Contact: Anthony de Bruyn, (512) 499-4363

Date: November 5, 2004

UT System News Release

Three New Degree Programs Approved by Board of Regents

AUSTIN – Three new graduate degrees at academic institutions in the University of Texas System were approved by the Board of Regents on Friday (Nov. 5). The programs will go to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for final approval.

The programs include:

• A doctor of audiology degree at UT Austin. The proposal involves creating an interdisciplinary doctoral program in audiology that will be administered by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Communication.
• A master of science degree in environmental sciences at UT El Paso. This program will be administered by the College of Science and will focus on interdisciplinary environmental science, an important area of research and education.
• A master of arts degree in communication at UT San Antonio. This program will be offered by the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts and is designed to prepare students with integrated knowledge and skills in communications, including the theory, research, and practice that are requisite to success in contemporary communication industries.

The UT System has 15 campuses, including nine academic and six health institutions, and an annual operating budget of $8.5 billion (FY 2005). Student enrollment is projected to exceed 185,000 students in the 2004 academic year. The UT System confers one-third of the state's undergraduate degrees and educates three-fourths of the state's health care professionals annually. With more than 87,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.

Note: For more information about each of the degree programs see the Academic Affairs committee background material accompanying the agenda for the regents' meeting (URLs provided below).

Agenda Book

Academic Affairs Committee