TEMPE, AZ — In the sweep of a gavel, the Arizona Board of Regents adopted all but one of the 18 items within their consent agenda.

In the sweeping decision was a request from the UA to adopt its Academic Strategic plan for the 2016-17 years. Among a number of other items within the request, was the addition of a new undergraduate program, a new master’s program and a new PhD interdisciplinary minor.

The first program, a Bachelor’s of Science in psychological sciences, is designed to expand upon the existing opportunities within the existing psychological major. The new B.S. will be geared more towards students who wish to go on to a graduate program in psychology or pursue research, according to UA Provost Andrew Comrie.

The second degree passed is a health sciences Master’s program that will be taught at the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix campus.

“[The program is] for a certain kind of student who comes through and wants better preparation in health sciences as they’re figuring out either to go to med school, or go in to business,” Comrie said.

Lastly, the request included a doctoral minor program which is for students participating in a PhD program lacking a pre-approved minor, in addition to their primary doctoral program. This minor, in an emphasis area that looks at cultural studies, now has a formal name and is declarable by UA PhD students.

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