching at the elementary or secondary level. For more information about this degree, contact Dr. Mark McCoy, chair of the Department of Music, 304/876-5223. -30-OWENS |
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