Townson University in Baltimore has been prohibited by the Maryland Higher Education Commission to develop a doctorate in sustainability and environmental change, as it is too similar to Morgan State University’s doctorate in bioenvironmental science.
The commission stated a new program at Towson University would cause harm to the HBCU’s existing program by creating competition for enrolling students and recruiting faculty. Additionally, members of the commission rejected Towson University’s claim that additional doctorates in sustainability would meaningfully boost Maryland’s economy, as the state is more in need of workers with bachelor’s degrees in the same discipline.
“That’s where we are struggling with this proposal and how it leads to workforce outcomes,” said Emily Dow, assistant secretary for academic affairs for the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “There’s a need for expansion in this field, there’s evidence for more jobs, but not necessarily at the doctoral level.”
This is not the first time the two Baltimore institutions have experienced conflict regarding duplicated degree programs. In 2023, the commission rejected Towson University’s proposal to establish a doctoral program in business analytics due to its similarity to a well-established program at Morgan State.
