BJU Realigns Academic Offerings
Bob Jones University has announced a multi-year initiative to realign its educational programs to better fulfill its mission and better match academic programs to changing student needs.
Associate Degree Programs
The first change will be the migration of associate degree programs in the School of Applied Studies into the other five university schools beginning at the start of the first semester of the 2009-10 year in August. Specifically,
- Christian ministry-related associate degree programs will move into the School of Religion.
- Business and trade programs—Aircraft Maintenance, Automotive Services, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts and Residential Construction—will move into the School of Business Administration.
- The Child Care associate degree program will move into the School of Education.
- General education courses, such as English, Bible and speech, for all associate degree programs will be offered through appropriate divisions within the College of Arts & Science, the School of Religion and the School of Fine Arts.
The relocation of these programs will significantly benefit associate degree students by opening up opportunities for them to take many courses previously unavailable to them in other BJU schools and by creating a more direct path for them to complete a bachelor’s degree, if they desire, once their associate degree is complete.
As part of the restructuring process, BJU will strengthen its mentoring and support resources to assist both associate and bachelor’s degree students needing assistance.
2010 Changes
Additional changes are in process for implementation in the fall of 2010, such as:
- Restructuring the School of Fine Arts into the School of Fine Arts & Communication.
- Converting the Division of Speech Communication into the Division of Communication to house majors—such as Journalism, Public Relations and Film–and courses now spread over several divisions.
- Placing a stronger unifying emphasis on a common core of Bible and liberal arts courses.
- Strengthening the connection between health science programs currently isolated from one another in multiple academic divisions and making similar connections among art and design programs.
The academic leadership and faculty are refining the implementation plans for the longer-term changes. Details and specific timing for additional changes will be announced as they are finalized.
The changes that will be made over the next couple of years are the result of information we have gathered the last five years from academic assessments conducted by the faculty; from evaluating our academic programs in light of our educational philosophy, institutional goals, core values and mission; and from feedback from students, faculty and alumni. The changes have been in the planning stage for nearly a year. They are being made so that BJU can continue to provide the best Bible-based liberal arts education possible. They are typical changes that colleges and universities periodically make to address changing student needs and to keep their programs in line with their mission.
