BGSU adding new academic programs in many disciplines

This semester has brought some important additions to our academic programs that will help BGSU students further their education and qualify for high-demand jobs. 

In May, the trustees formally approved the naming of the new Cedar Fair Resort and Attraction Management Program at Bowling Green State University, a degree-completion program in partnership with Cedar Fair LLP that will equip graduates with a Bachelor of Science in resort and attraction management, in which students will complete co-ops at Cedar Fair attractions around the country that reinforce their classroom learning and provide real work experience. BGSU had earlier broken ground on a Sandusky facility, funded by Cedar Fair, to house the new program. The unique, public-private partnership is designed specifically to meet the needs of this trillion-dollar industry. Classes will begin in fall 2020. 

BGSU has begun offering the Master of Athletic Training, which will prepare students to work in a variety of health care settings, both here and abroad. The curriculum includes immersive clinical experiences and will prepare students to pass their board certification examination. Working with physicians, athletic trainers focus on prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Complementing the program, the School of Human Movement, Health and Leisure Studies has acquired a cutting-edge Anatomage table, a virtual reality dissection and anatomy table consisting of a large, touch-screen monitor that substitutes for a traditional cadaver laboratory.

Also this semester, the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program went completely online, making it more conveniently available to working professionals. The program can be completed in as little as four semesters, or students may choose to complete it at a slower pace. The program will provide an opportunity for registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma in nursing to obtain a BSN in a flexible and meaningful manner while improving the care of their patients and communities. The bachelor’s degree in nursing is becoming ever more desirable, as the demand for nurses in the United States continues to grow. The degree from the College of Health and Human Services is in collaboration with Firelands Regional Medical Center, and is currently offered to Ohio residents. 

BGSU also announced a partnership with the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) in which service members can earn their general education credits online from BGSU through the General Education Mobile (GEM) program. The University is the first public four-year university in Ohio to partner with the CCAF. Students complete 15 hours of general education courses, which are offered online in seven-week sessions. They will receive personalized advising from the Nontraditional and Military Student Services office. Airmen will be able to utilize their tuition assistance benefits for GEM at BGSU beginning this summer.

Beginning this fall, undergraduate students interested in the fast-changing world of advertising in all its evolving forms, such as digital and mobile, can enroll in the advertising major in the School of Media and Communication. The interdisciplinary program will provide students with a conceptual foundation and professional skills, supported by a strong experiential learning component. Its aim is to develop students to be highly adaptable with strong writing and analytical skills, aptitude to solve problems creatively, and a solid mastery of professional advertising skills for commercial and nonprofit organizations.

In addition to the 10 core courses, the major requires two internships, one capstone course (a real advertising campaign), and three concentration courses. The core courses incorporate knowledge from advertising, communication and media production and studies, with a strong conceptual background in communication and media. Courses in marketing and graphic design are included so that the students can understand the needs of the marketers as advertisers and the graphic design aspect in creating advertisements.