Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor
The VCU Board of Visitors will vote this week on whether to create two new STEM degrees and discontinue the bachelor of science in health and physical education.
The proposed degrees are a master of science in pharmaceutical engineering and a bachelor of science in public health.
The proposals have already been approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, University Committee on Academic Affairs, University Council and the President’s Cabinet. If passed by the board of visitors they would be targeted for implementation in 2027.
The master of science in pharmaceutical engineering would be jointly administered by the College of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy — the first of its kind for Virginia universities, according to the board’s agenda.
The program is meant to prepare students in health sciences that lead to therapeutic drug discovery, development and manufacturing — supporting local pharmaceutical industry needs.
Faculty from both the Department of Pharmaceutics and the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering would teach the discipline.
The bachelor of science in public health will be a new undergraduate option for its school — which currently only has masters, graduate and Ph.D programs listed on its website.
The program is meant to develop experts in the health needs and concerns of populations, including disease prevention. Students would learn the legal, ethical, policy and regulatory aspects of health — preparing them for entry-level roles in communities and government agencies.
The School of Public Health will need to hire two more faculty to teach the program — which their dean has already allocated money for — as well as two staff for advising and student services.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows growing needs for both professions.
As for the bachelor of science in health and physical education, enrollment has not been high enough to sustain the program, documents show. It has only averaged 13 students per year, and has no full-time faculty teaching its core classes.
A teach-out plan is in place for the seven students currently enrolled in the program, all of whom are expected to graduate in 2030.