Board approves three new graduate degree programs; all further support key university research, teaching and outreach objectives

Responding to future directions in medical product discovery and development, and the emerging needs of industry and regulatory agencies, Virginia Tech and Georgetown University have created a joint graduate level degree program, a Master of Science in Biomedical Technology Development and Management, approved today by Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors.

In addition, a new Master of Arts in Foreign Languages, Cultures, and Literatures program in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and a new Ph.D. program in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: Engineering in the College of Engineering were approved by the board.

All three degree programs will be forwarded to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) for final review and approval.

The curriculum for the new biomedical technology development and management degree program, which has also been approved by the Georgetown Board of Directors, integrates science with technology, management, ethics, and public policy, and draws on the strengths of Virginia Tech’s College of Science, technology, and veterinary medicine programs, and Georgetown’s medical research program.

Students may enroll in the program at either university.

“Working with other universities in the metropolitan area is an integral component in our goal to increase research in the National Capital Region,” says Jim Bohland, vice president and executive director, Virginia Tech National Capital Region Operations. “We have successfully collaborated with Georgetown in the past, both in research projects and with academic programs designed for graduate students from the Food and Drug Administration. We welcome this opportunity to continue and expand our partnership.”

The focus of the new degree program is to develop professionals proficient in a variety of analytical tools, including modeling and simulation for business decision making. The program will utilize a cross-disciplinary approach covering drug development, medical devices, clinical investigation, drug development, regulatory affairs, and pharmaceutical quality assurance to address the industry-recognized need to produce well-rounded professionals conversant in multiple areas.

“The most compelling evidence of demand for graduates with this degree,” says Bohland, “is that the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health has already contracted with Virginia Tech and Georgetown University for its current employees to take courses included in the new program.” Through a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two institutions have taught a cohort of approximately 20 students from the FDA who will now be eligible to enroll in the Master of Science in Biomedical Technology Development and Management program.

The new degree will require 30 semester hours. Each degree candidate must complete and successfully defend either a research paper, or a project and report, which demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a particular topic as well as the ability to analyze information, think critically, and communicate effectively.

The new Ph.D. program in STEM Education: Engineering addresses the national need for more teachers at all levels qualified to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The program, based in the Department of Engineering Education, will be a research-based doctoral degree open to students with engineering, undergraduate or graduate degrees. And will prepare graduates to understand, analyze, and create contemporary research and new knowledge in teaching and learning in an engineering context.

The program will be only the second such program in the world, positioning the university to be a leader in a growing field.

“The proposed degree program will fulfill a need for scholar/educators with expertise in both the disciplinary fields of engineering and education to develop and deliver modern engineering curricula and add to the body of knowledge in engineering education,” said Richard Benson, dean of the College of Engineering.

Consistent with the university’s goad to expand the breath and depth of international programs, the new master’s degree program in foreign languages, cultures, and literatures will provide a flexible curriculum while building a strong base in language, culture, and literature.

A focus on interdisciplinary methods, practical application, critical approaches, theoretical perspectives, and analytical skills will prepare students for doctoral study or careers in professions such as teaching, business, translating, social work, governmental agencies, and foreign service.

The program will also attract and help retain faculty in foreign languages with strong research backgrounds and will broaden the internal resources of Virginia Tech graduate education.

The new degree will require 30 semester hours plus a comprehensive exam or a thesis. Three complimentary tracks (in Hispanic studies, French and Francophone studies, and multilingual studies) address multiple career objectives.