AMES — The Iowa Board of Regents approved the closure of six specialty graduate programs at the University of Iowa at their meeting Wednesday.
The programs include:
- MS and Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology
- MS and Ph.D. in Free Radical and Radiation Biology
- Ph.D. in Molecular Biology
- Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology
- MS and PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics,
- MS and PhD in Pharmacology.
All programs previously existed as separate programs offered through the Carver College of Medicine. However, with the formation of the Biomedical Science program in 2016, these seven programs are now offered as subprograms within the Biomedical Science umbrella program, according to their website.
Students currently enrolled in their individual programs will still be able to receive degrees in each of the subprograms.
Kevin Kregel, the executive vice president and provost at the UI, said since the graduate programs were absorbed by the Biomedical Science program, student and faculty needs have been met.
With this approval, there will be no more applications for the individual subprograms. Kregel said in the past five years, none of the seven programs received applicants.
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“Closing these programs will ensure our program options are clear to prospective students, and that has created confusion in the past,” Kregel said.
Alternative programs and degrees are offered through Des Moines University and Iowa State University, similar to the eliminated programs, such as a Master of Science in Anatomy and Biomedical Sciences at Des Moines University, and Ph.D. specializations in Cell Biology and Pharmacology, among others at Iowa State University.
Kregel stated there is no anticipation of workforce impact, and all resources previously allocated to the individual programs have since been assumed by the Biomedical Science program.