UT System Board of Regents Approves Three UTSA Ph.D. Programs
The University of Texas System Board of Regents today approved three new doctoral programs for the University of Texas at San Antonio. Today’s action was the largest number of doctoral programs ever approved during one board meeting for a single component of the UT System.
"These programs help pave the way for UTSA to become one of the tier-one
institutions in the State of Texas," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo.
"All three programs are innovative in their development and address both
local and national needs."
The Board of Regents approved doctoral programs in English, business and electrical
engineering.
"As UTSA continues to meet the needs of San Antonio and South Texas, continued development of graduate programs is key to expanding educational and economic opportunities for our citizens," said Cyndi Taylor Krier, who was sworn in as a new regent Tuesday afternoon.
The doctoral program in English includes an emphasis on preparing the next generation of faculty to teach in a culturally diverse, technologically sophisticated, global society. Faculty recruited for the program will study the impact of the intersection of Mexican-American, African-American and Anglo cultures.
The doctoral program in electrical engineering will focus on signals and systems, and will support existing programs in neurobiology and computer science. As a result of academic restructuring last year, UTSA now has a separate College of Engineering.
Graduates of the electrical engineering program will be prepared to serve
as faculty in electrical engineering, conduct research in government and industrial
laboratories and develop new processes related to processing and sending digitized
information.
UTSA’s new Ph.D. in business administration includes concentrations in
the five traditional areas of accounting, economics, finance, management and
information technology.
When fully implemented, each of the three new degree programs is expected to graduate between five and 10 candidates each year. Following today’s approval by the Board of Regents, the proposed doctoral programs will be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for review and appropriate action.
Thursday’s action brings to seven the total number of Ph.D. programs at UTSA, which already confers degrees in neurobiology; computer science; educational leadership; and culture, literacy and language.