U.S. Congressman James Langevin, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, state Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski and Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald DeHayes will speak at a ceremony on Oct. 18, at 10 a.m., in the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences at 120 Flagg Road on URI’s Kingston campus.
Students in this non-clinical, liberal arts-based program will gain a broad academic background with a focus in health services, health promotion, or global and environmental health. The event will feature speakers from the College of Human Science and Services. A health services and information exchange fair will also be held.
“The University is proud to introduce a new major focused on transforming health services and changing lives,” Dooley said. “By maximizing an interdisciplinary approach, this new major in health studies puts URI front and center as a national leader in health professions education.”
Langevin said the health care sector is driving job creation in various innovative fields outside the clinical setting, like public health, corporate wellness, and health-related research.
“Our students need to be better prepared to capitalize on these opportunities,” Langevin said. “URI’s new health studies program will offer the cutting-edge, interdisciplinary training needed to produce the next generation of highly-skilled professionals in health-related fields, while building industries that will grow our economy.”
While some colleges and universities offer a health studies major combining two or three disciplines, such as health policy and business, the new health major brings together 28 departments across all 8 colleges on the Kingston campus and the expertise of 130 faculty members. Tapping into URI’s wealth of health resources, the new major will prepare a generation of students to succeed in non-clinical health careers in many different fields, such as public health, corporate wellness, health education and administration, pharmacy, insurance, and health-related research.
The state’s largest industry, health care is one of the fastest growing industries nationally and globally and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that certain professions, such as health educator, epidemiologist, and health administrator, will grow even faster. The bureau reported that health care will generate 3.2 million new jobs between 2008 and 2018, more than any other industry.
Those interested in attending the event should respond by Oct. 11, 2011 to events@advance.uri.edu or call 401.874.2014.