Texas A&M Enhances Graduate Education with Innovative Doctoral Programs

This fall, Texas A&M University students will have the opportunity to meet challenges of the future in two new innovative doctoral degree programs.

The Ph.D. in Visual Computing and Interactive Media and Ed.D. in Bilingual, English as a Second Language, and Dual Language Education address critical and rapidly growing needs and demands around the State of Texas and the world.

“We are committed to meeting our land-grant mission and addressing specific identified needs across the state and country,” said Dr. Alan Sams, executive vice president and provost of Texas A&M. “To this end, we are currently prioritizing the expansion of graduate education to address increasing demands for more skilled and advanced professionals in their chosen careers.”

A first-of-its-kind Ph.D. program in Texas, the visual computing and interactive media program, housed in the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, combines the technical skills in STEM with the creative advancements in artificial intelligence, graphics, game design, virtual and augmented reality and robotics. Graduates of the program will be equipped to drive change in the fields of academics, research, entertainment and manufacturing.

“This program meets needs in the state to drive innovation that is dependent upon AI-enhanced visual computing and interactive techniques to enhance the quality, usability, productivity and safety in our state,” said Tim McLaughlin, dean of the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. “It is also a keystone in the college’s mission to cultivate interactions between the arts, sciences and technology.”

In support of this program, Texas A&M is investing in new facilities, faculty and a state-of-the-art Virtual Production Institute that will expand the university’s strength and national reputation in visualization and computer science.

The Ed.D. in bilingual, English as a second language, and dual language education in Texas A&M’s College of Education and Human Development, is an online degree program that will provide leading education from trained faculty that equip and prepare future leaders that can serve all students, including bilingual and dual language learners in Texas.

This doctoral program, led by highly regarded bilingual/ESL faculty, will help train leaders focused on improving the quality of education of bilingual students. They will have opportunities for continued research, teaching, conferences and networking to help expand their knowledge and expertise, empowering them to drive change in the world.“We have a tremendous and hard-working team, not only in the BESL and educational psychology departmental faculty, but also among the college staff,” said Dr. Michael A. de Miranda, dean of the education and human development college. “We are ready with a well-oiled machine to recruit and carry out this program.”