COLUMBUS, Ohio -Cleveland State University is permanently discontinuing 22 academic programs, suspending 14 programs for now, and is reopening admissions to another four.
Unlike program eliminations recently announced by Ohio University and the University of Toledo, these program changes are not the result of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping, controversial new higher education law that in part requires public colleges to eliminate low-enrollment programs.
In fall 2023, CSU began a comprehensive review of its academic programs, said an email from the university’s marketing and communications department on behalf of CSU Senior Vice President and Provost Nigamanth Sridhar.
“Based on this careful and sustained analysis, we made the strategic decision to revise certain program offerings in May 2024,” the email said.
CSU has been cutting programs and personnel to make up for millions in a revenue gap. Fewer students are attending CSU, as well as other colleges throughout Ohio and the U.S., due to families having fewer children and young people opting against college.
Students who enrolled in suspended or discontinued programs are able to complete their degrees.
“Please note that at this time it is not necessary for CSU to eliminate academic programs as a result of Senate Bill 1,” the email said. “Thanks to our proactive work over the past two years, we adjusted our offerings thoughtfully and strategically, with students and academic quality at the center of each decision.”
The following programs have been permanently discontinued:
– Historic Preservation certificate
– Historic Preservation graduate certificate
– Physics, Medical Physics graduate certificate
– Physics, MS, Optics and Materials specialization
– The History of the African Diaspora certificate
– Doctor of Nursing Practice
– Early Childhood Generalist endorsement (Grades 4-5)
– Environmental Studies 4+1 BA/MA (completing the program in five years, with dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees)
– Environmental Studies accelerated JD/MA
– Environmental Studies, MA
– Literacy Development and Instruction, M.Ed., adult literacy track only (Reading and TESOL endorsements available)
– Middle Childhood Education, M.Ed
– Middle Childhood Mathematics Education, graduate certificate
– Middle Childhood Science Education, graduate certificate
– Special Education (with licensure), M.Ed., early childhood intervention specialist track only
– Teacher Leader, licensure
– Urban Economic Development and Finance graduate certificate
– Urban Economic Development graduate certificate
– Urban Studies, MS (dual degree exchange program)
– Business, Accelerated MBA Program, online
– Entrepreneurship, graduate certificate
– Sports Management, B.S. in Education (Sport and Entertainment Management BA is active)
The following programs have been suspended for now:
-Anthropology, BA
-Arabic, BA
-Comparative Religion, BA (also known as Religious Studies, BA)
-French, BA
-Linguistics, BA
-Music Therapy, MA
-Spanish, BA
-Spanish, MA
-Urban Studies & Public Affairs, PhD
-Business, doctor of business administration
-Business, executive MBA program
-Economics, MA
-Engineering Mechanics, MSEM
-Environmental Engineering, MSEE
Admissions to the following programs are being reopened. In some cases, the program is reopened with modifications, meaning it has undergone curricular changes and is now accepting admissions into the revised program.
– Art, BA, Art History Concentration –reopened with program modifications
– Chemistry MS
– History, MS, Museum Studies Specialization – reopened with program modifications
– Elementary Education, Teacher Education, M.Ed –reopened with program modifications
– Secondary Education, M.Ed.- reopened with program modifications