MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees approved the creation of three new academic programs and modifications to two others at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The board met at Fayetteville recently.
The board approved the creation of a Site Specific Management option to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture, a Technical Certificate in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, and a Certificate of Proficiency in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Fundamentals. Both technical programs will be offered at the UAM College of Technology-Crossett.
The board approved changing the name of the Administrative Office Technology Technical Certificate to Business Technology as well as changing the name of the Office Support Certificate of Proficiency to Basic Business Principles.
The board also approved curriculum changes to two programs – the Master of Education Degree in Physical Education and Coaching, which will include modifications to existing courses to include a broader range of content within the curriculum, and modifications to the curriculum in the Master of Arts in Teaching educator licensure program.
“I am excited about the new academic offerings and the changes to existing programs,” said UAM Chancellor Karla Hughes. “The site specific management option in agriculture gives us the potential to be an internationally recognized model program at the bachelor of science level.”
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The new program merges agriculture technology, agronomy and agriculture business to prepare students to meet the demands of “metadata” crop and farm management.
“The use of geo-referenced data collection in agriculture for analysis and management decisions is an emerging field of study,” Hughes said.
The chancellor also said that site specific agriculture management is a new and expanding area that requires people with technical, agronomic, agribusiness and management backgrounds.
“Career opportunities are increasing with large farming operations, consulting firms, farmer cooperatives, implement dealers, seed sales and technical support, and crop production industries. This program has the potential to attract students to UAM from outside our current marketing area,” Hughes said.
Both the technical certificate and certificate of proficiency programs in HVAC/R were created to meet the expressed needs of businesses and private homeowners.