ST. GEORGE – Dixie State College of Utah received Utah State Board of Regents approval to offer a new four-year degree program in physical science composite teaching at the USBR meeting held Friday at Utah Valley University in Orem. The addition of the new baccalaureate degree continues the College’s progression toward fulfilling its mission to offer core, foundational and high demand educational opportunities consistent with four-year colleges, and to meet the demands of business and industry, including those in Utah’s public education institutions. Class work for the new physical science composite teaching program will begin this upcoming spring semester in January of 2012.
The new degree program was created primarily for students who intend to become high school teachers of chemistry, earth science and physics. It is also designed for maximum marketability for graduates by offering students the opportunity to earn a traditional physical science composite teaching degree accompanied by an earth science endorsement, both of which are conferred by the Utah State Office of Education. Students who opt for the enhanced plan will be qualified to teach at any grade level (7-through-12) in Utah.
DSC’s physical science composite teaching degree will be offered as an interdisciplinary approach to the study of secondary science education. It emphasizes the interrelationship of physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, biology and mathematics.
“We are very pleased to offer this opportunity to our students here at Dixie State College,” says Dr. Donna Dillingham-Evans, DSC Vice President of Academic Services. “This is a very marketable degree. Chemistry, physics and earth sciences teachers are in high demand, not only in our area, but across the nation.”
In 2000, Dixie State College was granted license to begin offering bachelor’s degrees in high demand areas, which initially included business administration and computer & information technology.
Several other degrees have since followed, including elementary education (2002), nursing (2004), English (2006), biology (2006), dental hygiene (2007), accounting (2007), aviation management (2007), communication (2007), integrated studies (2008), music (2009), psychology (2010), clinical laboratory science (2010), theatre (2010), music education (2010), mathematics (2011), mathematics education (2011), criminal justice (2011) and theatre education (2011).
In addition, DSC was given the go-ahead by the Regents to offer a secondary education teaching (SET) licensure program in three emphases; biology, English education and integrated science, along with additional emphases in accounting, finance and visual technology in Dixie’s business administration program.
In 2005, the Board of Regents approved a change in mission for Dixie State College, allowing the college to begin offering bachelor’s degrees in “core” or “foundational” areas consistent with four-year colleges. Dixie State College also continues to function as a comprehensive community college as well, offering associate degree and certificate programs to its students.
The overall strategic goal for Dixie State College is to offer core and high demand educational opportunities at both the associate and baccalaureate levels that are consistent with and responsive to the needs of the community. Future programs for Dixie State College will likely center in three primary strategic clusters, which include business & technology, health care and education.