DENVER The University of Colorado Board of Regents today (Dec. 5) unanimously approved a new doctoral degree for students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Meeting at the downtown Denver campus of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, the regents agreed with recommendations made by UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and CU President Hank Brown to offer a doctorate in educational leadership, research and policy at UCCS.
The new degree, the fourth doctorate to be offered at UCCS, is designed to provide scholars and education practitioners with the skills and knowledge needed in communities throughout southern Colorado.
“This is a research-intensive degree that will provide key school administrators, as well as leaders of non-profit organizations with education-related missions, the skills needed to manage in today’s highly complex environments.” La Vonne Neal, dean, College of Education, said.
School districts in the Pikes Peak region serve more than 100,000 students and have combined operating budgets in excess of $500 million annually. Additionally, the region is home to eight institutions of higher education in need of individuals prepared to accept leadership, research and policy roles.
Superintendents of local school districts supported the UCCS request and were consulted in the development of the curriculum, according to Peg Bacon, interim vice chancellor, Academic Affairs. The proposal was also reviewed by a College of Education Curriculum Committee, a Graduate Executive Committee and an Academic Planning Committee.
The curriculum will require 22 research credit hours, 18 credit hours in professional development curriculum and 30 credit hours of doctoral dissertation. Subject areas include ethics, research statistics and specific courses in leadership and education policy development.
Courses will begin Fall 2007 semester.
This is the fourth doctorate to be offered at UCCS. Doctoral degrees are also offered in engineering, geropsychology and nursing.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 26 bachelor’s degrees, 17 master’s and four doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,600 students annually. For more information, visit http://www.uccs.edu.