YSU may offer new master’s degree

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

Youngstown

A new master’s degree at Youngstown State University would prepare students for projected growth in the communication field.

The Academic Quality and Student Success Committee of YSU’s trustees last week approved a resolution offering a master of arts in interdisciplinary communication. The full trustee board is expected to vote on the resolution next week, and it must be sent to the Ohio Board of Regents for approval.

“It would prepare students for career development and prepare those who want to enter a Ph.D. program,” said Bryan DePoy, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts.

The new degree was proposed by the communication, English and marketing departments. It would be housed in the communications department in the College of Fine and Performing Arts but administered jointly by all three departments.

DePoy said that offering a degree across three departments makes it a unique program in the region.

“We hope this can serve as a model for academic and resource collaboration,” the dean said. “Even though it will be housed in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, it will capitalize on the resources of all three academic departments. That makes it highly unusual.”

An overview of the proposed program included in an executive summary provided to trustees says that both surveys and anecdotal information show “that students who have completed undergraduate and graduate programs in professional writing, communication and marketing have reported that their careers require a combination of skills and knowledge that their respective programs did not address fully,” according to an overview of the degree included in an executive summary of the proposal.

The master’s degree would carry a greater emphasis on writing skills.

“The program is also accessible and available to a variety of majors,” the overview says. “We offer this program in the spirit of YSU’s mission to aid development of the economy in the Mahoning Valley.”

The new degree also would prepare students for projected employment opportunities, DePoy said.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggest employment growth through 2018 in positions that would be supported by the program. Specifically, increased demand for public-relations specialists of 24 percent, writers and editors of 9 percent, PR managers of 13 percent and advertising, marketing, promotions, PR and salespeople of 13 percent, the executive summary says.

“We tried to make sure we had the degree program aligned with the regional work force and with Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for job growth,” DePoy said.

Employers approached about the need for the new master’s, including volunteer and service organizations and retail sales, manufacturers, marketing and media-production companies, acknowledged their employees need further training and skills in oral and written communication and marketing, he said.

“Ninety-five percent of respondents indicated their employees need increased oral-communication skills,” DePoy said. “More than half reported the majority of their work force lacks communication skills. That shows a strong need for the degree program.”

Courses required to secure the new master’s would include statistics, organizational community, applied research, marketing and technical communication classes.

Costs to add the program are expected to be offset by expected income generated from increased graduate enrollment.