Academic Program Elimination Information

Our institution's current revenues are not sufficient to meet our expenses. It is important we address our budget deficit with a deliberate, long-term strategy that aligns our programs with enrollment trends and market needs, streamlines our operations to reduce costs without compromising academic excellence, and expands fundraising efforts to support institutional growth and innovation.

University leadership within administration and the colleges provided input to a metrics-based approach that was applied consistently and fairly across all programs. Strength of the programs, needs of the state, and workforce alignment were also considered in the decision-making process. Details about the metrics-based approach are available elsewhere on this website.

On December 5, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted to eliminate the following programs. New students will no longer be admitted into these programs effective December 6, 2025. 

• Undergraduate Programs 
  • Geology 
  • Meteorology-Climatology 
  • Statistics and Data Analytics
  • Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design
  • Data Science pathway in the Department of Statistics. The pathways for the Data Science major/degree in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering will be retained.

Minors in Geology, and Meteorology will be retained. 

• Graduate Programs
  • MS and PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • MEd in Educational Administration
  • PhD and EdD in Educational Studies, with a specialization in Educational Leadership and Higher Education
  • EdD in Educational Administration
  • MS and PhD in Statistics
  • MA and MS in Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design
  • PhD in Human Sciences, with a specialization in Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design

MA in Educational Administration will be retained with only three specializations: Higher Education; Student Affairs Administration, and Community Colleges. Coursework that supports areas of study in P-12 school leadership will no longer be offered.  

• Graduate Certificate Programs
  • Community College Leadership
  • Quilt Studies
     
• Administrative Endorsements 
  • Principal (PK-12) 
  • Principal (PK-8) 
  • Principal (6-12) 
  • Superintendent (PK-12) 
  • Special Education Supervisor (Birth-12) 

The university is committed to student success and minimizing disruption to degree completion. There is a process that departments follow when programs are eliminated, which includes creating a degree completion pathway that provides opportunities for current students to finish their course of study. 

Work has begun to design and develop degree completion pathways, which will be finalized during the spring 2026 semester and communicated before priority registration begins on March 23. Pathways for completing minors, administrative endorsements, and certificate programs will also be made available by March 23. 

Contact information for the program’s Transition Coordinator is available from the College Dean's office. The following resources are also available:

• Students: Reach out to your advisor, academic navigator, Graduate Studies, or graduate chair about academic concerns. Contact Husker Hub if you have any concerns about financial aid or scholarships. Consider making an appointment with CAPS if you need emotional support, or reach out to Student Advocacy and Support. If you are an international student with concerns about implications to your visa status, contact ISSO. 
• Faculty and staff: Reach out to your supervisor, department executive officer, or college dean's office with questions. Consider making an appointment with EAP if you need emotional support. If you are concerned about a student during this process, use UNL's Student Referral Guide to help them connect with the appropriate support.

A degree completion pathway facilitates the graduation of students engaged in a primary curriculum that is being eliminated. While colleges strive to provide the curriculum that students would normally follow, in some instances a compressed timeline and modifications of some requirements may occur, such as course substitutions. Academic advisors and faculty will work closely with impacted students and their Transition Coordinator to help students successfully navigate completing their degree.

Immediately following the Board of Regents meeting on Dec. 5, the work to design and develop degree completion pathways began for programs that are approved for elimination. Pathways will be finalized during the spring 2026 semester and communicated to all impacted students before priority registration begins on March 23. Impacted students in eliminated degrees and majors will be given first access to register for classes.

Degree completion pathways will begin with an analysis of active student cohorts, course enrollments, curricular mapping, and enrollment projections. Colleges will identify a Transition Coordinator to help support students as they work to successfully navigate completing their degree at UNL. 

Faculty, academic advisors, and Transition Coordinators will review standard substitutions and determine additional options that would be available. All impacted programs are expected to strive to provide the curriculum and experiences in which students would normally engage, including experiential learning, research paths, and practical training. 

In some instances, a compressed timeline and modifications of some requirements may be necessary, such as course substitutions. For some programs, exploring and understanding offerings at other NU campuses or peer institutions might be a reasonable component. Graduate programs are expected to keep supervisory committees intact as much as possible, and normal processes for modifications would be used for any changes. Degree completion pathways will be individualized to each program and various student situations.

• Undergraduate programs: faculty, department chairs, college dean’s offices, and the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Undergraduate Education will work with current students to create a degree completion pathway that provides opportunities for them to finish their course of study. 
• Graduate programs: faculty, graduate chairs, department chairs, and the Dean and staff in the Office of Graduate Studies will work closely with current students to create a degree completion pathway that provides opportunities to finish their course of study. 

Students who complete their program requirements will receive their degree in the program in which they are currently enrolled. 

Students who are unable to complete their program in the timeline outlined in the degree completion pathway would be required to change their program of study or transfer to another institution. Transition Coordinators will provide support for students in changing their program of study or transferring to another institution. 

Some students may prefer to change their program to a related area. For undergraduate students, the standard College, Major, Degree, and/or Advisor Change process would be used. For graduate students, all normal processes for admission to a new graduate program would apply, and the application fee would be waived.

Transition Coordinators provide a central place for students to go with questions regarding their degree completion pathway. They regularly communicate updates with students, faculty and staff. Units may identify more than one Transition Coordinator based on program or level of student (i.e., undergraduate, graduate). Contact your program’s College Dean’s Office for more information.

Transition Coordinators are responsible for keeping track of their program's degree completion pathway and its variations dependent on student situations (e.g., credit hours earned). They will work with faculty and academic advisors to ensure that courses or substitutions are available; the University Registrar for assistance with priority registration and course waitlists; and academic navigators and graduate chairs about academic concerns. They will refer students to other support services as needed.

Supervisors are expected to notify student workers if their position would be impacted by the budget reductions. Contact your supervisor directly for more information. 

No changes will be made to existing graduate assistantship contracts for the current academic year, 2025-26. 

It is expected that most graduate assistantship contracts would remain in place for the 2026-27 academic year, but determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis. Supervisors are expected to notify graduate students if their assistantship would be impacted by the budget reductions. A minimum of 30-day's notice is required. Graduate assistants should contact the graduate chair within their department with questions. Contacts for each program are listed on the programs page of the Graduate Studies website. Other questions about graduate assistantships can be directed to Graduate Studies at graduate@unl.edu or 402-472-2875.

Changes to course registration and enrollment mid-semester could affect financial aid or scholarships. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a member of Husker Hub prior to making any changes to their registration or program of study.

Students who complete their program requirements will receive their degree in the program in which they are currently enrolled, and no impact is expected to immigration status. 

However, changes to course registration and enrollment could affect compliance with immigration regulations. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with ISSO prior to making any changes to their registration or program of study.

Colleges have established processes for determining if changes are needed in academic programs, which include consultation and engagement with faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders. These changes are not always related to a budget reduction; overall student demand and enrollment are important factors in these decisions. Any such changes, including elimination, must go through a careful and full review and implementation process, which would require a degree completion pathway for affected students. 

This budget reduction process concluded with the December 5, 2025 Board of Regents meeting.

If the program you applied to has been eliminated, you will be contacted by Undergraduate Admissions or Graduate Studies. UNL is committed to helping you find the right fit for your educational and life goals. We offer over 100 programs of study for undergraduate and graduate education at Nebraska.

We hope you will explore other programs in your field of interest. If you would like to make a change to your application for admission or request a refund for your application fee, contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@unl.edu or 402-472-2023 and Graduate Studies at graduate@unl.edu or 402-472-2875.

UNL offers over 100 programs of study for undergraduate and graduate education at Nebraska. We encourage you to explore other programs related to your field of interest. If you would like to discuss these options, we’re happy to assist you. Please contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@unl.edu or 402-472-2023 and Graduate Studies at graduate@unl.edu or 402-472-2875.