Why Wesleyan? - West Virginia Wesleyan College

A PATHWAY TOWESLEYANGRADUATEDEGREESWHY WESLEYAN: FOR GRADUATE EDUCATIONThe mission of Wesleyan Graduate Programs is to serve the educational needs ofgraduate students in acquiring advanced learning through applied skills and ethicalpractice, while developing competence in research scholarship in their discipline.To date, programs have been developed and offered in disciplines that are beginningto require a graduate degree, or are considered a professional field, to meet a growingdemand for master’s level prepared graduates. Wesleyan is not alone in this endeavoras graduate education is growing across the country.Focusing on graduate educationin our economy and countryIn the U.S.between 2006and 2018, morenew professionaljobs — about 2.5million — areexpected andwill requiresome level ofgraduate degree,with the largest growth in healthcare andeducation. This will include an 18 percentincrease in jobs that require a master’s. Ithas been argued that the master’s degreewill become the new bachelor’s degree,the minimal education credential thathigh-skill employers will require in theknowledge economy (Commission onthe Future of Graduate Education in theUnited States, 2010). The Commissionconcludes that the competitiveness of theUnited States and our nation’s capacityfor innovation hinge fundamentally ona strong system of graduate education.Graduate degree holders will possess theadvanced knowledge and critical-thinkingabilities for solving the challenges oftoday and the next two decades.Building on our history of strongprofessional programsAlthough the Master of BusinessAdministration (MBA) program hasbeen offered as a traditional two-yearprogram for more than 20 years, and asa five-year, dual-degree program for tenyears, the MBA is embarking on a newstrategy for instructional delivery byoffering its first online courses this fall.The Master’s in Education (MEd)program offered its first degree beginningMay 2007 in Multi-Categorical SpecialEducation and added the Specialization inReading the following summer. The latestdegree launched by the MEd programis for individuals already possessing anundergraduate degree and offers theopportunity to earn a Master’s degreeand pursue initial teacher certification ina secondary education content area: Art,English, General Science, Mathematics,Physics and Social Studies. MEd coursesare offered in traditional face-to-faceclassroom settings as well as online andin a blended format of these two.In August 2008, the initial class ofcandidates began their course work inthe Master of Science in AthleticTraining (MSAT) program. This degreeis designed as a one-year intensiveOther degree offerings are under consideration. Check the website:www.wvwc.edu/academics/gradprograms for new or additional information.on-campus program for those who haveearned a bachelor’s in Athletic Trainingand who have BOC certification or areBOC eligible. The third class of MSATcandidates will begin this fall.The first cohort of candidates in theMaster of Science in Nursing (MSN)program began in fall 2009. Two distinctconcentrations are offered: NursingEducation and Nursing Administration.This degree can be pursued on anintensive schedule of full-time study oron a part-time schedule to accommodatenursing professionals. Courses are offeredboth online and in face-to-face format.The first candidates will graduate inMay 2011.The Masters in Fine Arts (MFA), thenewest graduate degree, will welcome itsfirst cohort in summer 2011. The MFAis a 48 credit hour, design-your-ownprogram in poetry, fiction or creativenonfiction. This low-residency programwill begin each semester with an intensive10-day residency on Wesleyan’s campusfollowed by coursework completed witha faculty mentor through phone, emailand/or mail contact.1 0 SUNDIAL SUMMER/FALL 2010