Kennesaw State adds financial technology master’s degree, instructional technology bachelor’s degree

 


KENNESAW, Ga.
(Apr 12, 2022)
— The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on Tuesday approved two new
degree programs in Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business and Bagwell College of Education.

The Master of Science in Digital Financial Technologies in the Coles College has been
established in response to Georgia’s $70 billion financial technology (FinTech) industry,
targeting those seeking careers as blockchain developers, compliance experts and cybersecurity
analysts, among others. The Bachelor of Science in Learning, Design, and Technology
in the Bagwell College was created to prepare students to design, develop, implement
and evaluate instruction and training in business, medicine, education and other fields.

“These cutting edge degree programs allow Kennesaw State to prepare the next generation
of professionals in the areas of digital payments and instructional design to fill
the critical need for highly trained workers in our region and state,” said KSU President
Kathy Schwaig. “Our responsibility as a leading institution of higher learning is
to help our students succeed today and shape the world of tomorrow.”

The FinTech degree comes at an important moment when the financial technologies economy
is experiencing exceptional growth in Georgia and around the world. The program will
focus on digital payments, the largest sub-sector of FinTech, and will be offered
fully online. Unlike traditional two-year master’s degrees, it will provide a pathway
for students to graduate in 18 months.

“Our Master of Science in Digital Financial Technologies degree positions Kennesaw
State University and the Coles College of Business at the center of Georgia’s booming
FinTech industry,” said Robin Cheramie, dean of Coles College. “We are thrilled to
offer another degree in a full suite of graduate programs specifically designed to
meet the real needs of the business community.”

Much like its FinTech counterpart, instructional design is a growing industry, with
employment projected to grow more than 12 percent over the next decade for instructional
designer positions and more than 15 percent for training and development specialist
positions.

Adrian Epps, dean of Bagwell College, said the Bachelor of Science in Learning, Design,
and Technology has been established to prepare designers for an increasingly digital
age. A graduate of the program will be able to lead organizations in performance improvement
and instructional design, and the degree will prepare individuals to develop, implement
and evaluate instruction and training in business, medicine, education, and other
fields.

It will equip graduates with the skills to analyze the education or training needs
of an organization and effectively apply theory and technology to design, develop
and evaluate learning solutions for face-to-face, online and hybrid environments within
industrial and corporate settings.

“We saw technology play a role in the world economy like never before during this
pandemic, and that change has created massive demand for employees who have a broad
knowledge of instructional design and technology,” Epps said. “It’s an exciting moment
to launch this new program, which will guide the future of digital training in an
increasingly competitive workforce.”

The undergraduate program also requires a minimum of three credit hours of internship,
which will allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom in real-world
settings.

Prospective students can apply for admission to both degree programs for the Fall
2022 semester.

– Thomas Hartwell


 

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu

https://news.kennesaw.edu/stories/2022/ksu-new-degrees-ms-digital-financial-technologies.php