Jul 10, 2015 03:12 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

The University of Potomac will launch three new degree programs this fall, school officials announced Thursday.

The for-profit institution, which has campuses in Washington D.C., Northern Virginia and online, will soon offer a master of science in information technology, master of healthcare administration, and a bachelor of science in tourism and hospitality management and English as a second language (ESL) program. These new programs are designed to meet the growing demand for qualified professionals working in healthcare administration, tourism, hospitality, and IT related occupations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, leisure and hospitality sector employment in the Washington, D.C. area grew 3.3 percent in a little over a year. The local rate of employment growth in leisure and hospitality matched the national increase.

"We attribute this to a demographic shifts in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region that have created a positive environment for hospitality businesses over the past several years. By launching our new degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, we are planning to fill a void for highly educated hospitality and tourism professionals," Dr. Clinton Gardner, president and CEO at University of the Potomac, said in a statement.

The master of science in information technology builds on the expertise of the University in key areas already offered at the undergraduate level such as general information technology, information systems management, cyber security, digital forensics, and network security management

"The MSIT program will provide a continued pathway to advanced degrees for our current students and alumni. More generally, a goal of the program is to prepare working professionals, foreign-educated students and those seeking meaningful roles in the information technology management and cyber security sectors, to assume leadership positions in the public, private and not-for-profit areas," said Dr. James Booker, Graduate Programs Dean at University of the Potomac.

Further, University of the Potomac currently offers Bachelor of Science degrees in a number of business-related fields with a concentration in Healthcare Management, putting it in a position to launch a graduate program in Healthcare Administration. The goals of this program include preparing managers for leadership positions in the public, private and not-for-profit healthcare sectors, and providing these leaders with the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary to address real-world healthcare challenges effectively.

The programs will be rolled out gradually, starting this fall with the Master of Science in Information Technology. Information about application deadlines will be posted on the University's website, as well as on the University's social media channels.

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