FLORENCE – This fall, the University of North Alabama has launched almost two dozen degrees, programs, majors, minors, micro-credentials, and certificates at the graduate and undergraduate levels in the online as well as face-to-face learning formats.
“The programs demonstrate UNA’s ongoing commitment to workforce development throughout our state and region,” said Dr. Ross Alexander, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “UNA is appealing to a diverse constituency of learners across all modalities because we continue to be nimble and offer a wide variety of programs. Further, we continue to be the first-choice institution for traditional, graduate, online, adult, and international students.”
Dr. Ross Alexander
Dr. Sara Lynn Baird, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the new programs speak to ongoing employment needs of the state and region.
“We are thrilled to launch these new curricula which address workforce development needs,” she said. “We have assembled excellent faculty to offer instruction to students interested in careers in social work and engineering fields. The MSW offers an exciting opportunity for students to enhance their professional training and the engineering curricula develop applied skills for students to excel in a variety of employment opportunities in engineering.”
The Master of Social Work, or MSW, which is a fully online program, launched with a fall enrollment of nearly 70 students.
Dr. John Q. Hodges
“The new online MSW serves the region and the country with a flexible program that provides professional training to become an advanced generalist social work practitioner,” said Dr. John Hodges, Social Work Department Chair. “The program is sensitive to the multiple demands of working adults and has generated great interest in both the one-year MSW, for those students with a bachelors in social work, and the two-year MSW program.”
Other programs that have done well and appeal to adult learners as well as traditional-age students are the Master of Applied Manufacturing Engineering, which is completely online, and the Bio-Engineering Option in the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology.
Dr. Peter Rim
“We are excited about the additions to the Engineering program because of their flexibility and uniqueness,” said Dr. Peter Rim, Director and Department Chair of Engineering and Technology.
“The Bio-Engineering Technology option, which focuses on molecular biology and manufacturing, will appeal to those who desire a career in high-tech manufacturing or pharmaceuticals and other environmental solutions and products, which are based on biological processes, but also serves as a foundation for medical and dental school
“The Applied Manufacturing Engineering Master’s program, once certified, would currently be the only ABET-certified online program in the country and is in partnership with UNA’s prestigious MBA program. It is equally flexible as students may take classes in their specific engineering discipline as well as choose from a variety of business classes.”
Other programs that launched this fall include:
- Seven online micro-credentials in the College of Business that may be taken alone or stacked into the MBA and include:
o Professional Selling, o Financial Analysis, o Information Systems, o Global Business, o Leadership, o Health Care Management, and o Human Resource Management
- Six new Accelerated Master’s Programs, which empower students to earn a baccalaureate and master’s degree in five years or fewer.
The Spring 2020 semester is also shaping up to include exciting new learning opportunity with the launch of the Executive Doctor of Business Administration, which is UNA’s first doctoral program.
Media Release/Ms. Michelle Eubanks
Director, Communications and Marketing
University Communications and Marketing
UNA
