Two state-owned universities will soon be offering new graduate degree programs in new media writing and communication design.

East Stroudsburg University is offering a Master of Arts degree in professional and new media writing to help students advance careers in the corporate, government and non-profit sectors.

The degree will help students gain work as technical writers, web content specialists, web journalists, digital content writers and producers and scientific writers.

The program will be delivered mostly online to meet the needs of students throughout the region, many of whom work full time commuting  to Philadelphia, New York and other major cities.

Kutztown University will also offer a Master of Arts degree, but in communication design.

The twin goals of this program: to educate and prepare the next generation of college faculty and prepare the new graphic designers for a growing industry.

By supplementing KU's already strong undergraduate programs in communication design and art education, the new program will help students broaden their skills in areas such as product design, printmaking, painting, jewelry design, wood design and fibers, as well as drawing, sculpture and photography.

The program is designed to be finished in three years, including a six-month, off-campus experience. It's the only one of its kind in the Pa. state-owned school system.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education board approved the two new programs at its Oct. 11 meting.

The PASSHE is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with about 115,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study.  About 500,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.