Arkansas college aims to offer 2 new doctoral degrees

ARKADELPHIA (AP) — Henderson State University wants to offer two doctoral degrees — one in nursing practice and another in instructional leadership — by fall 2019.

The Arkadelphia university is the second public four-year school in the past six months to start the process to offer its first-ever degrees above the master's level. Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia started the same process in October for a doctor of education in rural and diverse leadership.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the yearslong processes start with requests for a "role and scope" change, so the schools can teach the highest-level courses. Once that is granted, the schools will then seek approvals for the actual degree programs.

Steve Adkison, Henderson provost and vice president for academic affairs, referred to both programs as adding to the "ladder of opportunity" for both teachers and nurses.

"Those degree programs build on existing program offerings," he said, "and are in direct response to the need of community partners in our region of south and southwest Arkansas."

Both degrees would be offered online only.

The doctor of education in instructional leadership builds on post-master's certifications that the university currently offers: two education specialist pathways in curriculum leadership and educational leadership. Those programs are typically half the hours of a full doctoral degree, Adkison said.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Texas A&M University Texarkana already have similar programs, while SAU is in the midst of the roleand-scope change. But Henderson's program "differs from others because it is designed specifically for instructional leadership with an emphasis on improved teaching and learning," according to the proposal the university submitted to the state Higher Education Department.