Emporia State University is boldly restructuring in order to create exciting new collaboration and innovation opportunities and to advance and evolve its academic programs. These changes help us to best serve future generations of students and the needs of the Kansas workforce.
We are pleased to announce the creation of the following new schools and institute:
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies: Includes Interdisciplinary Studies and Ethnic, Gender & Identity Studies.
- School of Applied Health Sciences: Includes Psychology, Counseling, Nursing, HPER.
- School of Business & Technology: Includes Accounting and Technology, Business Administration, Economics and MS Informatics.
- School of Humanities & Social Sciences: Includes English, Modern Languages, Communication, Social Sciences, Sociology & Criminology and Intensive English Program.
- School of Library and Information Management & Library and Archives: Adds Instructional Design & Technology to the restructure from fall 2021 that combined SLIM and University Libraries and Archives.
- School of Science & Mathematics: Includes Biological Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Earth Science, Chemistry and Forensic Science.
- School of Visual & Performing Arts: Includes Art, Music and Theatre.
- The Teachers College: Includes Elementary Education/Early Childhood/Special Education, School Leadership and Middle/Secondary Education and Field Placement & Licensure.
“A key component of the new model is the valuable relationships it creates,” said Dr. R. Brent Thomas, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “It brings together academic programs by commonalities rather than tradition.”
For instance, the School of Applied Health Sciences brings together Psychology, Counseling and HPER from The Teachers College with Nursing from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The new model also creates facilities cost savings and improved space optimization, two important initiatives for both ESU and the Kansas Board of Regents.
“The Regents are excited about the new academic model Emporia State is launching. The university continues to implement innovative solutions that meet the needs of modern students and adapt to higher education’s changing landscape,” said Kansas Board of Regents Chair Jon Rolph. “This alignment of programs will help students achieve their goals, support the needs of the Emporia community and build a talented workforce for Kansas.”
This new model was created with input from students, faculty and staff and aligns with ESU’s strategic direction of elevating academic programs to deliver a best-in-class experience. The new structure creates schools that will maximize ESU’s unique strengths in the areas of education, health sciences, business & technology and library science as well as exciting new opportunities for faculty and students in sciences and math, humanities and the arts.
“This new structure will better enable ESU to adapt and quickly respond to the rapidly changing needs of the world and workforce,” says Thomas. “I am also excited about what this means for our faculty and staff in terms of new leadership development opportunities.”
Learn more about Emporia State’s future direction and strategic investments at emporia.edu/future.