MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia University has released the preliminary recommendations for cuts to both undergraduate and graduate as part of its academic transformation.
On Friday, WVU announced that 32 programs, including 12 undergraduate and 20 graduate, are recommended to be discontinued out of its current 338 majors. A press release said that changes would affect 147 undergraduate and 287 graduate students.
A full list of programs is available below, but some majors of consequence include all foreign language degrees. The release also said that the university is “reviewing plans to eliminate the language requirement for all majors,” and instead is “exploring alternative methods of delivery such as a partnership with an online language app or online partnership.”
The recommendation for many majors is a reduction in faculty without any other changes to the program. WVU said that this includes 169 potential faculty line reductions, which is approximately 7% of the total Morgantown faculty.
“While we view these preliminary recommendations for reductions and discontinuations as necessary, we are keenly aware of the people they will affect,” said President Gordon Gee in the release. “We do not take that lightly. These faculty are our colleagues, our neighbors and our friends. These decisions are difficult to make.”
The following programs are recommended for complete discontinuation or discontinuation to merge with another major:
- BSBSE Biometric Systems Engineering
- MA Higher Education Administration
- MA Multi-categorical Special Education
- PHD Higher Education
- EDD Higher Education Administration
- BA Art History
- BM Music Performance: Jazz and Commercial Music
- MM Collaborative Piano
- MM Composition
- MM Jazz Pedagogy
- DMA Collaborative Piano
- DMA Composition
- BFA Puppetry
- MFA Acting
- BS Environmental and Community Planning
- BSLA Landscape Architecture
- MLA Landscape Architecture
- BSR Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
- BS Agribusiness Management
- BS Environmental and Energy Resources Management
- BS Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
- MS Energy Environments
- PhD Resource Management
- MA Communication Studies
- MFA Creative Writing
- PhD Mathematics
- MLS Legal Studies
- MPA Public Administration
- BA Chinese Studies
- BA French
- BA German Studies
- BA Russian Studies
- BA Spanish
- MA Linguistics
- MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- PhD Business Administration: Management
- BS Public Health
- PhD Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences
The recommendation does not inherently mean that the program’s fate is decided; faculty do have the option to appeal the recommendation by Aug. 18.
Students, families and community members who are seeking more information can attend an information session on Thursday, Aug. 17 hosted by the Division of Student Life and the Mountaineer Parents Club. That meeting will take place at 6 p.m., according to the release, but a location was not specified.
The full list of recommendations for the programs that were placed under review can be found below.
| PROGRAM | NO CHANGE | REDUCTION IN FACULTY | DISCONTINUED | REVISED |
| BSCE Civil Engineering | X | |||
| PhD Civil Engineering | X | |||
| BSBSE Biometric Systems Engineering | X | |||
| BSCPE Computer Engineering | X | |||
| BSCS Computer Science | X | |||
| BS Cybersecurity | X | |||
| BSEE Electrical Engineering | X | |||
| MSSE Software Engineering | X | |||
| PhD Computer Engineering | X | |||
| PhD Computer Science | X | |||
| BSMINE Mining Engineering | X | |||
| PhD Engineering: Mining Engineering | X | Explore the development of a cooperative PhD program | ||
| BSPNGE Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering | X | |||
| PhD Engineering: Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering | X | Explore the development of a cooperative PhD program | ||
| BA Elementary Education | X | Reduction of credits, accomplish participation in Ohio reciprocity and expanded state strategy | ||
| MA Higher Education Administration | X | |||
| MA Literacy Education | X | |||
| MA Multi-categorical Special Education | X | |||
| PhD Higher Education | X | |||
| EdD Higher Education Administration | X | |||
| BA Art History | X | |||
| BA Technical Art History | X | |||
| BFA Art Education | Eliminate area of emphases in ceramics printmaking and sculpture, reduce credit hours, eliminate specialization | |||
| BFA Art and Design | X | Eliminate area of emphases in ceramics printmaking and sculpture, reduce credit hours | ||
| MA Art Education | X | |||
| MFA Art and Design | X | Eliminate area of emphases in ceramics printmaking and sculpture, | ||
| BA Music | X | |||
| BA Music Business and Industry | X | |||
| BM Music Composition | X | |||
| BM Music Education | X | |||
| BM Music Performance: Jazz and Commerical Music | X | Authorized to begin the Intent to Plan process for creating a new commercial music undergraduate program | ||
| BM Music Performance | X | |||
| BM Music Therapy | X | |||
| MA Music Business and Industry | X | |||
| MM Collaborative Piano | X | |||
| MM Composition | X | |||
| MM Conducting | X | |||
| MM Jazz Pedagogy | X | |||
| MM Music Education | X | |||
| MM Performance | X | |||
| DMA Collaborative Piano | X | |||
| DMA Composition | X | |||
| DMA Conducting | X | |||
| DMA Performance | X | |||
| BA Dance | X | |||
| BFA Acting | X | |||
| BFA Musical Theatre | X | |||
| BFA Theatre | X | |||
| BFA Theatre Design and Technology | X | |||
| BFA Puppetry | X | Merged into BA Theatre | ||
| MFA Acting | X | |||
| MFA Costume Design and Technology | X | Combine into single production major | ||
| MFA Lighting Design and Technology | X | Combine into single production major | ||
| MFA Scenic Design and Technology | X | Combine into single production major | ||
| MFA Technical Direction | X | Combine into single production major | ||
| JD Law | X | Eliminate inefficient and unnecessary program requirements | ||
| BS-AGR Agriculture and Extension Education | X | |||
| BS Design Studies | X | Move program into new Arts and Media College | ||
| BS Environmental and Community Planning | X | |||
| BS Fashion Design and Merchandising | X | Move program into new Arts and Media College | ||
| BS Interior Architecture | X | Move program into new Arts and Media College | ||
| BSLA Landscape Architecture | X | |||
| MSLA Landscape Architecture | X | |||
| PhD Human and Community Development | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| BS Energy Land Management | Merge with BS Environmental and Energy Resources Management | |||
| BSF Forest Resource Management | X | X | Merged with BSF Wood Science and Technology to create new major | |
| BSR Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources | X | |||
| BS Wildlife and Fisheries Resources | X | |||
| BSF Wood Science and Technology | X | X | Merged with BSF Forest Resource Management to create new major | |
| PhD Natural Resources Science | X | |||
| BS Environmental, Soil and Water Science | X | |||
| BS Environmental Microbiology | X | X | To be delivered as area of emphasis within BS Environmental, Soil and Water Science | |
| BS-AGR Horticulture | X | Merged with BS-AGR Sustainable Food and Farming to create new major | ||
| BS-AGR Sustainable Food and Farming | X | Merged with BS-AGR Horticulture to create new major | ||
| PhD Genetics and Development Biology | X | |||
| PhD Plant and Soil Sciences | X | |||
| BS Agribusiness Management | X | Merged with BS Environmental and Natural Resource Economics to create new major | ||
| BS Energy Land Management | Merge with BS Environmental and Energy Resources Management | |||
| BS Environmental and Energy Resource Management | X | Merge with BS Energy Land Management to create new major | ||
| BS Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | X | Merge with BS Agribusiness Management to create new major | ||
| MS Energy Environments | X | |||
| PhD Natural Resource Economics | X | |||
| PhD Resource Management | X | |||
| BA Women’s and Gender Studies | Moved to Department of Sociology and Anthropology | |||
| BA/BS Chemistry | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| PhD Chemistry | X | |||
| BA Communication Studies | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| MA Communication Studies (Online) | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| MA Communication studies (In-person) | X | |||
| PhD Communication Studies | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| BA English | X | |||
| BA English Secondary Education | X | |||
| MFA Creative Writing | X | |||
| MA Professional Writing and Editing | X | |||
| PhD English | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| BA/BS Mathematics | X | Revise curriculum | ||
| PhD Mathematics | X | |||
| BA Philosophy | X | |||
| MLS Legal Studies | X | |||
| MPA Public Administration | X | |||
| BA Chinese Studies | X | |||
| BA French | X | |||
| BA German Studies | X | |||
| BA Russian Studies | X | |||
| BA Spanish | X | |||
| MA Linguistics | X | |||
| MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | X | |||
| BSBA Management | X | |||
| MS Human Resource Management | X | |||
| BS Communication Sciences and Disorders | X | |||
| BS Exercise Physiology | X | |||
| BS Health Informatics/Information Management | X | Will monitor recruitment over the next 3 fall semesters | ||
| BS Human Performance and Health | X | |||
| MS Athletic Training | X | Will monitor recruitment over the next 3 fall semesters | ||
| MOT Occupational Therapy | X | |||
| MS Speech Language Pathology | X | |||
| PhD Exercise Physiology | X | |||
| AuD Audiology | X | |||
| DPT Physical Therapy | X | |||
| BS Pharmacy | X | |||
| PharmD Pharmacy | X | |||
| PhD Health Services and Outcomes Research | X | |||
| PhD Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences | X | |||
| BS Public Health | X | X | Merge with BS Health Services Management and Leadership | |
| MPH Public Health | X | |||
| MHA Health Administration | X | |||
| MS Biostatistics | X | |||
| MS Industrial Hygiene | Explore the development of an intercollegiate collaboration | |||
| PhD Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences | X | |||
| PhD Epidemiology | X | |||
| PhD Social and Behavioral Sciences | X |
A full list of programs and their recommended outcomes is available at the WVU Office of the Provost website.
