Cameron University to expand offerings with new degrees in engineering, agriculture

Cameron University has announced it intends to expand its educational offerings with new degrees in mechanical engineering and agriculture - a strategy designed to meet an ongoing need for trained employees in high demand fields in the region.

The Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and Rogers State University gave its approval for CU to offer a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an Associate in Science in Agriculture during its Jan. 30 meeting in Norman.

Cameron has offered an associate degree in engineering for many years, but this will be the first time in university history that a four-degree will be offered in an engineering-related field. President Shane Hunt said it will not only allow current students in the two-year engineering program the chance to continue their career paths at CU, it will arm these future engineers with the techniques, skills and tools necessary to be successful in modern industry.

Hunt said students will be better prepared to pursue advanced degrees in engineering or closely-related disciplines, but most importantly, it will provide southwest Oklahoma with a previously untapped pool of engineering talent to meet current and future workforce needs.

"Our proposed mechanical engineering degree has received overwhelming support from students who are excited to be able to become engineers at Cameron University, and from our corporate partners who are thrilled to have more engineers to help meet the increasing demand across the region," Hunt said.

Seven new courses will be created for the program and two existing courses will be modified to support it. Cameron will also add a fulltime faculty member through existing university funds.

Like the engineering degree, the two-year agriculture degree is intended to provide a solid academic foundation and technical training for a successful career. It will also set the stage for ag majors to continue seamlessly into Cameron's four-year ag degree program, which offers options in agribusiness management, agronomy, animal science and general agriculture.

The new two-year degree integrates agricultural science, natural resource utilization and conservation, and agricultural policy, said Dr. Lance Janda, interim dean of the CU College of Arts and Sciences.

"Cameron University is proud to strengthen our commitment to the hard-working people of southwest Oklahoma and to area agribusinesses by adding this degree," Janda said. "We are committed to giving our students the tools they need to succeed in any career opportunities in agribusiness, and to support farmers and corporate partners with research and outreach programs to keep them growing, financially successful, and rooted in Oklahoma.

"Our outstanding faculty and staff are ready to partner with anyone to move our state forward, and I'm excited at the prospect of seeing the amazing thing out students will do with their education," he added.

Because the associate degree requirements are nested within bachelor's program in agriculture, it will not require the addition of any new courses.

The two new degrees need final approval from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission, but the goal is that both be available to students when Cameron's fall semester begins later this year.

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