Lakeland transitions from "College" to "University"

Lakeland College is making big changes this summer, including renaming the college Lakeland University and changing its academic structure.


“This is more than just a name change. We are responding to student and employer needs and the wave of developments transforming higher education,” said Lakeland President Dan Eck.


The new academic structure merges the college’s existing seven academic divisions into three schools – a School of Business & Entrepreneurship; a School of Science, Technology & Education; and a School of Humanities and Fine Arts.


Several academic program enhancements stem from ongoing program assessment that includes feedback from employers and students:
· Creation of a five-year bachelor’s degree/MBA track for highly motivated students seeking both degrees in a shorter timeframe.
· Creation of a management information systems bachelor’s degree, which is pending approval by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The degree combines coursework from Lakeland’s business administration and computer science majors for students looking for leadership roles in technology fields.
· Expansion of the marketing major with the addition of four emphases: sales management, retail management, digital marketing, and graphic arts.
· Creation of two new concentrations in the MBA program: human resources management and supply chain management.
· Creation of a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative writing, which is pending approval by the HLC and is the only one of its kind in the state. It will prepare students for a variety of careers in the arts, specifically creative writing, editing, and publishing.

The changes are official July 1, but were preceded by careful planning and consultation. A number of factors drove the change from college to university, said Eck, including better positioning in the international student markets and a better reflection of the breadth and depth of Lakeland’s academic offerings.