PROVIDENCE – Come the start of the fall 2018 term, 17 new programs, some online-only, will be added to the Johnson & Wales University’s portfolio while four existing programs will be accessible online for the first time. All 21 will be offered online.
As a whole, the new and updated programs will bolster existing bachelors of arts and science, graduate-level and doctoral curricula in the colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering & Design, and Hospitality Management.
Cindy Parker, dean of the JWU College of Online Education, said in prepared remarks: “A robust portfolio is necessary to succeed in the increasingly competitive online market in higher education.”
Eleven of the new programs will be available online-only. They are:
- BS: Food Industry Compliance Management
- BS: Residential Hospitality Management
- MBA: Information Security/Assurance
- MBA: Organizational Leadership
- MBA: Organizational Psychology
- MPA: General
- MPA: Criminal Justice
- MPA: Nonprofit Management
- MS: Organizational Psychology
The two updated doctoral programs – a doctor of business administration in organization development and a post professional occupational therapy doctorate – will be online-only programs.
The six new programs available online and in the classroom are:
- BS: Computer Science (available online in 2018 and in the classroom in 2019)
- BS: Digital Marketing and Social Media
- BS: Public Health
- MBA: Sport Leadership
- MS: Data Analytics
- MS: Global Tourism & Sustainable Economic Development
The four existing programs, which will be available online for the first time in the fall, are:
- BS: Accounting
- BS and BA: Business Administration
- BS and BA: Management
- BS: Psychology
In her remarks, Parker added “thorough market research is conducted on all proposed programs before development to ensure program viability.”
The updates and additions, she said, “naturally align with JWU’s expertise in business, culinary, hospitality, technology and health and wellness.”
With this announcement, the total degrees delivered by JWU’s College of Online Education has risen to 56 and more are expected.
A JWU spokesman said the school plans to continue to grow its portfolio to “90 or more online degree programs by 2022.”
This information was divulged in a forth-coming interview with exiting JWU Chancellor John J. Bowen and confirmed by the school.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
