10 Year Review - The University of Akron

GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND FACULTY
In the last decade The University of Akron has increased the number of master’s
programs, that it offers, by 11 and the number of doctoral programs by 2 (Integrative
Biosciences and Audiology). The Integrative Biosciences doctorate represents a unique
program that creatively allows students to cut across multiple disciplines and colleges
for the explicit purpose of developing scientists, who are able to synthesize (or
integrate) knowledge from multiple sciences to address research questions that must
also span disciplines. This graduate program is a distinctive achievement at The
University of Akron as it bridges many of our best departments in order to train
scientists with broad expertise. We have also redefined a previous doctoral degree
option in the Department of Psychology as a joint doctoral program with Cleveland State
University in Adult Development and Aging.
Among master’s programs, we have initiated the Consortial Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
program with Youngstown State University, Kent State University, and Cleveland State
University. The demand for this degree far exceeds the capacity of the program and
has met expectations to create a national magnet for the fine arts that specializes in
creative writing. The Consortium of Eastern Ohio Master of Public Health program,
started in 1999, and accredited in 2003, has evolved into a stable and reaccredited
health-training resource during these last 10 years.
In the last decade, the size of the regular graduate faculty has increased by 4% from
467 to 486. Given the overall reduction in full-time faculty at UA during this same time,
the slight increase in the size of the graduate faculty is the more impressive.
The dean of the Graduate School convenes and chairs the graduate faculty annually to
discuss matters of importance including recommendations from the Graduate Council.
Although it cannot be quantified, the Graduate Council has become more active in the
governance of the Graduate School and the graduate faculty through the Membership
and Curriculum committees in particular.
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