Published on April 21, 2021 by Ashley Smith  
Students in Classroom

At the undergraduate level, 24 new programs have been added including more contemporary majors such as the B.S. in health information management and the B.S. in game design and 3D animation. While adding new degrees that serve the students better, Samford has also refashioned existing programs that no longer meet the demands of the 21st-century student.

“I believe some of our most forward-reaching program additions include our data analytics concentrations that serve both our undergraduate and graduate students. I’m particularly grateful for Dr. Westmoreland’s support of our healthcare administration and informatics programs, as well as his support for the creation of Samford’s Center for Sports Analytics in Brock School of Business,” said Mike Hardin, Samford’s provost. “Dr. Westmoreland’s recognition of these and other evolving trends has helped us better prepare our students to fulfill Samford’s mission, vision and core values.”

With the establishment of the College of Health Sciences in 2013, the number of graduate programs grew exponentially, and this growth continued through strategic planning to cultivate more professional programs across the university. Samford's Cumberland School of Law expanded its master's programs, offering multiple concentrations; and across the university, eight new joint degrees were created. Since 2006, graduate programs have grown 188%, joint graduate programs have seen 92% growth and graduate certificate programs have risen 133%. These new programs have helped contribute to the 35% increase in overall graduate enrollment during Westmoreland’s tenure.

Additionally, Samford has developed 23 online programs over the last 15 years, which have caused online enrollment to grow from 64 students in 2007 to 429 students in fall 2020. Many of these new programs are based in the College of Health Sciences, with eight additions just in the past five years.

The success of these new programs can be seen in the increase in overall Samford enrollment as well as the 29% increase in full-time faculty positions during this time.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.