A&T Expands Graduate Degree Programs Amid Unprecedented Growth

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 3, 2024) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has added five new graduate degree programs to its curriculum — three of which gained approval in a single academic year. The university now offers nearly 50 graduate programs across nine colleges and two schools.

 The university welcome the first cohorts of students this fall to its M.S. and Ph.D. programs in criminal justice, as well as its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. The doctoral program in criminal justice is the only one of its kind in North Carolina.

N.C. A&T is also launching a Ph.D. program in applied psychology, which is awaiting accreditation by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education; and an M.S. in physician assistant studies, which is awaiting specialized accreditation. These programs hope to enroll students beginning Fall 2025.

“Data show that the greatest need for advanced-degree training is centered in healthcare and STEM-related fields,” said Clay Gloster Jr., Ph.D., P.E., dean of The Graduate College. “These new programs will help address those critical needs in the workforce and expand opportunities in law and criminal justice, as well.

“As the nation’s most affordable doctoral research university, A&T is making exceptional graduate education accessible and strengthening its position as a top research and doctorate producing institution."

Housed in the Department of Criminal Justice within A&T’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the criminal justice master’s and doctoral programs provide exceptional graduate education and training in criminal justice with four areas of specialization: investigative science, digital forensics, research methodology and social justice. The Ph.D. is the college’s first doctoral program.

The two programs emphasize an interdisciplinary approach to academics, research, professional development and leadership. The curriculum and training build on the department’s partnership with local and regional law enforcement agencies. The master’s program is available on campus and online, while the Ph.D. program is offered on campus only.

A&T’s School of Nursing, housed within the John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences, offers the entry option for the BSN, the traditional four-year BSN, the accelerated one-year BSN for graduates with a bachelor’s degree and the RN-BSN completion for registered nurses.

The new DNP prepares BSN and master trained nurses for advanced clinical practice and leadership. Delivered in a hybrid format, the DNP curriculum integrates emerging technology as well as health equity and social justice components to strategically address healthcare challenges. The overall goal is to increase minority students' representation in advanced nursing practice and leadership.

The program bridges workforce gaps in two critical areas: Psychiatry/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) providers and Nursing Leadership. More importantly, the program equips future nursing leaders with emerging healthcare technology skills (e.g. telehealth, artificial intelligence, sensors and virtual reality) and competencies to address health equity and social justice.

 “North Carolina A&T’s longstanding commitment to academic excellence ensures future generations of practitioners, public servants and change-makers are well prepared to make positive, lasting impacts in our communities and beyond,” said Tonya Smith-Jackson, Ph.D., provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “These programs further bolster our place among the nation’s leading doctoral research universities and give our students the tools, training and support they need to learn, thrive and succeed.”

These new degree programs punctuate A&T’s phenomenal growth over the past decade. While final enrollment figures are not yet available,  the university has enrolled  more than 14,000 students for academic year 2024-25, eclipsing its enrollment of 13,885 for academic year 2023-24. The university continues to invest in infrastructure, resources, support services and student success efforts to sustain and enhance its excellence as it grows.