Before Fort Lewis College could offer its new computer engineering major in 2017, it had to receive approval from the state. On Thursday, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education approved the major at its meeting at Adams State University in Alamosa.

“It’s a done deal,” said Durango resident John Anderson, who was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper to represent Congressional District 3 on the commission. He joins FLC in hoping the major will attract a significant number of students to the college.

In the proposal to the Board of Trustees in June, engineering professor Don Rabern and Provost Barbara Morris estimated the major will have at least 100 declared students by the fourth year. The college eliminated a computer science information technologies major in 2010 because it focused on computer languages that have become quickly outdated in the industry.

“Computer engineering students at Fort Lewis College don’t just study engineering, they do it,” says the website page describing the new major. “Here, you’ll design, build, test and apply. You’ll integrate software and hardware in applications like robots, guidance systems and real-time telemetry. You’ll team with other engineers and scientists to create technologies that interact with our world – and you’ll engage with the cultural and social contexts for the problems you’re tackling. And by graduation, you’ll have the technical skills, real-world experience and global awareness to adapt to an ever-evolving industry and world.”

The degree was one of several approved for institutions of higher learning at the meeting. Others included bachelor’s degrees in studio art at Colorado Mesa University; leadership and community engagement, elementary education and atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder; and five innovation degrees at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.