The Faculty Senate will consider two new degree programs that will cater to a growing demand in specialization in academic fields at Iowa State.

The proposals — a Master of Science degree in enterprise computing and a joint Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in diet and exercise — will link various disciplines from colleges across campus, faculty members said.

Jack Girton, Faculty Senate president, said the proposed degree programs were in line with goals for any university of science and technology and there was a need for more specialized fields of study.

“There’s a natural change in science and technology,” Girton said.

The Master of Science degree in enterprise computing will link disciplines in the College of Business and the College of Engineering.

John Schroeter, chairman of the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee, said the degree came from the need for professionals who are knowledgeable about business practices and network computing solutions.

John Jackman, associate professor in industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, agreed.

“[Enterprise computing specialists] bring together information from a variety of sources and have it make sense,” he said.

According to the proposal, the need for a new kind of degree was first recognized when the National Science Foundation issued a memo in 1999 recommending more research be put into enterprise computing systems and companies specializing in this field.

As a part of the planning process, the Board of Regents requires other examples of programs being used around the country be included in the degree proposal. Schroeter said there was only one other program resembling an enterprise computing program at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

The ISU program will be offered at the graduate level and will accept about 30 students per year. Students already in graduate programs related to engineering can transfer into the program, however.

Jackman said the number of students would be kept low because of budget constraints.

The second program will be a joint Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degree in diet and exercise.

Ruth Litchfield, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, said there had been many students interested in pursuing dual degrees in exercise science and dietetics, which was creating problems for students and faculty alike.

Litchfield said because of the number of courses students had to take and scheduling conflicts, it became cumbersome for them to pursue dual degrees.

She said the need for a totally integrated degree was obvious.

“Greater research into public health is needed,” Litchfield said.

Like the enterprise computing degree, there are not many programs similar to this degree. Kansas State University offers a similar program, but it is not as intense as the proposed program, Litchfield said.

Students interested in entering the diet and exercise degree will have to express interest in the program as soon as possible. They can then apply to be accepted into the program in their junior year, but only 15 students will be accepted per year because of the intense nature of the program, Litchfield said.

Students at Kansas State receive dual degrees in exercise science and dietetics. However, Iowa State students will receive a degree in diet and exercise. In addition, the students will also receive a master’s degree as well as a bachelor’s degree. Litchfield said students in this program would take about 20 credit hours less than what is required for a master’s degree in the Kansas State program.

She said the program is designed for students to complete both degrees in about five years.

“Just looking at the headlines of the growing epidemic obesity, a program like this is needed,” she said.