SRSU to offer new master's degrees, graduate certificates

Jan. 9—Sul Ross State University will begin offering a diversity of new degrees and certifications in Fall 2024, a Tuesday news release said.

New courses in all three colleges at SRSU will be offered, though accreditation is pending and expected from Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for a few of the programs.

A graduate degree indicates a certain level of mastery while a certificate indicates knowledge and skills in a desired field.

"Sul Ross State is excited to add these programs," Executive Vice President and Provost Bernie Cantens said in the release. "It's exciting that each of our colleges is growing and adding degrees and certificates that make sense for our university and that are relevant to the job market. We want our students to graduate with the skills they need to succeed."

Jimmy D. Case College of Literature, Arts and Social Sciences

Master of Arts in Anthropology

The Big Bend area of Texas contains one of the best-preserved and dynamic records of human history in North America. SRSU, situated in the heart of this incredible natural laboratory, will begin accepting applications for a two-year Master of Arts program in Anthropology that will provide students with unparalleled training and research opportunities. The creation of an anthropology program complements the current focus on conservation and habitat management at SRSU, producing students who are better informed to meet the diverse challenges of implementing effective natural and cultural resource programs. Student anthropological research will be conducted in collaboration with the Center for Big Bend Studies (CBBS) to produce world class archaeological research. Moreover, the establishment of the graduate program at SRSU, coinciding with the re-establishment of the anthropology minor, occurs at an optimal time to meet the growing demand for archaeologists in the US. SRSU's students will leave the program with the skills and expertise they need to be competitive and flexible in a diverse job market as cultural heritage scientists, or to continue their education toward careers in museum curation, forensics or the academy.

Graduate Certificate in Spanish for Professions

In 2022, the Hispanic population reached 62.1 million or 19 percent of the U.S. population. Moreover, the Hispanic population in Texas reached 12 million or 40.2 percent. Basic knowledge of Spanish is becoming more necessary for professionals in the fields of medicine, social services and healthcare. Understanding one's patients, clients or those we serve requires understanding some aspects of their language and culture. Not only will such knowledge permit better intercommunication, it will also provide necessary understanding of cultural, historical and religious beliefs.

The online Graduate Certificate in Spanish for the Professions, the first of its kind in Texas, will provide students with basic knowledge of the Spanish language, focusing on vocabulary, language and scenarios most prevalent within the selected professions. Students who complete the certificate will be able to communicate with their patients, clients and constituencies to better serve them and the Hispanic community.

College of Agriculture, Life and Physical Sciences

Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management

Global Trade and Shipping is a key aspect of the Texas economy. Texas ranks No. 1 for total Foreign Trade Zone exports, manufacturing/production-related activity, and warehouse/distribution-related exports. In 2019, Texas exported products worth $328.9 billion, according to the International Trade Administration. Exports represent about 17.4 percent of Texas' gross state product, the second-highest shore of any state and more than double the U.S. average. Supply chain managers are in high demand and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, represent a job category that is expected to experience 22 percent growth between 2012 and 2022.

Managing the broad range of activities required to plan, control and execute a product's flow, from acquiring raw materials and production through distribution to the final customer, in the most streamlined and cost-effective way possible, makes skilled supply chain managers critical in enabling an organization to achieve success. Combining the technical skills of Industrial Technology with the analytical decision-making skills of business management is something that is desired by logistics industry executives.

This 30-credit degree allows graduate students to pair their specialized knowledge and skills gained through the core MBA curriculum with the advanced business concepts, technologies, and tools of transportation, logistics, and Supply Chain Management. This degree would support those individuals whose career goals include pursuing American Production and Inventory Control certification via the Certified Supply Chain Professional examination. Students who complete the SRSU MBA with a concentration in Supply Chain Management will be able to examine logistic management processes, determine appropriate purchasing and procurement strategies, identify elements of on effective supply chain information management system and evaluate lean enterprise processes to improve organizational efficiency.

Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management

This 12-credit certificate allows graduate students to expand their knowledge and skills in the concepts, technologies and tools of transportation, logistics and Supply Chain Management and be recognized for their achievement. This certificate would support those individuals whose career goals include pursuing American Production and Inventory Control certification via the Certified Supply Chain Professional examination. Students who complete the graduate certificate will be able to examine logistic management processes, determine appropriate purchasing and procurement strategies, identify elements of an effective supply chain information management system and evaluate lean enterprise processes to improve organizational efficiency.

This certificate enables SRSU to provide this specialized knowledge to those individuals who already possess a graduate degree as well as to those who do not.

Undergraduate Certificate in Interior Design and Construction

SRSU will institute a 27-hour certificate in Interior Design and Construction. Sul Ross currently has a successful B.S. in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Construction Management and was recently recognized as an "Affiliated Schools Program" by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). This certificate program will allow students who want to pursue a shorter credential to enroll and pursue a certificate that can be completed in one year. The primary purpose of this program is to prepare students for entry-level employment in the fields of Interior Design, architecture or construction, specifically in residential design and construction, light commercial construction or kitchen and bath design and construction.

The program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for careers in this field. Program competency-based applied learning covers the elements and principles of design, advanced hand and computer aided drawing skills, visual and oral presentation skills, and NKBA standards for kitchen and bath design.

College of Education and Professional Studies

Graduate Certificate in Border Security and Management

The Border Security and Management certification program is self-paced and 100 percent online. It is designed to offer a customized professional development opportunity to The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection, and industry personnel. It comprises four courses and 12 credit hours to complete.

The Border Security and Management Graduate Certificate is open to candidates who hold a bachelor's degree. The certificate is ideal for federal, state and local emergency management officials, law enforcement personnel and members of the military, as well as employees connected with DHS, USBP, CBP and other federal agencies looking for a broad-based Border Security and Management education. Individuals in the private sector, including finance corporations, insurance agencies and security consultants, may find the program provides valuable and relevant skills.

Master of Science in Forensic Science

A Master of Forensic Science may be of interest to those currently working or seeking employment in crime laboratories, medical examiner's offices, police departments, criminal defense firms, prosecution attorneys' offices, hospital and clinical chemistry labs, pharmaceutical companies or high school science programs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment of forensic science technicians is projected to grow 11 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 2,500 openings for forensic science technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force.

One of the concentration areas that will be offered under this program is digital forensics, which investigates cybercrime, an increasing everyday issue. Cybersecurity/intelligence analysis is a relatively new profession in the Criminal Justice system and the private sector, and there is an emphasis in the market of Higher Education to include cybercrime in the curriculum.

The program requires 30 credits with 15 required credits and 15 selected concentration area elective courses that will be offered by different majors such as Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Computer Science, biology and chemistry.

Master of Business Administration with a concentration in International Trade

International Trade is estimated at $25-30 trillion, and it is only going to increase while simultaneously becoming more complex.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. About 1.1 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently. The median annual wage for this group was $107,360 in May 2022, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $46,310.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's "Texas Insights Accelerator," graduates of MBA programs with a concentration in International Trade are employed in 95 different industries, including administrative services, computer and electronics manufacturing and oil and gas extraction. The demand for these graduates in Texas is 83 percent higher than for the average major, and the median wage one year post graduation is $61,934.

The 30-hour concentration is in furtherance of a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of world trade that will enhance the MBA degree.

For more information, email [email protected].