UNC Greensboro Cuts 17 Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) is cutting 17 undergraduate and graduate programs including physics, religious studies, and post-baccalaureates in nursing.

Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. sent a message to the university community Feb. 1, sharing that the university will no longer accept students in five undergraduate majors, 12 graduate programs, and three undergraduate minors, certificates, and course offerings.

“I understand the human and personal implications of program changes. As we recognize those implications, it’s important that we keep context in mind,” Gilliam said. “UNCG has always modified our portfolio over time, eliminating and adding programs to remain relevant.”

Gilliam said his decision is rooted in the university’s strategic direction, enrollment patterns, faculty time and expertise prioritization, and growth opportunities.

UNCG is also pausing admissions for the master of fine arts in drama concentration in acting and the joint social work Ph.D. program with its neighbor North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, one of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

According to The Carolinian, UNCG’s independent student newspaper, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Charles Bolton officially resigned, protesting the cuts and how communication was handled.

The UNC Greensboro chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has also pushed back against the cuts by petitioning against and publicly protesting them, The Carolinian reported.

The bachelor of arts in religious studies will now be a concentration in the Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) program with expectations to add online offerings and shorter semesters for working adults. Gilliam said the minors in Islamic studies and Jewish studies will also be a part of the LPS program.

The university will still offer lower-level physics courses despite eliminating the physics major.

“We live in an era of enormous change, from how we work to how we learn. It’s up to us to welcome these shifts as an opportunity,” Gilliam said. “Through sharpening our focus and reinvesting in our collective work, we set a stronger foundation for students and communities to thrive. We’ll announce specific reinvestment strategies in the near future.”

Pennsylvania State University is also undergoing program changes to create a “sustainable business model” for the future.

Last month, Penn State announced around $100 million in budget cuts, with the College of Engineering receiving the largest cut at over $5 million. The only budget increases went to business, communications, information sciences and technology, and science colleges.

In December, Clarkson University announced it was phasing out all its humanities programs and closing its School of Arts & Sciences.