UVSC may add 4 degrees

OREM — If Utah Valley State College chiefs have it their way, the school could be offering four more bachelor degrees next year.

The UVSC Board of Trustees has approved proposals for bachelors' degrees in Information Systems, Theatrical Arts for Stage and Screen, Theatrical Arts Education and Forensic Science. Trustees also approved a minor in Theatrical Arts.

The next step before the school can begin offering the degrees is approval from the governor-appointed State Board of Regents. The regents could vote on the degree proposals within six months, said Brad Cook, UVSC's academic affairs vice president.

If approved, the number of bachelor degree offerings at UVSC will increase from 44 to 48, college spokeswoman Megan Laurie said.

UVSC leaders have said they want the college to become a university. Before they seek university status, however, the college's administrators want to "round out" the offerings for bachelor's degrees, another college spokesman, Derek Hall, said.

"Right now, we're talking about a comprehensive set of bachelor's degrees," Hall said.

UVSC administrators have compiled a list of 15 similar-size colleges and universities, such as Weber State University and Boise State University, and are comparing data from those schools to UVSC.

The average number of degrees offered among UVSC's peer schools is 62. The lowest number of degrees offered among peer schools is at California State University-Dominguez Hills, which offers 40.

Hall said UVSC officials are not necessarily aiming for 62 degrees prior to seeking university status — which in Utah requires beginning graduate programs and seeking accreditation as a university from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Since 2000, students at UVSC who were interested in information systems majored in Information Technology, said Christopher Jones, chair of Computer Information Technology and Education, who notes there is a difference between the two disciplines.

Information systems deals with business-related computer programs such as accounting systems, payroll systems and software development. Information technology has more to do with hardware — computer infrastructures, databases and network administration, Jones said.