The Indiana University Board of Trustees approved three new degrees at its Feb. 20 meeting that will prepare students for in-demand jobs in education and digital forensics.
IU East, IU Indianapolis, IU Columbus, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend and IU Southeast will offer a fully online Master of Science in Education in the science of reading. In 2024, Indiana joined a growing number of states mandating the science of reading curriculum in schools, which emphasizes phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Additionally, recent legislation from the Indiana Department of Education requires educators of students in preschool through sixth grade to earn an Early Literacy Endorsement.
The Master of Science in Education in the science of reading will offer teachers the training required to earn the endorsement and provide them with evidence-based instruction tools rooted in the science of reading. Graduates of the program will earn a nationally accredited dyslexia certification, too.
Last year, Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded $1.5 million to IU to expand evidence-based reading instruction aligned with the science of reading in classrooms. The grant was made through Lilly Endowment’s statewide initiative, Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana.
At the Indianapolis campus, the School of Education will offer a Doctor of Education in urban teaching and learning.
The program’s goals are to prepare educators to take on principalship or other leadership roles in elementary and secondary education systems. Upon completion, graduates are expected to identify and address systemic inequalities, work to close achievement gaps in urban schools and lead other educators in instructional practices.
IU Indianapolis is the state’s premier urban education institution. Its Department of Urban Teacher Education includes undergraduate and graduate degree programs focused on providing the advanced skills needed to thrive in an urban education setting.
Trustees also approved a Bachelor of Science in digital forensics at the School of Science at IU Indianapolis.
The digital forensics degree will address the increased need for skilled professionals in digital forensic sciences. Graduates will learn the skills necessary to handle digital evidence in criminal activities, ensuring that legal systems can rely on accurate information. Coursework will integrate concepts from computer science, criminal justice and law.
The school’s Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program is the only such program in the state accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission.
Three other degrees at IU Indianapolis in biosciences were also approved at the meeting.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education must give the degrees final approval.