Prosthetics, Orthotics Graduate Degree Approved At Kennesaw

KENNESAW, GA — The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved a Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics at Kennesaw State University, making it the only university in Georgia and one of just 13 institutions nationwide to offer the degree program.

Housed in the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management in the WellStar College of Health and Human Services, the master’s program focuses on the design, fabrication and fitting of artificial limbs and external braces. The program was first approved at the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Board of Regents in 2002 and will transfer to Kennesaw State to leverage the University’s established strengths in clinical care, health sciences and engineering. The graduate degree program will be available to students beginning in the fall of 2020.

“The WellStar College at KSU has a rich history of educating health practitioners while also fostering impactful collaborations between industry partners and the University’s academic units,” said KSU President Pamela Whitten. “This graduate program has the potential to grow into a marquee program and positively impact not only the state, but the broader region through robust research and service opportunities."

The demand for prosthetics and orthotics practitioners in the U.S. is expected to grow by 22 percent by 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and interest in prosthetics and orthotics programs has grown despite limited offerings nationwide. Additionally, the number of wounded soldiers with amputations has grown from 25,000 in 2001 to 90,000 in 2016, with Georgia having one of the largest wounded veteran populations in the U.S., according to the Wounded Warrior Project.

“We need only look in our backyard to see the kind of positive impact this program can bring to Georgians, our state and the nation,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathy Schwaig. “As a research university, we have the ability to leverage an array of institutional strengths, allowing us to elevate this important work to an even higher level.”