Students may have a new field of study to consider when choosing a major.

The Board of Trustees approved the addition of the teaching English as a second language major within the bachelor of arts degree program. Kent State is the first university in the region to offer this program, said assistant professor Sarah Rilling.

The department hopes to add linguistic and writing intensive classes for the major that could double as LERs for non-majors, Rilling said. She said there has been an interest among students.

“We are building on a recognized strength to begin with,” Provost Paul Gaston said.

Trustees also approved the relocation of the School of Biomedical Sciences from Research and Graduate Studies to the College of Arts and Sciences. They also approved revised admission requirements for the master of science in nursing as well as for all majors within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Contact academics reporter Rachel Abbey at [email protected].