Academic Institutions Offer Full Spectrum of Degrees
Published Jun 27, 2008
The Virginia K. Shehee Biomedical Research Institute at the LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport.
Higher education institutions in Northwest Louisiana offer the full spectrum of academic opportunities for students, from associate-degree curriculums to doctorate programs.
The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport provides a wide variety of education and training in clinical and research areas, says Sandra C. Roerig, dean of the School of Graduate Studies at LSUHSC-S.
The school comprises five basic science departments, each offering both master of science degree programs and doctorate programs. The departments include cellular biology and anatomy; biochemistry and molecular biology; microbiology and immunology; molecular and cellular physiology; and pharmacology, toxicology and neuroscience.
“Our graduates obtain positions in prestigious institutions and industries around the country,” she says, adding that some of the “shining examples” from the school’s doctorate programs have returned to join the faculty.
For students pursuing master’s degrees, LSUHSC-S and Louisiana State University in Shreveport offer a cooperative program that allows students to take courses on both campuses and complete their thesis research projects on either campus, Roerig says. Ultimately, LSUHSC-S awards the degree.
In addition to the School of Graduate Studies, LSUHSC-S also includes the schools of medicine and allied-health professionals that train physicians and other health care specialists, Roerig says. About 75 percent of the area’s practicing physicians had at least some training at the Health Sciences Center.
TRAINING TOMORROW’S LEADERS
About a mile east of LSUHSC-S, Centenary College of Louisiana is a private, four-year liberal arts college where many local physicians, lawyers, accountants and business owners have earned undergraduate degrees, according to Centenary President Kenneth L. Schwab.
Centenary is celebrating its 100th year in Shreveport and Bossier City in 2008, and Schwab says anniversary activities are focused on the contributions of the college and its commitment to the community.
“Our students gain more than academic preparation,” Schwab says, citing the college’s requirement that all students participate in service learning by volunteering in the community. “They are prepared to be good citizens and contribute to the overall health of the community.”
Bossier Parish Community College offers a wide variety of course options, including allied-health programs that have produced graduates who are quickly hired by local hospitals, nursing homes and medical clinics, according to Karen Musgrove, director of public relations for BPCC.
“In several cases, the college boasts a 100-percent hire rate in the health-care degrees,” Musgrove says.
Other colleges and universities in Northwest Louisiana provide undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities. These include degree programs at Grambling State University, Louisiana Technical College, Louisiana Tech University and Northwestern State University. In addition, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Louisiana Tech University and Southern Illinois-Carbondale all offer programs at Barksdale Air Force Base.
Story by Paige Clancy
Photo by Todd Bennett
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