Texas State University announced in January that the institution is planning new academic degree programs to meet workforce demand. As societal needs evolve, so do the degrees and programs offered by Texas State to prepare graduates for the future, the statement said. Among the programs announced for fall 2019 are a Master’s in Data Analytics and Information Systems, and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.
This March, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges authorized Texas State University to offer a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree. The program was approved by The Texas State University System Board of Regents in May and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in January.
Texas State will begin offering civil engineering through the Ingram School of Engineering in the fall of 2019.
“The new civil engineering program will not only address the growing workforce demand, it will enhance Texas State’s contributions to the Texas Innovation Corridor, the region stretching from Austin to San Antonio that is home to rapid growth in industry, technology, and economic opportunity,” said Texas State President Denise Trauthin a statement. “Texas State will educate the next generation of civil engineers, prepared to leverage new technologies to enhance public safety, the environment, energy efficiency and ultimately our quality of life.”
To accommodate the expansion in engineering and programs such as computer science, math, and biology, the university launched the construction of Ingram Hall, the largest academic building project in Texas State history, according to Texas State. When the Ingram School of Engineering was established in 2007, the university offered three engineering degrees.
By fall of 2019, that offering is expected to reach five, dependent upon the new civil engineering program receiving final approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The Texas Workforce Commission predicts an increase in demand for civil engineers of nearly 24 percent for 2014-2024. That translates into more than 6,000 positions, and an annual shortfall of 750 civil engineers given the current production of existing engineering programs in Texas, the university said.
Other programs in development include a Master’s degree in Construction Management and a Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance and Economics.
The Master’s in Data Analytics and Information Systems is designed to develop the knowledge and skills to understand information and use it strategically to inform sound business decisions. The Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering will provide graduates a foundation in traditional civil engineering topics combined with a unique education in the emerging field of smart infrastructure technologies
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