Trustees send two new master’s programs — agriscience technology and child life — to consent agenda

Cookeville, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech trustees voted in committee to place two proposed master’s degree programs on the board’s consent agenda: a Master of Science in Agriscience Technology and a Master of Science in Child Life.

Provost Trudy Bruce presented both proposals and credited faculty and staff who developed them. The agriscience technology program is designed to train agricultural professionals to adopt and manage advanced technologies such as GIS, UAVs and precision systems. The proposal recommends two program tracks — a research (thesis) option and a coursework-only option — and projects a conservative goal of graduating seven master’s students per year by year five.

“We are positioning graduates to lead agricultural businesses toward smart systems and advanced technologies,” Bruce said, describing the program as multidisciplinary and drawing on animal science, horticulture, soil science, geospatial technologies and engineering.

The committee voted to send the agriscience proposal to the board’s consent agenda. Trustee Redonna Rose moved to send the item and Trustee Rudd seconded; the roll call recorded Trustees Luna, Rose and Rudd voting aye.

Child life master’s proposal

The committee also advanced a proposed MS in Child Life, a 36-credit program (plus a minimum of seven clinical/experiential hours) described as preparation for certification and professional practice serving children and families in medical settings. Provost Bruce noted that there are only about 10 such master’s programs nationally and only one in the Southeast; the Tennessee Tech proposal would deliver coursework online while requiring in-person clinical placements.

Bruce said the program draws strong letters of support from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt and will serve two primary audiences: bachelor’s-prepared candidates seeking certification and working professionals seeking a master’s for career advancement.

Trustee Luna moved to send the child life proposal to the consent agenda; Trustee Rudd seconded and the roll call vote was recorded as aye.

Why it matters: Both proposals address workforce needs and were developed with input from industry and clinical partners. Committee discussion stressed conservative enrollment projections and internal reallocation of faculty time as part of the launch plan.

Key facts

- Agriscience Technology: Multidisciplinary program; research and coursework options; projected to graduate seven students per year by year five; formal letters of support from Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative and Tennessee Poultry Association were cited. - Child Life: 36 credit hours plus in-person clinical hours (minimum seven credit hours of experiential learning); administrators said the program will be delivered online with clinical placements at hospitals; projected to graduate six students per year by year five; strong letters of support from area children’s hospitals. - Fiscal approach: Administrators told trustees the College of Agriculture reallocated faculty effort and equipment budgets and is not requesting new faculty lines at launch; the department will return to the board if additional positions are needed as enrollments grow.

Next steps

Both items were placed on the board’s consent agenda for the afternoon session. If approved there, the programs will proceed to THEC for final authorization and state-level review.