New Programs Added for Fall 2022 Semester
Piedmont University is offering two new undergraduate programs — film production and accounting — and a new master’s degree in professional counseling beginning with the fall semester. Classes begin Aug. 17.
Film Production
Piedmont University’s new film production program is designed to prepare students to take advantage of the state’s reputation as the “Hollywood of the South,” said Mass Communications Department Chair Dr. Joe Dennis.
Film production is second only to agriculture as Georgia’s No. 1 industry. In fiscal 2022, film and television productions spent $4.4 billion in the state. The movies “Black Panther” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and the Netflix series “Ozark” and “Stranger Things” are among productions filmed in Georgia.
Dennis said Piedmont’s film production program will be “uniquely Piedmont” in at least three ways:
• An intimate campus with small classes and personal attention from faculty
• Collaboration with English (film studies minor), Art (graphic design), and other departments to complement the film production major
• Support beyond the classroom, including internships, mentorships, and recognition for independent student work
Piedmont attracts students who prefer a smaller campus and more individualized attention, and those seeing to study film production now will have that choice available to them.
Most courses will fall under the mass communications department’s purview, but there are also offerings like Foundations of Graphic Design, a fine arts class, and Introduction to Film, an English class that fulfills a general education requirement, as well as Fundamentals of Acting offered by the theatre department. Collaboration between departments offers students opportunities to explore liberal arts beyond a chosen major.
Students who choose the film production major will also be bolstered by faculty who ensure that their efforts are rewarded in and outside of the classroom. Some students have been recipients of Telly Awards, which honor excellence in video and television.
“That’s one of the things that we really try to focus on at Piedmont is not only supporting our students with the learning but also promoting our students,” Dennis said. “We already have several award-winning small filmmakers in our department.”
Faculty are also working with alumni and others in the film production field to build relationships that will lead to internships and mentorships for students.
For more information on Piedmont’s new Film Production major, visit piedmont.edu/film-production.
Accounting
Piedmont previously offered accounting as a concentration of its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Now, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting that provides all the educational requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant.
“We took a close look at the curriculum, and made changes where necessary, to ensure we’re covering all major content areas of the CPA exam,” said Assistant Accounting Professor Savannah Brookshire, who along with Assistant Accounting Professor Jay Long III, led the creation of the new accounting program. “Piedmont accounting students will be preparing for the CPA exam from their very first day in the program. We’re making every minute count toward their professional preparation.”
Dr. J. Kerry Waller, dean of Piedmont’s Walker College of Business, said Piedmont created a step-by-step path for aspiring accountants to enter their chosen career.
“We listened closely to what our students needed, and we responded with the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program. We are pleased to offer this degree as a direct, comprehensive path to a successful career in the accounting field,” Waller said.
Students in the new program also can seamlessly transition into Piedmont’s Master of Business Administration program to earn two degrees in just five years and meet CPA education requirements. It also is an ideal choice for students who intend to complete graduate work at another institution because it offers all the necessary prerequisites for upper-level coursework.
For more information on Piedmont’s new degree, visit piedmont.edu/accounting.
Professional Counseling
Piedmont University’s Professional Counseling program responds to both student demand and the rise of technology within the field.
“Piedmont’s online professional counseling program makes it possible to balance work and family while earning your degree fully online,” said Kathy Robinson, program coordinator for the new master’s degree. “Virtual learning and counseling are here to stay.”
Designed to be completed in 2.5 years, Piedmont’s Master of Arts in Professional Counseling program will include required coursework in telemental counseling. Other programs often offer such courses as electives. Robinson said the online format provides another layer of preparation for students.
“Including this course in our curriculum is intentional and strategic. Students must learn how to do virtual counseling safely, ethically, effectively, and legally,” said Robinson. “It gets them comfortable with the online setting and with communicating effectively through the use of technology rather than face-to-face.”
Students will still receive personal attention and opportunities for interaction. Robinson plans virtual office hours, live webinars with professionals, and additional online events, all designed to help students collaborate with one another.
The program will also provide students with in-depth study of frequently used counseling techniques and modalities, such as cognitive behavior therapy or dialectical behavior therapy.
“Piedmont places an emphasis on providing a practical education that students can put to use in the real world,” Robinson said. “In some counseling programs, students receive an overview of commonly used therapies. We’re going to go deeper, so that our students can go into their future practices with confidence using these modalities.”
Piedmont’s program will prepare students for licensure in the State of Georgia. For more information, visit piedmont.edu/professional-counseling-ma/.