Program Changes, In Brief

The University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa are seeking approval from the Iowa Board of Regents to terminate several academic programs. The proposed cuts stem from low enrollment, reduced applications and limited long-term viability of the programs. 

The proposals, scheduled to be presented at the Board's April meeting, would eliminate seven majors at the University of Iowa, including the Bachelor of Arts programs in African American Studies, Classical Languages, Gender and Women's and Sexuality Studies, Italian, and Russian, along with the Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics. A suspended Master of Arts in African American World Studies, which has not enrolled any students for five years, also will be presented for termination.

In addition, the proposed closures would dissolve two administrative units: the African American Studies Program and the Department of Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

At UNI, program terminations include the Master of Arts in Psychology, which was suspended in Fall 2024 because of no enrolled students; the Professional Science Master's in Industrial Mathematics, which lost its lead faculty member in 2021 and has had no students since Fall 2019; and the Master of Arts in Teaching English in Secondary Schools, which will be folded into the existing English MA program rather than eliminated outright.

Iowa State Senior Vice President and Provost Jason Keith will provide an update on ISU’s Program Vitality Review, as well. ISU has identified 23 degree programs with low enrollment to be closed or merged with existing programs. 

Current students in all affected programs will be able to finish their degrees.