The University Council’s Curriculum Committee voted Friday to add majors in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering.

The addition of these majors “is an important step in establishing engineering at UGA,” committee chair David Shipley wrote to The Red & Black in an e-mail. He said the University is one of the nation’s few comprehensive research institutions without an engineering program.

The Board of Regents created an initiative in November called “Math + Science = Success” in response to a national shortage of scientists, mathematicians and engineers, according to a Nov. 13 University press release. The University created the Office of STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) as part of the initiative.

The addition of three engineering majors is the University’s first step in the initiative. But the regents must approve the majors before they are installed.

The committee also approved Friday the proposals for three areas of emphasis under the English major (advanced studies, English language studies, Renaissance studies) and 11 areas of emphasis in the art major.