Spring Break
MU aims to increase graduate programs
Caitlin Varley
Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: Campus
Graduate enrollment at Miami University could increase from about eight percent of total enrollment to 10 percent if new degree programs are implemented, explained Bruce Cochrane, dean of the Graduate School. Currently, Miami's Oxford campus is home to 1,341 graduate students.
While the exact number of new degrees to become available is still in the making, Miami has a proposal for a two-year master's program in computational science and engineering that could go into affect as soon as fall 2008.
"If approved, this will be the first master's program in computational science and engineering in the state of Ohio and one of the first in the nation," said Marek Dollar, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
The program would be relatively small with 20 or 25 students with degrees in math, science, or engineering, according to Dollar.
Dollar said the program is a computer science program for engineers, scientists and mathematicians and would put the techniques of computer science and mathematics toward solving problems in different disciplines.
Yet in his Annual Address to the university, President David Hodge stated that Miami's primary goal remains to be excellent in undergraduate education. Miami's plan for graduate education is to stay focused on a few, select graduate programs. Cochrane explained that graduate programs at a university support the goal of a strong undergraduate focus in a number of ways.
"The building of quality graduate programs is key to the . . . building of quality departments, attracting those very good faculty who are committed to the vision of Miami," Cochrane said.
According to Jeffrey Herbst, the university provost, new graduate programs would enhance undergraduate education and allow faculty and students to explore new areas of knowledge. Herbst said the university is moving in a direction of more graduate programs, but not significantly more graduate students.
In addition, Cochrane said that graduate programs greatly enhance a department's ability to offer research opportunities to undergraduates.
While the exact number of new degrees to become available is still in the making, Miami has a proposal for a two-year master's program in computational science and engineering that could go into affect as soon as fall 2008.
"If approved, this will be the first master's program in computational science and engineering in the state of Ohio and one of the first in the nation," said Marek Dollar, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
The program would be relatively small with 20 or 25 students with degrees in math, science, or engineering, according to Dollar.
Dollar said the program is a computer science program for engineers, scientists and mathematicians and would put the techniques of computer science and mathematics toward solving problems in different disciplines.
Yet in his Annual Address to the university, President David Hodge stated that Miami's primary goal remains to be excellent in undergraduate education. Miami's plan for graduate education is to stay focused on a few, select graduate programs. Cochrane explained that graduate programs at a university support the goal of a strong undergraduate focus in a number of ways.
"The building of quality graduate programs is key to the . . . building of quality departments, attracting those very good faculty who are committed to the vision of Miami," Cochrane said.
According to Jeffrey Herbst, the university provost, new graduate programs would enhance undergraduate education and allow faculty and students to explore new areas of knowledge. Herbst said the university is moving in a direction of more graduate programs, but not significantly more graduate students.
In addition, Cochrane said that graduate programs greatly enhance a department's ability to offer research opportunities to undergraduates.
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