Four new college degree paths approved by IHL

• Mississippi State, University of Mississippi Medical Center adding programs for behavior analysis, school counseling, and more.

Three new degree paths were added to Mississippi State University, and another was added to the University of Mississippi Medical Center during last week’s Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees meeting. 

The three new programs at MSU will be the Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, Master of Science in PreK-12 Student Support, and the Education Specialist in Professional School Counseling.

At UMMC the new program will be the Master in Science in Health Professions Education.

Mississippi State

Dr. Casey Prestwood, Associate Commissioner of Academic and Student Affairs, said the Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis will be a 120-hour course that will be an extension of a current course preparing students for real world settings. 

“The degree is built out of the success of the currently existing minor in Applied Behavioral Analysis,” Prestwood described to the IHL Board. “As of spring 2023, after two years, the minor has 76 students and graduated 27 students.”

The current minor provides a path to licensure in Mississippi as a licensed behavior analyst and board certified assistant behavior analyst. The governing body for that professional pathway announced all coursework must transition to a standalone degree path with full accreditation by 2032, Prestwood stated. 

“The demand for professionals in this field of behavioral analysts has experienced one of the highest increases across all fields of employment over the last decade,” Prestwood added.

Those who choose to enter the field can make an average of $56,000 annually, with the range being between $46,000 up to $90,000.

Prestwood informed the IHL Board that the incremental cost to implement the program is estimated to be $2.16 million, with a potential five-year revenue of $6.7 million. 

The Master of Science in PreK-12 Student Support will be housed under the College of Education and requires 30 hours to complete. Students entering this degree path will be required to dual enroll and complete the Educational Specialist and Professional School Counseling before they can pursue school counselor licensure. 

“School counselors are in demand now more than ever due to mental health needs and a shortage of counselors,” Prestwood said. “Mississippi has experienced a dramatic decline in the number of applicants seeking a school counseling license.”

Part of the reason for the shortage, Prestwood noted, is due to the need for students to complete 60 hours of a graduate degree to become licensed as a professional school counselor, while all other master’s degrees in education require only 30 hours. 

Graduates moving into this field can expect to receive a starting salary of $47,000 as an AA licensed school counselor under a 10-month contract. School districts also have the option to provide salary supplements.

Prestwood told the IHL Board the five-year incremental implementation cost is estimated to be $1.26 million with a potential revenue through the same period of $4 million. 

The Education Specialist in Professional School Counseling will also be housed under the College of Education and provide a master’s degree in PreK-12 Student Support Specialist. Graduates from this 30-hour program are eligible to seek a AAA license to be a professional school counselor through the Mississippi Department of Education. 

The estimated five-year incremental cost to implement this program is also $1.26 million, with an estimated revenue of about $4 million.

UMMC

UMMC’s request to create the Master in Science in Health Professions Education will create a 30-hour path designed for clinical professionals and basic scientists to develop teaching skills.

According to results of a survey administered to UMMC faculty, 98 percent of the 212 respondents indicated they have supervised or taught others, but less than 25 percent have received formal training or teaching in the theory of learning. 

“This survey reveals significant interest in the program among University of Mississippi Medical Center Faculty,” Prestwood told the IHL Board. 

Graduates will assume higher responsibility levels in relation to the university’s mission to educate. The program seeks to train those graduates to better qualified in formal teaching and learning instruction. 

Prestwood said the estimated incremental five-year cost to implement the program is $63,091, with an estimated potential to produce $709,977 in revenue over the same period.

No other universities in Mississippi offer similar programs to the four approved by the IHL Board during Thursday’s meeting, Prestwood added.