VALLEY CITY (Associated Press) Valley City State University is offering two new majors, extending the university’s offerings in health-related fields.

President Steven Shirley says North Dakota is facing a shortage of health care professionals, particularly in rural areas. He says that has prompted the school to invest in health-related programs in recent years.

The new majors are in athletic training and medical laboratory science. Students in the lab major will spend a summer on the University of North Dakota campus, and a year getting clinical experience at a lab in the state. The athletic training major also includes extensive clinical experience.