NTC@Maryland co-funded an innovative education program "Master of Transportation" at the University of New Orleans

National Transportation Center @ Maryland co-funded an Education Project entitled "Master of Science in Transportation Degree Program Development" from 10/1/2014 to 9/30/2015. The Principle Investigators are Dr. Bethany Stich and Dr. Carol Short from University of New Orleans, which is one of the seven member universities in the NTC consortium. The project is in line with NTC@Maryland theme to demonstrate a commitment to transportation education and workforce development through providing students and professionals with an integrated curriculum covering technologies and management subjects.

The Louisiana Board of Regents has approved a new Master of Science in Transportation (MST) degree at the University of New Orleans, making it the first degree of its kind in the state. The program, which will launch in the fall semester of 2015, will also be one of the first in the United States that will train students in multimodal freight and passenger transportation systems.

Program Objective: to provide multimodal education and workforce development opportunities to transportation industry professionals so they might create the most technically advanced, secure, efficient, accessible, competitive, dynamic and environmentally responsible systems for moving goods and people.

Program housed in the Merritt C. Becker Jr. UNO Transportation Institute (UNOTI), a federally-designated University Transportation Center, which engages in applied research across Louisiana.

Who should apply?

The Master of Science in Transportation is designed for traditional students and working professionals seeking career advancement or a specialized career in transportation planning or administration. Curriculum will be offered in a hybrid online and on-campus format that will provide students with the flexibility of an online program and the bene-fits of concentrated on-campus meetings that will allow students to build a professional network with classmates, instructors and industry-affiliated partners.

The program will require students to earn 33 credits, including an 18 hour credit core. Students will choose among one of three specializations: transportation planning, transportation administration, or a self-directed concentration. Students will also complete a six-credit capstone or thesis option.

The following core courses would be required for all students: Transportation Seminar, Introduction to Intermodal Freight Transport, Introduction to Transportation Planning, Environment and Energy, Transportation Policy & Administration, Applied Techniques for Transportation Planners

MST graduates can pursue careers such as: Transportation planning, Transportation administration, Freight forwarding, Port management, Public transit operations, Warehousing, International trade

Dr. Bethany Stich is the Associate Director for Research at the Merritt C. Becker Jr. University of New Orleans Transportation Institute and an Associate Professor of Transportation Studies at the University of New Orleans.

Ms. Carol Short is the Associate Director of the University of New Orleans Transportation Institute (UNOTI) and co-author and administrator of the pending Master of Science in Transportation Degree Program.