The University of Illinois Springfield has created three new schools to better serve students and meet the needs of our Capital Region community, including the addition of new degrees and minors that are now open for enrollment.
“These exciting changes will allow UIS students to be better prepared for future employment opportunities, career advancement and engage in activities focusing on research, civic engagement and community sustainability with faculty who are at the top of their fields,” said Vickie Cook, Ph.D., acting UIS associate provost of enrollment management.
The School of Education combines the former educational leadership and teacher education departments into a single unit. It is now better aligned with the University’s mission and is committed to addressing the dire teacher shortage in Illinois. The School prepares teachers, administrators, researchers and scholars to serve, advocate and engage with social justice and anti-racist principles. New online and on-ground secondary education bachelor’s degrees in English, history, and mathematics are now being offered. The three degrees will provide students with a faster pathway to becoming P-12 teachers.
The School of Public Management and Policy includes our public administration and human services programs. It brings together the core areas of study for professional public management, policy and meeting human needs. The School prepares well-rounded leaders who are ready to tackle important issues in our communities. It welcomes its firstclass in its new Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree, offered in online, blended and on-ground formatsin spring 2022. MPP students will graduate knowing how to use economics to analyze and improve public policy and a greater understanding of policy development and how to engage stakeholders to affect change. The degree will prepare students for leadership, advocacy, public policy analysis, design and evaluation roles in government and the nonprofit and private sectors. The School’s Master of Human Services program has also added a new online graduate concentration in Nursing Home/Long-Term Care Administration. In addition to vital administration skills, the curriculum addresses the challenges inherent in aging, including ageism and implicit bias. The proposed concentration aligns with the standards necessary for students to seek licensure in the State of Illinois.
The School of Politics and International Affairs includes political science, global studies and public policy (bachelor’s degree). It was created to provide students with an elevated learning experience from coalescing these critical fields of study. Creating a School gives UIS students more opportunities to become highly active in the downtown Springfield community through internships in the state legislature, state agencies, lobbying firms and law offices. Faculty in the School envisions conducting research in a public policy laboratory and holding applied workshops on politics and public policy downtown and envisions offering graduate-level classes downtown. The School design opens the door to new degree programs and allows UIS to establish relationships with professional organizations that benefit students and faculty.
The College of Liberal Arts and Science has also added minors in art history and art therapy as part of the Visual Arts Program. The minors provide students additional opportunities to enrich their primary degree program with exploration and skills rooted in the arts.
Students who earn a UIS degree are finding success after graduation. The 2019-20 Career Outcomes Report found that 96 percent of UIS bachelor’s graduates are employed or continuing their education. Among 2019-20 master’s degree graduates, the report finds more than 93 percent are employed or continuing their education.
Prospective students may apply to UIS free of charge at uis.edu/apply. Questions may be directed to the Office of Admission at 217-206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu.