Rock Hill’s Winthrop University is about to launch its first ever doctoral program starting this fall.
The new Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation received final state approval in December from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The university will apply for reclassification to a Level 5 institution with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) this spring.
“This is a proud moment for Winthrop University,” Winthrop President Edward Serna said in a press release. “Now in its 139th academic year, Winthrop started as a college to train teachers. The addition of a doctoral degree is a natural evolution for our institution and will deliver significant dividends for the region and state for years to come.”
The doctoral program will focus on leadership, learning, and organizational change, integrating perspectives from PK-12 schools, higher education, nonprofits, and businesses. Students will conduct dissertation research addressing real-world problems.
Winthrop will also launch two new undergraduate degrees this fall: a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and a Bachelor of Science in Financial Technology (FinTech). The AI program will train students to develop advanced systems, building on the university’s strengths in computer science and data science. The FinTech program will combine traditional finance with emerging technologies like blockchain, algorithmic trading, and machine learning.
Both undergraduate programs received state approval last fall and are the first of their kind in South Carolina. Approval from SACSCOC for the programs is pending.
