Center expands degree offerings
Master's program new at UM DeSoto
By Jimmie Covington
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June 3, 2006
The University of Mississippi at DeSoto Center in Southaven will take a major step forward this fall with a new master's degree in accounting and bachelor's degree in health care technologies, a university official said.
Additional faculty members also are being hired in English and history, and other class offerings are being expanded as enrollment in Southaven grows, said Dr. Bonnie Buntin, Ole Miss dean at the center.
The university offers only junior, senior and graduate-level courses in Southaven. Through a 2 + 2 program, many students take their freshman and sophomore classes at Northwest Mississippi Community College at the center and then move into Ole Miss classes.
Of the university degree program expansions, Buntin said, "To get the master's in accountancy is just huge for the University of Mississippi-DeSoto Center."
The accountancy program, which will be taught in evening classes, will be identical to the daytime master's program at Ole Miss's main campus in Oxford and will be taught by faculty members who will travel from Oxford, Buntin said.
"It is really a huge step for Dean (Morris H.) Stocks to offer it here and for their faculty to commit to offering an identical program off campus at night," she said.
Stocks is dean of the university's Patterson School of Accountancy.
The classes will be taught on Monday and Thursday evenings. Each class will be completed in seven weeks. No class will be a prerequisite to another, which will allow students to enter at the start of any classes.
Under the approach, students will be able to complete the required 30 hours for the master's degree in about 18 months.
Buntin said the new bachelor's degree in health sciences will provide a major new education advancement opportunity for licensed, certified or registered practitioners in health care fields who hold two-year associate degrees.
The program is for people in such areas as cardiovascular technology, respiratory therapy and emergency medical technology. It is primarily an online program, which will fit in well with the schedules of people who are working health care fields, Buntin said.
The bachelor's program will be directed through the University Medical Center in Jackson, where the university began offering it two years ago.
The bachelor's program also is being expanded to the university's branch in Tupelo.
If the accountancy master's degree and health sciences program are successful as expected at DeSoto Center, additional speciality area degrees are expected to be offered at the center, Buntin said.
"We are excited," she said. "It looks good."
University enrollment at the center has been steadily growing. Last fall's total was 760, a 10.3 percent increase from the previous year.
Business degree courses are among the growing areas along with criminal justice and other areas, Buntin said.
"We have a real strength now in human resources, so that is another area of business where you are going to see more and more courses," she said. "We are also hiring a new person in business with expertise in finance so you are going to see an increase in those courses as well."
She said the university also is beginning to offer more education classes during morning hours.
Overall, Buntin said, "I think you are going to see a lot of differences in the next year."
-- Jimmie Covington: (662) 996-1406
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