Georgia Board of Regents votes to close 215 degrees, majors they say are no longer active
This is a ongoing story and will be updated with responses from USG institutions as they arrive.
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently voted to terminate 215 degrees and majors throughout the system. This included 43 at the University of Georgia, 32 at Georgia Southern University and 26 at Augusta University.
"All programs included in the Board’s action were not active and had not admitted students for more than two years," wrote Kristina Torres, assistant vice chancellor for leadership communications at USG, in an email. "This process follows board policy and reflects the University System of Georgia’s priority to consistently review degree program performance and align current offerings with the needs of USG institutions and students. This clean-up is done regularly and requires institutions to wait at least two years before any formal action is taken to allow enrolled students to graduate or move to other programs."
Torres added that no active programs were impacted, but that the number of programs closed was larger than usual. Some of the programs were transferred to "new and updated degree programs" as well.
The University of Georgia is closing out the most degrees or majors, including seven within the Specialist in Education program, several doctorate programs – Recreation and Leisure Studies, and Integrative Conservation and Geography. among others – along with some masters degrees and bachelor majors.
Georgia Southern University is closing out 13 majors in the Bachelor of Science in Education degree, along with nine subjects in the Specialist in Education program and several other bachelor and masters programs. Just two programs — a master of science in urban studies and planning, and a bachelor of education in middle school teacher education — were cut at Savannah State University.
At Augusta University, the degrees include six focus areas within the Specialist in Education program, three each in the Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Education programs, and majors within the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration and other undergraduate programs.
A spokesperson for Augusta University said that the university offers 155 programs, up from 140 two years ago. In the past two years alone, AU has added 18 new programs, including several master of science programs and post-baccalaureate certificates.
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AU changes up programs when older programs no longer attract as many students, or to better meet modern employment skill requirements, according to the spokesperson. Some programs were combined, such as the bachelors in French and Spanish, which are now concentrations within one world languages major. Certificates are the most common programs to be deactivated, while bachelor, masters and doctorate programs are less likely to be deactivated.
According to the website of the USG system, institutions can request a degree or major be deactivated as long as they can show there are no current students in the program or that any remaining students are willing to pick another degree, and that there will be no negative impacts on students or faculty.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: University System of Georgia closes 215 deactivated majors, degrees
