At its meeting today, the Board of Trustees of Coastal Carolina University approved two new master's degree programs, a master of arts in health communication and a master of arts in music technology. A new certificate program in applied ethics was also approved.

The health communication degree was developed in response to the high occurrence of health-related issues in South Carolina, which ranks in the top 10 states nationwide for obesity, diabetes and infectious diseases. Unlike health promotion and other related disciplines, health communication focuses on tools and strategies that target mass media and markets to facilitate positive health behavioral changes.

The music technology degree is designed to teach practical skills that apply to the contemporary field of music, where technology is playing an increasingly central role in its creation, performance and delivery. The degree will utilize CCU's state-of-the-art recording studio.

Degree programs must be approved by the South Carolina Higher Education Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) before being officially added to the University curriculum.

The board approved the purchase of a parcel of land on S.C. 544 near the campus for $150,000. Three leases for off-campus office and storage space to accommodate the renovation of the Edward M. Singleton Building were also approved.

The board also voted to offer a nonresident fee waiver for international students studying at CCU who are from locations where official Sister-State agreements have been established, including the State of Rhineland-Palatine/RhinelandPflaz, Germany; State of Thuringen, Germany; State of Bradenburg, Germany; State of Queensland, Australia; Province of Taiwan, Republic of China; and the Island Nation of Aruba.