UAA receives approval to grant doctoral degrees; first Ph.D. graduates in Clinical-Community Psychology receive awards this weekend

UAA received transformative news last week from its accrediting body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, when it approved the expansion of UAA's offerings to include doctoral degrees. As a result, UAA will jointly award (with UAF) its first Ph.D.s in Clinical-Community Psychology at this weekend's Commencement and Graduate Hooding ceremonies. Though this program has been jointly administered by both UAA and UAF since 2006, the degree had previously been solely awarded by the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

Now considered a doctoral granting institution, UAA will be able to better serve the community of Anchorage and the state of Alaska in the future. Though no additional doctoral programs are immediately being offered, UAA can now work with statewide administration and the Board of Regents to further develop doctoral programs of greatest demand and need in Alaska. UAA's new status will allow for the state's population center to develop additional doctoral degrees in high-demand fields such as nursing and education, among others. The University of Alaska system now has two doctoral granting institutions, UAA and UAF.