The end of the Fall semester brought approval for a new degree within UF’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, as well as two canceled majors from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Bernard Mair, associate provost for undergraduate affairs, said the new addition is a master’s in environmental analysis and design. The two canceled majors are the bachelor’s program for Asian studies and the master of arts in mathematics.
“With these low-enrollment majors, if there are no graduates within five years, we pretty much have to cancel the majors,” Mair said.
The Board of Governors monitors each major for graduation rates, and if the program doesn’t live up to the set benchmarks, it gets cut.
Mair said the last student who graduated with an M.A. in mathematics was in 2000, and only one student has graduated with a B.A. in Asian studies since 2011.
The relatively new international studies major that started in Fall 2011 in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences allows students to focus courses on America, Asia, the Caribbean or the Middle East. The program drew a large number of students away from Asian studies, effectively absorbing the major, said Mair.
During the series of budget cuts from 2006 to 2012, staff who retired or left UF weren’t replaced. Mair said the loss of faculty was felt more in smaller programs like Asian studies, where student enrollment was already minimal.
“Faculty naturally looked for greener pastures if they could,” he said. “Their talents will be better used for teaching a larger number of students.”
There is still a minor for Asian studies, and Mair said the similarities between the master of science and master of arts in mathematics made the M.A. redundant.
Christopher Silver, the dean of the College of Design, Construction and Planning, said the one-year environmental analysis and design program appeals to students looking for a supplemental master’s degree that teaches hands-on analytical skills.
He said preparations are still being made, and it’s expected to be available starting Summer or Fall 2014.
While other majors in the college might learn how to construct a road, environmental design considers factors like an area’s community and infrastructure.
The program also includes experience with geographic information systems, which is an asset to students searching for a career in planning and development.
“Someone with this degree can get hired by pretty much any development company,” Silver said.
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 1/8/2014 under the headline "New environmental major approved"
