A recently released report by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education for the first time categorizes the University of North Florida (UNF) in the top tier of national universities that grant doctoral degrees, according to a UNF press release.
Until this year, the university said UNF has been categorized as a “Master’s University.” But the growth of professional doctorate programs at UNF, combined with a change to the Carnegie Classification methodology to explicitly recognize these degrees, led to UNF joining 163 other institutions in a new “Doctoral/Professional University” category.
“This is a huge step forward for UNF as an institution of national distinction,” UNF President Dr. David M. Szymanski said. “The prestige associated with a higher-level Carnegie status helps attract faculty and students who seek excellence. This classification also elevates the value of a UNF degree in the eyes of prospective employers.”
According to UNF, the Carnegie Classification, which is updated every three years, is intended as a framework for describing the diversity of the 4,425 colleges and universities in the U.S., and placement in higher tiers is seen as prestigious. The university cited a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education that notes that universities categorized higher in the Carnegie Classification enjoy advantages in securing external research grants, recruiting high-quality faculty and attracting the interest of industry partners. Other ranking systems, such as the U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges, also rely on the Carnegie Classification for their methodologies.
In the 2017-18 school year, UNF awarded a total of 117 doctoral degrees including 109 professional doctorates and eight research doctorates.
Doctoral programs offered through the Brooks College of Health at UNF include Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition, BSN-DNP in Family Nurse Practitioner, BSN-DNP in Nurse Anesthetist, Post-MSN Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-MSN Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psych-Mental Health and Doctor of Physical Therapy. The College of Education and Human Services offers doctoral degrees in Specialist in Educational Leadership and Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership.
