The College of Liberal Arts (CLA), the College of Applied Science
and Technology (CAST) and the National Technical Institute for
the Deaf (NTID) are offering new programs of study.
CLA's new public policy degree program, which includes a BS/MS
option, will prepare students for careers in government, administrative
agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry or corporate public
affairs offices. Unique to the program is its focus on how science
and technology influence corporate and public decision making.
Students will gain an interdisciplinary perspective by taking
courses from other RIT colleges. Students will specialize in either
environmental policy or information and communication policy,
and will complete a 10-week cooperative education experience.
CAST's civil engineering technology department has created a
certificate program in structural design. Civil engineering is
one of the fastest growing employment fields in the United States,
with average annual growth near 30 percent, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"Structural engineers are in high demand to design and build
new infrastructures and rehabilitate existing ones," says Abi
Aghayere, RIT assistant professor of civil engineering technology,
who initiated development of the new certificate program. The
20-credit-hour program targets working architects and civil engineers
holding bachelor's or associate's degrees.
NTID's new computer aided drafting technology (CADT) program
prepares students for careers in the large, growing job market
for technical drafters. Students can work toward diploma, associate
in occupational studies (AOS), and associate of applied science
(AAS) degrees. The CADT programs will each offer two options,
Architecture/Engineering/ Construction (A/E/C) and Manufacturing,
reflecting job demand.
"The program offers excellent accessibility due to its multiple
entry points and projects a high rate of completion due to its
multiple exit levels," said Ronald J. Till, associate professor
and chairperson of the CADT Department.
