Minor Change Major Success

By Amy Charles

Students across the Commonwealth, and beyond, now have more options to focus on educational and career interests at UPIKE. The new information technology management (ITM) major is set to launch this fall. For the spring semester, the university also introduced a new global health minor.

The new ITM major is designed to produce graduates capable of competing in the rapidly changing technology industry as well as to provide students with management leadership skills in business. Based on trends and job growth projections, the curriculum was developed using market research and input from industry professionals to ensure students would be equipped with the in-demand skills needed to be successful in the field of technology.

This program combines core technical requirements and business courses to prepare students for IT-related careers. Classes include networking, scripting, cloud computing, management information systems and customized internships. Combining strategic courses with relevant experiences creates graduates who enter the workforce ready to apply their comprehensive skill set to approach real-time challenges.

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Jennifer Dugan, Ph.D., believes UPIKE ITM students will be engaged in many dynamic and valuable learning experiences.

“Internship experiences and a broad-based curriculum with specialized courses will help equip students to articulate their value and succeed in the information technology field,” Dugan explained. “Through careful advising and individual attention, UPIKE ITM graduates will begin their tech-based careers ready to thrive on a local, national or global scale.”

Using a mixed-method approach, the global health minor is designed to leverage campus expertise alongside the work of UPIKE’s community partners to provide students with a distinctive, skills-based credential that is transferable across communities and health sectors. As the world is still coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, UPIKE’s focus on global health has perfect timing, helping to build a culture of health across all communities.

“This minor affirms the ‘global as local’ philosophy and recognizes the world has become connected like no other time in recent history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The commitment to the study of global health is important for students as they become responsible global citizens with the ability to think critically and creatively to solve problems,” explained Professor of Nursing and RN-BSN Coordinator Tauna Gulley, Ph.D. “Seeking to improve health outcomes, students will use what they have learned to develop and implement a capstone project in a community of their choice.”

For students intending to pursue careers in the health professions, the minor offers a distinctive credential in social, ethical and intercultural competencies. Students gain an interdisciplinary understanding of issues affecting the health of individuals and communities, while learning to recognize the importance of cultural belief systems and how they influence personal and communal health. Students learn from diverse perspectives, develop community-based connections, and produce individualized projects that probe questions about the state and future of global health. Instructors with expertise across different fields and from leaders in community health departments, mental health agencies, addiction recovery centers and child advocacy agencies educate students about health challenges on a global scale.

UPIKE Provost Lori Werth, Ph.D., is passionate about the growth of academic offerings as the university takes notice of career demands in the business climate and promptly responds.

“The University of Pikeville is committed to using the power of innovation to contribute to local businesses and the global markets,” said Werth. “Faculty have a vision of 21stcentury education that meets the needs of students and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across campus. I am so proud of our leaders and faculty who continue serving the UPIKE mission and commitment to excellence.”

Information Technology Management Major

As a UPIKE ITM graduate, students will be able to:

» Approach problem solving with an engineering mindset

» Apply critical and abstract thinking, along with standards-based approaches to solve real-life challenges

» Possess the skills necessary to make ethical decisions regarding relevant business information technologies, while demonstrating leadership qualities and professional confidence

Global Health Minor

Using an interdisciplinary, mixed-method approach, the global health minor is designed to teach students to:

» Recognize the importance of cultural belief systems and how they influence personal and communal health

» Illustrate the different forms of health disparities and how social systems affect health outcomes

» Recognize the relationship between economics, politics, and health policy and identify areas of health care change

» Understand the research process and analyze data to promote evidence-informed health practices

» Incorporate principles of ethics and social responsibility through civic engagement