MU cutting 12 graduate programs, adding new college after academic program review
University of Missouri Chancellor Alexander Cartwright announced Wednesday that the university is cutting 12 graduate programs and establishing a new College of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies.
This comes after a nearly year-long academic program review by a 17 person task force. Members of the task force submitted their final report to the provost’s office back in January. It recommended 27 programs for deactivation, as well as suggestions for areas of investment and collaboration.
Cartwright accepted 15 improvement plans and chose to inactivate 12 graduate programs. The new academic unit will be established in 2019.
“We received innovative program improvement plans that led to merging of departments, creation of innovative new programs and a significant push toward becoming he most collaborative institution in the world,” Cartwright said. “That level of innovation is exactly what we must be doing. As society and technology evolve, so must the educational offerings and research productivity of Missouri’s flagship, AAU university. To remain a leader in these areas, we must constantly review our offerings and research productivity. Our faculty have shown that we are those leaders.”
In a release, the university said many of the inactivated programs are a result of degrees and departments that are merging.
“For example, programs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources will combine to create a comprehensive curriculum in the Division of Applied Social Sciences,” the release stated.
Students enrolled in any of the programs that are set to for inactivation will be able to finish.
In the coming months, Cartwright said that campus leaders will work with faculty to develop a plan for reviewing academic programs on a regular basis.
Programs that will be inactivated:
Agricultural Education – PhD
Rural Sociology MS, PhD
Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences – MHS
Nuclear Engineering – MS, PhD and Grad Certificate
Religious Studies – MA
School of Medicine – 4 PhDs
Programs that will adjust or expand:
Agricultural Education
Rural Sociology
Art History & Archeology
Classical Studies
Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Dispute Resolution
Personal Financial Planning
Romance Languages
School of Medicine
Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Programs
Biological Engineering
Geological Sciences
History
Sociology
