William Woods University (WWU) is once again expanding its academic offerings, providing four new courses of study in fields of great demand by today’s employers.
WWU President Dr. Jahnae H. Barnett announced today that the university will begin offering four new academic degree programs beginning with the 2018 fall semester, the latest example of William Woods strategically adding new programs designed to make its graduates more marketable while at the same time growing the university. Starting with the 2018-2019 academic year, prospective students will now have the option of pursuing Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in the following course of study:
- Management and Leadership
- Cybersecurity
- Deaf Human Services
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing completion
“Our academic mission has always stressed producing marketable graduates that are in-demand by a wide range of employers,” said President Barnett. “Adding these four new degree programs is entirely consistent with that mission. We are proud to be a professions-oriented university that is bucking the trend of similar institutions by actually growing and adding new programs, which speaks to our vitality as a university.”
Each of the new programs are geared toward professions that studies show as areas of substantial need in our current economy:
Management and Leadership: A BS program that will be offered to both traditional and online students, the Management and Leadership degree will focus on the qualitative aspects of business, and specifically the “soft skills” needed for success in today’s business environment. Examples of soft skills include communication, creative thinking, ethics, teamwork, networking, decision making, time management, motivation, flexibility, problem-solving and conflict resolution.
Cyber Security: A BS program that will be offered online, the Cyber Security degree will meet the need for information security analysts in today’s business world. Cyberattacks have grown in frequency, and analysts are increasingly needed to come up with innovative solutions to prevent hackers from stealing critical information or creating problems for computer networks. Banks and financial institutions, and other types of corporations, are in need of increasing their information security capabilities in the face of growing Cybersecurity threats.
Deaf Human Services: A BS program that will be offered to both traditional and online students, the Deaf Human Services degree will be designed to meet the shortage of quality employees who are able to serve a unique population with unique needs. According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health-Office of Deaf Services, the deaf and hard-of-hearing clientele are significantly underserved at the local, state and national level.
Registered Nurse(RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) completion: A BS program that will be offered online, the RN to BSN completion degree will provide an option for nurses who are already registered with the state and graduates of two-year degree programs that are seeking a four-year BS in Nursing degree. The American Nurses Association estimates that there will be a need for 1.2 million new RNs by 2022 to fill a shortage brought on by retirements.
William Woods is also currently in the process of gaining certification for a traditional, four-year BSN degree through the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
The addition of the four new programs is the latest example of growth at William Woods that has occurred under President Barnett’s leadership. Since her appointment in 1990, total enrollment has increased from 750 to over 2,000 students; the university’s endowment has increased by nearly 250 percent; graduate-level, online and study abroad programs have been added; the university eliminated its long-term debt and has maintained an operating budget in the black for 15 straight years; and infrastructure and capitol improvements on the main campus in Fulton have included the construction of ten new major buildings.
