Overview
The 2025-26 Academic Portfolio Review at Syracuse University is a comprehensive, data-informed evaluation of academic offerings grounded in the University’s responsibility to deliver meaningful value to students. The review is guided by four core principles that shaped both analysis and decision-making:
- Quality and Demand Alignment: Prioritize programs that demonstrate strong academic quality and clear student demand.
- Data-Informed, Not Data-Driven: Use quantitative data alongside qualitative factors such as mission alignment and disciplinary importance.
- Academic Breadth with Mission Focus: Maintain a wide range of offerings while ensuring alignment with the University’s research and public service mission.
- Efficiency Through Collaboration: Reduce unnecessary duplication and promote cross-school collaboration to enhance student clarity and institutional impact.
The process engaged deans, faculty, and academic leaders across all schools and colleges to evaluate programs using shared data, disciplinary context, and strategic priorities. This collaborative approach identified patterns in enrollment and program activity, informing efforts to refine and strengthen academic portfolios.
Importantly, the review was not undertaken as a cost-cutting measure, but as an exercise in academic stewardship. Its outcomes support a more focused, distinctive, and sustainable portfolio that advances the University’s mission and positions it for continued success.
Impacted Programs
| Impacted Programs | Notes |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | |
| Closing | |
| Child Therapy (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| Child Therapy-online (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| Classical Civilization (B.A.) | |
| Classics (B.A.) | |
| Digital Humanities (B.A.) | |
| Earth Sciences (B.S.) | Geology B.S. replaced the Earth Sciences B.S. offering |
| Ethics (B.A./B.S.) | Teach-out began 2025 |
| Fine Arts (B.A.) | Offered in the Department of Art and Music History. B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees offered in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. |
| French and Francophone Studies (B.A.) | World Languages and Cultures B.A. (revised version of the Modern Foreign Languages B.A.). Track 1 - 30 credits in courses numbered 201 and above in two of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Typically taken as 15 cr in each language. Track 2 - 27 credits (level 201 or above) in one language (either French or Italian only) plus one of the following courses: LIN 201, LIN 202, or any World LIT course. |
| German Language, Literature and Culture (B.A.) | World Languages and Cultures BA (revised version of the Modern Foreign Languages B.A.). Track 1 - 30 credits in courses numbered 201 and above in two of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Typically taken as 15 cr in each language. Track 2 - 27 credits (level 201 or above) in one language (either French or Italian only) plus one of the following courses: LIN 201, LIN 202, or any World LIT course. |
| History of Architecture (B.A.) | Consolidate History of Architecture into a renamed History of Art and Architecture program |
| Italian Language, Literature and Culture (B.A.) | World Languages and Cultures B.A. (revised version of the Modern Foreign Languages B.A.). Track 1 - 30 credits in courses numbered 201 and above in two of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Typically taken as 15 cr in each language. Track 2 - 27 credits (level 201 or above) in one language (either French or Italian only) plus one of the following courses: LIN 201, LIN 202, or any World LIT course. |
| Latino-Latin American Studies (B.A.) | Courses in Latino-Latin American topics still available. |
| Middle Eastern Studies (B.A.) | Courses in Middle Eastern topics still available. |
| Modern Jewish Studies (B.A.) | Courses in Modern Jewish topics still available. |
| Russian Language, Literature and Culture (B.A.) | Courses in Russian topics still available. |
| Statistics (B.A./B.S.) | Statistics available as a new track in Applied Mathematics |
| Trauma-Informed Practice (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| Trauma-Informed Practice-online (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| School of Education | |
| Closing | |
| Educational Leadership (M.S.) | No student enrollment |
| Educational Leadership-Companion (advanced certificate) | |
| Inclusive Elementary and Special Education Teacher Prep (B.S.) | Name change to Inclusive Childhood Education B.S. |
| Principal Preparation Program Pilot (advanced certificate) | Inactive program record maintenance |
| School Counseling (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| School District Business Leader (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| School District Business Leader (N-Cert) (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| School District Leader Internship (advanced certificate) | |
| Teaching and Curriculum (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| Pausing | |
| Arts Education: Preparation (M.S.) | In review for further direction |
| College of Engineering and Computer Science | |
| Closing | |
| Computational Journalism (M.S., joint with Newhouse School) | No student enrollment |
| Computational Science (M.S.) | No student enrollment |
| Computer Engineering (CE) | Dormant program listing. Computer engineering B.S. degree offered. |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | Dormant program listing. Electrical engineering B.S. degree offered. |
| Systems and Information Science (B.S./M.S.) | No student enrollment |
| Systems Assurance (advanced certificate) | No student enrollment |
| Falk College of Sport | |
| Closing | |
