FAIR GROVE, Mo. – Members of the Missouri State University-West Plains Board of Governors have ratified several changes to the academic offerings available at Missouri State-West Plains.
During their annual retreat Aug. 1 at the Shealy Farm Conference Center in Fair Grove, members unanimously passed resolutions adding the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Technology degree and Certificates in Public Outreach and Education and in Ozarks Studies to Missouri State-West Plains academic program and deleted the AAS degrees in General Technology and Fire Science Technology from the academic program. The resolutions were approved by the Board of Governors’ Executive Committee at its July 17 meeting and ratified by the full board at the Aug. 1 meeting.
All changes will be submitted to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) this fall for final approval, university officials said.
The AAS in Technology degree is actually an expansion of the AAS in General Technology degree, according to Cathy Proffitt-Boys, assistant professor of agriculture and entrepreneurship. The new degree adds emphases in Alternative Energy and Technology Management to the General Technology emphasis, giving students more educational options in the technology area, she explained.
The Alternative Energy option will prepare students for jobs in the “green” industry, she said, pointing out that analysts predict the global “clean energy” economy will exceed $1 trillion by 2020. “Green” jobs also pay an average of 10 to 20 percent more than other jobs, according to the Council of Economic Advisers, she added.
The Alternative Energy emphasis will combine existing agriculture and technology courses with four new three-credit-hour classes: Alternative Energy – Electricity and Electronics (TEC 200), Alternative Energy – Biofuels (TEC 260), Alternative Energy – Solar (TEC 265) and Alternative Energy – Wind (TEC 270).
The Technology Management emphasis includes courses that are part of the Technology Management Certificate and the AAS in Business-Technology degree, but it is designed for students who desire to focus more on technology than business, Boys said. Students will gain knowledge in a wide variety of subjects, including supply chain management, safety management, quality management and project management.
The General Technology emphasis is the same as the previous AAS degree and allows students to select courses to satisfy their unique career plans, she added.
The Certificate in Public Outreach and Education is a 12-credit-hour program designed to prepare students for interpretive guide positions at parks, museums, historical sites, cultural sites and nature centers where they can educate the public in a variety of cultural, historical and natural topics, Boys said. It includes two new courses, Local Interpretive Implementation (AGR 130) and Interpretive Guide Certification (AGR 135), which will prepare students for the National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) exam, which is recognized as the industry standard.
Although not designed to prepare students for a full-time career as an interpretive guide, the certificate will give them the training they need for part-time or seasonal work that could lead to a full-time position with an organization or business, Boys said. It also will provide students with the training needed for an entrepreneurial venture involving cultural, agricultural or environmental tourism, one of the fastest growing segments in the tourism industry, she added.
The Certificate in Ozarks Studies also is a 12-credit-hour program of existing classes that will prepare students for employment at historic sites, wilderness sites, museums, heritage festivals, folk centers, regional publishers, state and national parks, and educational institutions in the Ozarks region, according to Anthony Priest, associate professor of English and one of the developers of the certificate. It also is intended to be a bridge for students transferring into the Ozarks Studies minor offered by Missouri State University in Springfield, he added.
“Providing a certificate program focused on our region will allow students to gain an appreciation of the agricultural, anthropological, biological, geological, historical and cultural significance of the communities we serve,” Priest said.
University officials said the deletion of the AAS in Fire Science Technology from Missouri State-West Plains’ degree options is a result of low enrollment in the program. The need for the program will continue to be monitored for future consideration, they added.
Now that resolutions for these academic program changes have been approved by the Board of Governors, Boys, who also serves on the campus’ curriculum committee, said university officials hope to forward the proposals to CBHE in time for action at the group’s Dec. 4-5 meeting. If approved by CBHE, Missouri State-West Plains will then be authorized to offer 15 associate degrees and nine certificate options.
For more information about these degrees and certificate options, visit the Missouri State-West Plains website, wp.missouristate.edu, or call the admissions office at 417-255-7955.