Ten new degree programs have been established at Coastal Carolina University. Two unique Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees in the performing arts will be offered beginning in the fall, as well as three new master's degrees – two in education and one in writing.

The Master of Arts in Writing degree, which has two tracks (technical and creative writing) is the first master's program to be offered in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts. It is pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Three of the programs are already being offered, including a Master of Education in Educational Leadership (M.Ed.), which has about 80 students enrolled, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design.

The new degree programs are:

1. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Musical Theatre – This performance-oriented program focuses on the disciplines of acting, singing and dancing, but with a practical and marketable skill set that includes advanced knowledge of theory, criticism, history, literature and production design. Audition required for entry into the program.

2. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Arts – Three tracks of study include acting, technical design and physical theatre. Students of physical theatre study on the CCU campus for three years, then serve a final year in residence at the Circus Center of San Francisco in the Clown Conservatory.

3. Bachelor of Arts in Sociology – This redesign of CCU's sociology degree program allows students to specialize in three tracks: social justice, criminology, or health and aging.

4. Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design – Students study typography, print design, advertising, graphic design history and web design, while being able to choose from electives that include illustration, motion graphics for the web, 3-D computer modeling, packaging, publications and more.

5. Bachelor of Arts in Economics – Students are allowed to select cognates in history, political science, international studies and other compatible disciplines in the humanities. Students with a BA in economics will be well positioned to enter graduate school and/or enter careers in economic analysis, government, law and higher education. The program will also open the study of economics to students who are not business majors.

6. Bachelor of Science in Information Systems – This program will prepare graduates to use information technology to solve problems in business, industry, government agencies and institutions. Graduates will be prepared to design, implement, manage and evaluate information systems and to integrate emerging information technologies.

7. Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry – This degree program is an interdisciplinary program formed by selective blending of the existing biology and chemistry degrees. This degree is ideally suited for students interested in entering medical school.

8. Master of Education in Educational Leadership – designed for individuals currently employed in the education profession who are interested in becoming school principals. This program will help address the leadership shortages in the state, specifically for the counties of Horry, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Marion and Dillon.

9. Master of Education in Learning and Teaching – offers a unique curriculum to meet the needs of certified teachers. Three areas of specialization – instructional technology, literacy, and learning and teaching in the early and elementary grades –will provide advanced study for individual teachers and/or cohorts of teachers interested in focused areas of study.

10. Master of Arts in Writing (pending approval from SACS) – This flexible degree program responds to the local need for advanced education in writing and the increasing national interest in creative and professional writing. Students may choose to focus on professional or technical writing, creative writing or take courses in both.

For more information on these programs, visit the University's website at www.coastal.edu.