Dozens of MU programs found to be under-enrolled or underachieving were recommended for closure, further review or combination by the Academic Programs Task Force.
The report released Thursday is part of a larger process, Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said Tuesday, and final decisions will be made throughout the spring semester.
They are:
Programs recommended for closure
- Agricultural Education, Ph.D.
- Rural Sociology, master's and Ph.D.
- Applied Mathematics, master's
- Art History and Archaeology, master's and Ph.D.
- Classical Studies, master's and Ph.D.
- Chemical Engineering, Ph.D.
- Nuclear Engineering, master's and Ph.D.
- Romance Languages, Ph.D.
- Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, master's
- Dispute resolution, master's
- Personal Financial Planning, master's, doctoral emphasis area within a degree and graduate certificate
- Religious Studies, master's
- Nuclear Safeguards Science & Technology, graduate certificate
- Center for the Digital Globe, graduate certificate
- Gerontology, graduate certificate
- Lifespan Development, graduate certificate
The School of Medicine had already been looking to consolidate five Ph.D. programs into a single interdisciplinary degree, and they were listed in the report as well: Biochemistry, Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Nutrition and Pathobiology.
Programs recommended for further review
The report lists 16 programs where "significant concerns were identified" that should be identified and addressed.
They are:
- American Law, master's
- Biological Engineering, Ph.D.
- Industrial Engineering, Ph.D.
- Food Science, Ph.D.
- Genetics Area Program, Ph.D.
- Neuroscience, graduate certificate, master's and Ph.D.
- Geological Sciences, bachelor's, master's and Ph.D.
- History, Ph.D.
- Learning, Teaching and Curriculum, master's and Ph.D.
- Sociology, Ph.D.
- Truman School of Public Affairs, graduate certificates
Programs recommended for combination
The report lists four examples of combinations the task force thinks would be effective but cautions that data were lacking in some cases and administration should weigh the pros and cons.
They are:
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology in the College of Education; Health Psychology in the School of Health Professions and Psychological Sciences in the College of Arts and Science
German and Russian Studies in the College of Arts & Science and Romance Languages and Literatures in the College of Arts & Science
Management — The report says not enough data are available to make a specific recommendation, but there are multiple programs with management focuses and a combination should be explored.
- Policy Studies — Again, there is no specific recommendation, but a combination is said to be possible between different programs.
Read more in the full article from our partners at the Columbia Missourian.