The Houston area has some incredible institutions of higher learning. These local colleges and universities offer some groundbreaking programs, degrees, areas of study and avenues for empowered social engagement.
Here are five such programs you may want to check out. The Defender will certainly spotlight more in the future.
TSU Aviation Science Management
More than 500 aviation and aerospace-related companies operate in Houston. More than 23,000 aerospace and aviation professionals call Houston home. And according to officials at United Airlines, the future projects a serious demand for professionals in this field. Enter the Texas Southern University Aviation Science Management Degree. This program is geared toward people who want professional jobs at airports, airlines, air traffic controls, etc.
The aviation industry needs aviation professionals, from management to pilots. The degree provides the foundation for a career as a manager in the aviation industry. The curriculum provides skills in management, communications, and research to prepare students for leadership positions in aviation management. The last two years of matriculation include extensive professional-level Aviation Science Management courses, where students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The degree in Aviation Science Management is accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).
UH’s African American Studies Department
The mission of African American Studies at the University of Houston is to provide students with a comprehensive, quality undergraduate and graduate education along with a commitment to the cultural and historical heritage of Africans on the Continent, in America and throughout the Diaspora and their contributions to the world’s history and civilizations. African American Studies develops, promotes, and enhances the intellectual knowledge of the discipline as well as the collective consciousness of African-descended people, which in turn will lead to the growth and prosperity of strong communities and a powerful nation.
Along with offering degrees in AAS, and an AAS Graduate Certificate, the program is actively invested in community via programs like its Emerge Leadership Academy (ELA), a free, two-week summer program that brings high school students from the Greater Houston area together on campus, ensuring their college readiness and deepening their knowledge about African American culture. The department also regularly hosts symposiums on issues that impact our community, like the “Diminishing Inequalities in Maternal Health in Africa and the USA” symposium held last month in conjunction with Black Maternal Health Week.
Rice’s Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning
Through innovative research, engaged pedagogy (methods of teaching), and creative approaches to application, The Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning (CERCL) seeks to promote and advance models and practices of an expansive approach to leadership both on and off the Rice campus. Though this “program” doesn’t offer a degree, it arguably offers way more. Fulfillment of CERCL’s mission involves careful attention to some of the basic building blocks of leadership: (1) creative knowledge production; (2) critical thinking skills; (3) effective communication strategies; and (4); application through engagement with a wide-range of perspectives, persons, and interests, both locally and globally.
CERCL’s mission and objectives are enacted through innovative programming meant to enhance attention and approaches to addressing the socio-cultural, historical and political dimensions of life in Houston. These programs include the African American Religious Studies Forum, the CERCL Writing Collective, artist and scholar residency programs and more. And don’t sleep on Rice’s Dr. Anthony B. Pinn Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Center for African and African American Studies.
UHD’s AI Masters
University of Houston-Downtown’s Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program was recently named a “Top Pick for the Very Best Master’s and Graduate Certificate Programs in Artificial Intelligence” by AI Degree Guide. UHD was listed alongside some of the nation’s top tech and/or research universities, including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.
PVAMU’s International Education Efforts
Prairie View A&M University has received the prestigious 2024 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The University is the first HBCU to receive the honor.
NAFSA is the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. The organization serves the needs of more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide at more than 4,300 institutions in more than 170 countries.
The Award for Campus Internationalization recognizes U.S. colleges and universities making significant, well-planned, well-executed, and well-documented progress toward comprehensive internationalization—especially those using innovative and creative approaches.
Highlights of PVAMU’s work and commitment to internationalization include:
- Investing in faculty-led study abroad programs;
- Pioneering passport access;
- Implementing the Peace Corps Preparatory Certificate program;
- Developing the B-GLOBAL (Broadening Global Learning Opportunities Building Academic Leaders) program; and
- Partnering with international universities to offer subsidized, affordable and faculty-led programs for a wide range of majors and semester-long programs with transfer credits to diverse destinations.
As Houston is home to the third largest concentration of consular offices in the U.S., PVAMU’s Office of International Programs also recently launched the Consular Tour Program, promoting faculty-led student visits to consular offices to enhance students’ understanding of diplomatic staff responsibilities and diverse cultures. The program establishes connections between the University and the broader international community.