| Applied Human Development and Family Science (M.A.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review and the department's move to the College of Arts and Sciences |
| Nutrition Science (B.S./M.S.) | Nutrition B.S. is available to students. Nutrition Science M.A. available to students. Development of new tracks such as Applied Nutrition and Human Health & Performance. |
| Sport Venue and Event Management (M.S.) | Stopped admitting students prior to academic portfolio review. |
| School of Information Studies | |
| Closing | |
| Information Systems-online (M.S.) | Online program restructuring |
| Information Technology Management (advanced certificate) | Extension of existing master’s curricula rather than stand-alone credentials |
| Information Technology Management-online (advanced certificate) | Extension of existing master’s curricula rather than stand-alone credentials |
| Pause to Closing | |
| Cloud Management (advanced certificate) | In review for further direction |
| Data Science (advanced certificate) | In review for further direction |
| Data Science-online (advanced certificate) | In review for further direction |
| Information Security Management (advanced certificate) | In review for further direction |
| Information Security Management-online (advanced certificate) | In review for further direction |
| Innovation, Society and Technology (B.S.) | Substantial overlap with Information Management and Technology B.S. and under review for further direction |
| College of Law | |
| Closing | |
| Law (S.J.D.) | J.D. and LL.M. programs available. |
| Whitman School of Management | |
| Closing | |
| General Studies in Management (B.S.) | Inactive program record maintenance |
| Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs | |
| Closing | |
| Citizenship and Civic Engagement (B.A.) | Created an Office of Civic and Community Engagement that serves Maxwell, as well as a minor in Civic and Community Engagement that is accessible to students across the university |
| Civil Society Organizations (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| European Union and Contemporary Europe (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Health Services Administration and Policy (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Latin American/Caribbean Studies (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Leadership in International and Non-Governmental Organizations (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Middle Eastern Affairs (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Public Management and Policy (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Social Science (Ph.D.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review |
| South Asian Studies (advanced certificate) | Operational and demand alignment |
| Newhouse School of Public Communications | |
| Closing | |
| Advertising (M.A.) | Advertising M.S. replaced the M.A. offering in advertising |
| New Media (M.S.) | Inactive program record maintenance |
| Photography (M.A.) | Multimedia, Photography and Design M.S. replaced the M.A. offering in visual communications |
| Television, Radio and Film (M.A.) | Television, Radio and Film M.S. replaced the M.A. offering in TRF |
| College of Visual and Performing Arts | |
| Closing | |
| Art Video (B.F.A./M.F.A.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review |
| Ceramics (B.F.A.) | Consolidated as concentration within new B.F.A. Studio Art degree to create a single entry point |
| Fiber and Textile Arts (B.F.A.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review |
| History of Art (B.F.A.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review |
| Jewelry and Metalsmithing (B.F.A./M.F.A.) | Consolidated as concentration within new B.F.A. Studio Art degree to create a single entry point |
| Music Composition (M.M./Mus.B) | Reimagining the B.S. Music degree to include flexible pathways |
| Painting (B.F.A.) | Consolidated as concentration within new B.F.A. Studio Art degree to create a single entry point |
| Performance (Mus.B) | Reimagining the B.S. Music degree to include flexible pathways |
| Piano (Mus.B) | Consolidated as concentration within new Performance BMus degree to create a single entry point |
| Printmaking (B.F.A.) | Consolidated as concentration within new B.F.A. Studio Art degree to create a single entry point |
| Sculpture (B.F.A.) | Consolidated as concentration within new B.F.A. Studio Art degree to create a single entry point |
| Sound Recording Technology (Mus.B) | Reimagining the B.S. Music degree to include flexible pathways |
| Special Studies in Art (B.F.A.) | Closed prior to academic portfolio review |
| Voice Pedagogy (M.M.) | |
| College of Professional Studies | |
| Closing | |
| Creative Leadership (certificate) | Replaced with Organizational Development and Leadership informed by market feedback |
| eSports Gaming (certificate) | |
| Healthcare Administration (certificate) | |
| Knowledge Management-online (B.P.S./certificate) | |
| Legal Studies (B.P.S.) | Inactive program record maintenance |
| Mobile Application Development (certificate) | Inactive program record maintenance |
| Paused | |
| Applied Data and Predictive Analytics (B.P.S.) | In review for further direction |
| Full Stack Development (certificate) | In review for further direction |
Prior Academic Program Review Process
Prior to the 2025-26 academic portfolio review, the University conducted two rounds of academic program review on a four-year cycle (2016–2021 and 2021–2025). These faculty-led reviews in each school and college used institutional data and disciplinary standards to assess program quality, student demand, outcomes, and alignment with the University’s mission. Findings informed planning, budgeting, and continuous improvement.