Last week the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved three new areas of study to pursue at the university. Starting this fall, UK students may choose two new bachelor's degrees in liberal studies and digital media and design. In addition, graduate students can pursue a new master's degree in research methods in education.

 

The new major in liberal studies in the College of Arts and Sciences will allow students to:

The target audience for the degree is expected to be diverse, including non-traditional students and those returning to college following an absence. Students who have switched majors multiple times will be able to utilize past credit hours while pursuing courses that correspond to changed interests or goals.

 

The new digital media and design major in the UK School of Art and Visual Studies in the College of Fine Arts was created in response to rapidly advancing digital technologies and student demand. The degree is intended to educate students in studio-based digital media practices at the pre-professional level. It will be available to students who plan to undertake careers that require creative use of digital imagery with artistic and/or commercial applications; and involving digital design and illustration, photography, video, sound and digital-based fabrication. Graduates with this bachelor's degree will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in digital software/hardware, and contemporary and past visual culture, to create innovative solutions to common problems.

 

The new Master of Science in Research Methods in Education (RMinE) in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation in the UK College of Education will provide students training for careers in academic institutions, school districts, state and federal agencies, health care, and certification, licensing and testing organizations. Students enrolled in the program, which is available both fully online and face-to-face, will learn to apply research methods, techniques and constructs across education settings, issues and data sets, while developing research knowledge and skills within a problem-of-practice framework. These students will develop a foundation in basic research methods in education, while completing a focused area of emphasis in quantitative methods, evaluation or research design. The interdisciplinary program will cross fields of study within education, drawing from perspectives in policy, psychology, pedagogy and history. This approach should attract those who want to develop academic and applied research skills, undertake commissioned research or evaluations, or progress to doctoral study, as well as those already working as a researcher or evaluator.

 

 

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue