Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 656, which broadens the CSU's ability to offer professional and applied doctoral degrees in areas where there is an identified workforce or accreditation need, and if the degree does not duplicate a doctoral degree offered by the University of California. Since 2005, the California legislature had previously allowed the CSU to offer a variety of specific doctoral degrees, including: Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Audiology (AuD) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). The CSU awards more than 600 doctoral degrees each year in these disciplines. The legislation was sponsored by the CSU Board of Trustees and authored by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty.
The following statement can be attributed to CSU Chancellor Mildred García :
“On behalf of the California State University and our 23 universities, I am grateful to Assemblymember Kevin McCarty for authoring AB 656 and Governor Gavin Newsom for signing it. This thoughtful expansion of the CSU's doctoral granting authority means more Californians will have greater access to advanced degrees that benefit their personal and professional growth and allow them to apply the knowledge they've learned to better their communities and the state. The CSU is committed to not duplicating doctoral degrees offered by the University of California and looks forward to continuing to further our state's diverse workforce."
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. More than 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 125,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.