ST. GEORGE — This fall, Utah Tech University is set to launch an array of new programs, including the university’s first-ever doctorate, designed to meet the growing demand for specialized professionals in dynamic fields.
There are two new bachelor’s degrees in special education and respiratory therapy. Three new master’s programs are also available in software development, user experience design and healthcare administration. The university’s first doctorate program, a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, rounds out the six new courses.
Dr. Michael Lacourse, Ph.D., provost and vice president of academic affairs at Utah Tech, said adding these new programs reflects a growing demand for professionals in the new fields.
“Our purpose as a university is to meet regional needs,” Lacourse said. “If there is a regional need here in Southern Utah, then we would consider building that program in the future. The same was true for the programs that we just created.”
The College of Science, Engineering and Technology will add the two master’s in software development and user design as pivot degrees.
Masters in Software Development
The Software Development degree is the more traditional field of study, focusing on applications of industry-standard software development tools.
“A pivot degree means that you can have an undergraduate degree in anything you want,” Lacourse said. “Then, if you want to pivot your career to apply software development tools and techniques, for example, you can.”
Master’s in User Experience Design
The User Experience Design degree will focus on technologies’ user interfaces.
“It isn’t only a matter of a computer or a laptop or a smartphone; there are a variety of devices that are digital now,” Lacourse said. “They’ll look at the user experience of those devices and figure out how to improve the experience.”
It is truly one of a kind. Lacourse said Utah Tech is the only school in Utah to offer a master’s level program for it.
These are two separate programs, but they will be designed to overlap on projects. These won’t be made-up course material; they will come from industry partners, who they hope will then adopt their work.
“That’s how it works in the real world,” Lacourse said. “You work in teams across areas of expertise.”
Lacourse hopes the companies sponsoring their projects will implement them. Each of these programs is designed to be completed in 16 months and requires 30 credits in total.
Bachelor’s in Special Education
Another local need is that of special education professionals.
Utah Tech has incentivized students to pursue the bachelor’s degree through full-tuition scholarships for the first cohort and a $41,000 grant from the Special Education Personnel Preparation Funding Grant.
This program is designed to prepare students for obtaining a Utah Level I Educator License and a Mild/Moderate Disabilities Certification for grades K-12.
Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy
The College of Health Sciences is launching three programs.
The BS in Respiratory Therapy is part of a completion program designed to bridge the gap for currently licensed practitioners to elevate their qualifications to a bachelor’s level.
“A lot of healthcare organizations today want to see their clinicians have a bachelor’s degree,” Lacourse said. “Sometimes, it’s because they want to get paid more. They can then enroll in a completion program, finishing their junior and senior years.”
Utah Tech set the precedent for having completion programs with its Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Nursing program. Now, the respiratory therapy students will follow the same path.
What makes this degree unique is that it will be conducted entirely online.
“We expect students to be enrolled from a wide variety of locations,” Lacourse said.
Master’s in Healthcare Administration
Lacourse said that one of the primary goals for this master’s program is applying to the study abroad program.
“We know many students in master’s degree programs are most likely already employed or maybe have a family,” Lacourse said. “For somebody to travel someplace else, for any length of time, may not be feasible.”
There are local opportunities, too. Lacourse said prospective students who are unable to travel should instead focus on doing the degree program through a new opportunity in the organization in which they currently work.
We try to encourage people who are in those situations but still want to do an internship in a degree program to find a new opportunity in the organization they currently work in.
“You’re learning new skills, but you don’t have to travel someplace to do that,” Lacourse said.
Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy
The clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy is the university’s first doctorate program. Lacourse cites the inflation of requirements as the reason they singled this out as their first.
Lacourse said that even as recently as 10 years ago, a bachelor’s degree was the requirement to become a physical therapist. Then, it changed to a master’s degree. Now, more and more of them are moving toward a doctorate.
The writing is on the wall, and Lacourse said Utah Tech educators want to stay ahead of the pack.
“Rather than go backward, we are going forward and anticipate that eventually, everybody will be required to have a doctor of occupational therapy degree program,” Lacourse said.
The program will combine lectures, laboratory work, fieldwork, and a capstone project. It is not a research doctorate, and graduates are not required to complete a doctoral dissertation.
Lacourse emphasized that Utah Tech works closely with Washington County and Kane County, seeing their needs and developing the necessary programs.
“We will continue to use this approach,” he said. “Our purpose as a university is to meet regional needs.”
Applications for these new programs are now open.
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