The new programs mean students at Utah Valley State College in Orem now may enroll in courses toward bachelor's degrees in music education communications with emphasis on theory and practice, journalism and public relations.

At St. George-based Dixie State College, students may pursue new bachelor's degrees in English and biology.

And starting in spring 2007, Weber State University in Ogden will begin offering a new master's degree program that specifically targets high school English teachers.

For this year, UVSC is leading the other nine traditional state-owned colleges with 12 new four-year degrees this year.

UVSC officials are pushing for university status. From its beginning in 1993 with three four-year programs, the former tech college now offers 51 bachelor's degrees.

Regent Jim Jardine said the board approved new degrees during its meeting last week in Cedar City “regardless” of a school's desire to expand its mission.

“We are filling out [UVSC's] comprehensive four-year role," said the Salt Lake City attorney who heads the board's program committee. "Adding degrees don't matter one way or another.”

UVSC President William Sederburg said he would not have accepted the job in 2003 if the board and then-Higher Education Commissioner Cecelia Foxley hadn't "assured me that university status would be given to Utah Valley State College in the relatively near future."

UVSC's mission has changed over the past decade. With Brigham Young University making its admissions standard more stringent, more Utah County students want to pursue bachelor's degrees at UVSC, officials say.

Population growth is pushing four-year degrees at Dixie State.

Dixie is not a "comprehensive four-year school" so the aim of new bachelor's degrees is to meet areas of high demand and the school's educational mission, according to Jardine.

"We felt that biology and English are in line with those core foundational areas . . . Biology applies to the health sciences mission and English is fundamental to the education role," he said.

Donna Dillingham-Evans, Dixie's vice president for academic services, echoed the sentiments.

She said the new degrees are a "major step" toward meeting the economic needs of Washington County.

"These degrees were high on our priority list because Washington County so desperately needs English and biology teachers."

sykes@sltrib.com