Harrisburg – Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania will offer the first electrical engineering degree program within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) beginning next fall. The State System’s Board of Governors approved the new Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering degree at its meeting today.

The Board also approved new master’s degree programs in cyber security and applied mathematics to be offered by California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U) and a Master of Education in technology for online instruction degree at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU).

The new programs all were designed to address growing workforce needs across the commonwealth. “Each of these programs was developed with the future in mind,” State System Chancellor Frank T. Brogan said. “They are in fields where there is growing demand for well-educated, well-trained professionals. They represent the universities’ and the state system’s combined commitment to aligning our programs with the changing demands of our students and the commonwealth.”

This will be the third in a series of engineering programs introduced in recent years by SU. The university currently offers degrees in both computer engineering and software engineering.

The electrical engineering program at SU will prepare students for careers in a broad array of fields, including semiconductor design, mixed-signal embedded systems, industrial controls and communications system engineering. Graduates from the program will have the skills necessary to design, build, test and manage these complex systems, skills that are in increasing demand in the commonwealth and the surrounding region.

Programs in electrical engineering, as in many other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, have historically had more qualified applicants than spots available in the classroom. The number of graduates also has not met the demands of the workforce, and that demand is expected to continue to grow.

“Across Pennsylvania, current electrical engineering programs are not graduating enough students to meet the ever-increasing demand for these skilled professionals,” SU Interim President Jody Harpster said. “This program will help fill these unmet needs, and, in addition, will be an affordable alternative. In short, we will have a high-quality program that is based on and meets national standards at a price that is affordable for the average Pennsylvanian.”

The new program’s curriculum builds on the university’s existing computer engineering, computer science and applied physics programs and was designed to be eligible for ABET (Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation. Students will work in teams, which is the industry standard, to design components or processes with realistic constraints including economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, safety, manufacturability and sustainability.

The new Master of Science in cyber security degree at Cal U will prepare graduates with a comprehensive understanding of cyber systems and how to defend against cyber-attacks. Graduates will be able to obtain jobs in which network security knowledge and skills are required, to bridge the gap between technology and the laws that govern cyber security and to enhance the nation’s overall cyber security posture.

The program, which was developed in alignment with the National Professional Science Masters Association’s (NPSMA), will be delivered completely online. It will address critical workforce needs, driven by the growth in cyber attacks, which increased more than 300 percent between 2007 and 2012. Studies report the cost of cybercrime incidents grew 26 percent in one year to an average incident cost of more than $11 million.

Cal U’s Master of Science in applied mathematics was designed to prepare graduates with skills in advanced mathematics and big data analysis, as well as in leadership, technology and project management to meet the needs of employers in business, industry and government. This program also will be offered completely online.

The goal is to provide career-oriented graduates for occupations including actuaries, mathematical scientists, mathematicians, operations research analysts, statistical assistants and statisticians.

Slippery Rock University’s Master of Education in technology for online instruction degree will provide graduates with enhanced skills needed to teach Kindergarten to grade 12 students both online and in blended learning environments. The program will comprise 30 credits of coursework, including a capstone project where students will develop an online module including lessons, activities and assessments. The program itself will be offered online, as well.

SRU currently offers an online graduate Letter of Completion (LOC) in teaching online. The master’s program will be available to students in the LOC program who are interested in seamlessly advancing into the master’s degree program with advanced credit.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) estimates more than half of public high schools have students enrolled in some distance education courses. The U.S. Department of Education has made teacher preparation for online instruction a national goal to improve the effectiveness of traditional classroom instruction and to connect skilled educators with the underserved communities that need them the most.

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