Shepherd to offer Master of Arts in Appalachian studies

Shepherd University will begin offering a new Master of Arts in Appalachian studies in the fall.  The Higher Learning Commission recently gave final approval for the program.

“The new degree builds upon a number of nationally recognized programs at Shepherd, including the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute, Speak Storytelling Series, Appalachian Heritage Festival and Writer-in-Residence program, West Virginia Fiction Competition, ‘Anthology of Appalachian Writers’ and a vibrant Appalachian Community Speakers series,” Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, director of Shepherd’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, said in a news release.

Shurbutt said the new degree might appeal to students interested in improving their qualifications for the regional job market; those already working in a variety of areas such as education, politics and government, local and regional planning, economic development, historic preservation, and cultural and arts organizations; and those interested in understanding the region from a variety of historical, cultural and global perspectives.