MSU students will have some new course options and specializations for the spring.
A jazz study option, a graduate specialization in hospitality business and an undergraduate specialization in science, technology, environment and policy will all be available after the Academic Council approved the proposed additions Tuesday.
The new additions represent the growing university trend of moving toward more interdepartmental offerings, said Jo Ann Beckwith, director of the University Committee on Curriculum.
"It's an example of the interdepartmental initiative that allows people in various colleges to draw on the strengths offered by other colleges for the benefit of the students," Beckwith said. "It shows the value of multidisciplinary perspectives, that there are things to be gained by bringing perspectives of different disciplines together and getting a wider range of topics."
The move for the graduate specialization in hospitality business comes after the new, 36-credit Master of Science in Hospitality Business program was established this fall, said Sherri Henry, coordinator of academic student services in the School of Hospitality Business.
"This is for people who don't have a background in hospitality business and who want to transfer to a more business-oriented side of things," Henry said.
She said it could be for students who have experience outside or inside the Eli Broad College of Business, although people who already have knowledge of management or hospitality business probably wouldn't take it.
"Students who may have experience in communications but want to get experience in the business side of things would probably be interested in this specialization," Henry said. "Instead of adding another doctoral degree, they can take the specialization to get many of the necessary skills."
She said the specialization is necessary because the 76-year-old hospitality business school should be competing with other schools that already have doctoral programs in hospitality business in place, such as Purdue and Cornell universities.
The purpose of the new undergraduate specialization in science, technology, environment and public policy is to bring together a focus on science and science policy, said Michael Schechter, a James Madison College professor and a member of the college curriculum committee.
Students will look at issues dealing with everything from the environment to military technology to technology in developing countries, Schechter said.
"We want to have students from all different majors studying together," Schechter said.
