LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 3, 2008)--Bellarmine University President Dr. Joseph J. McGowan announced today the addition of a new graduate program: the Master of Arts in Communication. Scheduled to begin this fall, the master's in communication will be a 30-hour program designed to be completed in five semesters.
Bellarmine's master's degree in communication is unique because it will offer not only the foundational core of this advanced degree, but also opportunities to specialize--in healthcare communication; in convergent new media; in strategic communication; and more.
All of Bellarmine's graduate and professional programs are informed by the liberal arts and are known for their integration of ethical awareness throughout the curriculum.
The new degree program is the latest sign of growth in Bellarmine's Vision 2020 plan to become the leading private university in the region, and a nationally pre-eminent private institution of significant size and stature.
In just the past two years, Bellarmine:
> has recruited its largest ever freshman class (eclipsing the former largest class by 31 percent), and one of its best academically qualified.
> has opened a new 116-bed residence hall and begun construction on a second new residence hall for 146 beds, scheduled to open in January 2009.
> has unveiled a state-of-the-art multi-sport field and stadium.
> has re-routed campus traffic with a new cross campus road and a new entrance to the 2120 Newburg classroom and office building.
> has launched the new Institute for Media, Culture and Ethics
> is adding a new Sports Studies minor, a new Doctorate in Nursing Practice and an Institute of Health and Wellness that will include a concentration in exercise science and athletic training.
> is positioning Bellarmine's Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education as a national model for the future of teacher education in America, and recently announced the appointment of internationally-known literacy expert Robert Cooter as the Ursuline Endowed Chair of Teacher Education.
Bellarmine's master plan calls for tripling enrollment and doubling the number of buildings on campus by the year 2020.
"We are a private university, but we operate in the public interest," McGowan said. "All of the state's leaders in government, education and business understand that Louisville and Kentucky must increase educational attainment in order to be competitive and to nurture a rich quality of life. That is happening here at Bellarmine. And one of our goals is to identify the educational needs of our community that align with Bellarmine's mission."
"The master's in communication, with the opportunity to specialize, is a great example of that," McGowan said. "New media and communication vehicles are being developed at an astonishing rate, and we must have a workforce that is highly proficient and also attuned to ethical issues, in its mastery and use of these tools."
Area business and civic leaders agree with McGowan's assessment. Joe Reagan, president and CEO of Greater Louisville, Inc., said, "For Louisville to be the best city we can be, we need a well educated workforce, and that means increasing educational attainment across the population. Bellarmine's growth and ambitious plans are in line with this need. This new master's degree in communication should be an outstanding and welcome addition to the area's educational landscape, and to the region's employers."
The degree is being implemented in different phases to serve different distinctive niches. The first phase will be geared to address ethical communications and will focus on developing the knowledge, capacity and competencies to communicate ethically across contexts, to develop ethical communication programs in the private, nonprofit or public sector, and to utilize media critically. Future phases planned include concentrations in healthcare communication and integrated communication.
Stephen A. Williams, president and CEO of Norton Healthcare, Inc. and member of the Bellarmine Board of Trustees, said the degree and the concentrations offered by the new program are welcome additions to the area's educational offerings. "The healthcare industry has a great need for qualified professionals in the communications field, so I am extremely glad to see that Bellarmine is planning its curriculum to attend to our specific needs," Williams said.
Gail Henson, chair of Bellarmine's department of communication, anticipates about 20 students will enroll in the new program. "We expect to see our students come from a variety of backgrounds because the M.A. in Communication will benefit individuals working in the public, non-profit and private sectors," she said. The creation of the M.A. in Communication also makes Bellarmine one step closer to elevating the department of communication to the School of Communication: Media Culture and Ethics, which is planned for the fall of 2009.
Bellarmine will conduct an information session for prospective students for the master's in communication on Wednesday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 217 of the Brown Activities Center. For more information, call 502-452-8163.