According to WisBusiness, UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System leaders are developing a new pathway transfer program for students in pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees.
In addition to getting more students into STEM career pipelines, the program aims to make the transfer process easier. Proponents of the program also emphasize the need to focus on emerging industries and disciplines, preparing graduates for “the job that does not yet exist.”
It’s worth noting that nearly half of the new programs launched at UW System campuses in the last five years are in STEM fields. Meanwhile, of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities’ (WAICU) 22 schools, nine offer engineering degrees, 14 offer computer science or information technology degrees, 15 offer math and statistics degrees, and 17 offer biology or biomedical degrees. In 2021, WAICU awarded 2,500 STEM degrees — 19% of all degrees for the year.
