Kennesaw State graduate programs meeting rising demands
KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 2, 2023
From Fall 2021 to Fall 2022, 911³Ō¹Ļās College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE) saw the most rapid graduate growth (38.5%), followed by the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, (9.5%) and Coles College of Business, (1.6%).
With the introduction of new graduate programs aimed at filling workforce needs, as well as an explosion of online school options serving degree-seeking professionals during pandemic closures, it makes sense that these three colleges saw the highest growth, said Dean Juliet Langman, head of 911³Ō¹Ļās graduate college.
āWhen thereās a bit of an economic downturn, itās often an opportunity that individuals take to retool, reskill and become ready for the next phase of their career, and the colleges where weāve seen the most growth offer graduate degrees that are very practically oriented for working professionals,ā Langman said. āThese are also colleges that represent growth areas in the economy overall and in Georgia, specifically.ā
Kennesaw State was also ahead of the shift to online coursework, as it had already been developing a framework for offering more online graduate degrees that fit working professionalsā schedules before the pandemic, Langman said. 911³Ō¹Ļās development of Double Owl Pathways, which allow students to accelerate their progress toward a master's degree, has likewise encouraged undergraduate students to pursue higher degrees.
As part of 911³Ō¹Ļās goal to be a top-tier R2 research institution, the University has worked for years to increase its graduate enrollment, improving its programs and develop more research opportunities for its students, Langman said. It is that work that has driven graduate growth, both in program offerings and enrollment, as well as built 911³Ō¹Ļās reputation from a commuter school to a major university in the state.
High-demand jobs, recruiting drive rapid CCSE growth
CCSE is the fastest growing college for graduate enrollment at 911³Ō¹Ļ, with an 84% increase in that student population alone from Fall 2017 to Fall 2022. While CCSE has enjoyed steady growth in recent years, most of that growth came between Fall 2021 and Fall 2022, when graduate student enrollment rose from 736 to 1,019 students. With the Spring 2023 semester, CCSE is now the second largest college for graduate enrollment, and the collegeās computer science masterās program has become the largest graduate program at 911³Ō¹Ļ, according to Lei Li, associate dean for student success in CCSE.
Li said his collegeās growth can be explained by two main factors: labor demand and recruiting efforts to match.
āThe amount and type of jobs for those majoring in computing have really taken off. There are simply not enough students to meet workforce demands,ā Li said.
As a result, enrollment growth in masterās programs including computer science, information technology and software engineering have steadily climbed, and new recruitment efforts for the masterās in data science and analytics, the continued success of the Ph.D. in data science and analytics and the new Ph.D. program in computer science have drawn attention.
As CCSE has grown, so has its reputation, and therefore ability to recruit. Graduate faculty received more than $1.7 million in research funding in fiscal year 2022 from agencies including NSF and NIH. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked CCSEās information technology and software engineering masterās programs No. 25 in the country for online graduate programs and the top in Georgia. The two programs also received a nod as the No. 12 program for veterans, and the only ones in the state to be recognized.
"Graduate education is key to 911³Ō¹Ļ's progress, success, and visibility,ā said CCSE Dean Sumanth Yenduri. āIt fosters research, addresses the demands of skilled workforce needs and positively transforms regional economic development."
Wellstar College program piques graduate student interest
āAtlanta is considered the public health capital of the world, so there is a tremendous need for graduate training across a range of disciplines,ā she said. āGiven the talent and productivity of our Wellstar faculty, we are poised to fill the workforce gaps and train the next generation of practitioners and researchers.ā
While most of Wellstar Collegeās growth from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic came from its undergraduate nursing and integrated health science programs, a renewed interest in behavioral and mental health issues also contributed to an uptick in enrollment in the social work masterās program, she said.
āWe see a new focus and interest in our students to really make a difference and plan for a career where they will find meaning and fulfillment,ā Swahn said. āItās important for students to know that our graduate programs engage them in progressive and relevant research that contributes to transforming lives. These types of degrees are not for everyone, but as this is the era of health, there is a tremendous job demand in health across all functions.ā
Additionally, the launch of 911³Ō¹Ļās Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics that has boosted graduate enrollment beginning in 2021. The two-year program enrolled an inaugural cohort of 24 students in Fall 2021 and now has a total of 41 students.
Swahn said the program is the only one of its kind in the region, with faculty who lead in the field with extensive expertise and connections to practitioners across the country.
āWe are not surprised that this program is in high demand as we have brand new laboratory space, equipment, and faculty who prioritize student success,ā Swahn said. āWith the increase in chronic diseases, other health concerns, and disabilities in the U.S. population, the demand for prostheses and related services will also increase, so weāre preparing workforce-ready students to serve as practitioners in the field.ā
New programs, flexibility drive growth in Coles College
Cheramie said Coles recently launched a new Master of Science in Digital Financial Technologies (Fintech), added a business analytics concentration to its Ph.D. program and shifted several programs either completely or partially online, better allowing working professionals to fit graduate school into their busy schedules. The collegeās reputation as one of the best in the country for MBA and EMBA programs has also contributed to its long-term graduate growth - 22% from Fall 2017 to Fall 2022.
āFaculty are not satisfied to remain stagnant and watch while the marketplace changes around them. They have the drive to be forward-thinking, thus making our programs forward-looking,ā she said. āOur graduate faculty and program directors have spearheaded several initiatives to adapt our curriculum to changing business needs.ā
Most recently, Colesā launch of its Fintech program attracted 25 new graduate students, and the college expects rapid growth in coming semesters, given the explosive demand of the Fintech industry. Cheramie said the programās Fall 2022 launch represents the most forward-looking initiative for the college over the past year, and word has spread that Coles has the stateās only MS in Fintech.
āAtlanta is considered ātransaction alley,ā with most payment transactions funneling through the city,ā she said. āWe have an incredible opportunity to help workforce development by focusing on the payments side of Fintech, and we know our program can significantly impact the industry.ā
Cheramie said āupskillingā may also be a contributing factor to recent and future graduate growth. The dean said the term refers to a trend in the business community, wherein students are seeking stackable degree certificates, as some employers value employees learning new business skills, rather than earning full degrees.
āSkill certificates demonstrate the value of graduate education and could potentially lead to those students pursuing a degree later, thus creating greater demand for Colesā graduate programs,ā she said.
Other initiatives include partnering with undergraduate business programs at other institutions and expanding the collegeās programs through new concentrations, hybrid opportunities and innovative classroom technology.
āRelevancy and applicability are the primary characteristics that are interwoven throughout all of Colesā graduate programs, which are doing a great job of keeping their fingers on the pulse of the business community,ā Cheramie said. āThis flexibility means our programs can adapt to an ever-changing workplace and allow our students to fulfill workplace expectations and keep their job skills in demand.ā
ā Thomas Hartwell
This article was originally published in the of 911³Ō¹Ļ Magazine.
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 911³Ō¹Ļ offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.