Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — Miami University's regional campuses will launch a new four-year degree program this fall.

Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, approved the Bachelor of Integrative Studies Tuesday, July 22. It is the third bachelor's degree offered at the branch campuses. The other two are nursing and applied science and engineering technology.

"We're really excited about it. This provides an opportunity for students to finish their degrees in their own community," said Daniel Hall, Miami Hamilton dean.

The degree offers seven concentrations including Applied Sociology; Contemporary American Experience; Environmental Studies; Families, Gender, and Society; Information Technology; Organizational Leadership, and Understanding Media and Visual Culture.

Courses are tied together by integrative seminars to link different areas of study.

Kelly Cowan, Miami Middletown dean, said offering the degree at the branches is in line with a statewide initiative to provide more access to higher education for all citizens of Ohio.

"Ohio ranks 39th in the nation for the percentage of adults holding bachelor's degrees," Cowan said. "It's time to do all we can to change that statistic."

Additionally, both campuses have signed partnership agreements with Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and Sinclair Community College's campus in Mason to remove barriers between the campuses.

Miami officials estimate that each campus will have about 75 students sign up for the new degree this fall.