The University of Texas at Arlington awards record number of degrees
The University of Texas at Arlington has awarded a record 11,526 degrees for the 2015-16 academic year, an increase of 8.8 percent from the previous year continuing the trajectory of increasing conferrals for the third consecutive year. New graduates join the more than 200,000 UTA alumni living and working around the world and serve to fuel the continued economic and civic growth of North Texas.
“Our mission as an urban public research university is to make a college degree of the highest level of excellence affordable and accessible to all who wish to work for it,” said UTA President Vistasp Karbhari. “Our enhanced U.S. News & World Report rankings featuring more than 20 graduate level programs considered among the best in the country, and our recent recognition of graduating students with the lowest average debt among all national public universities, are due to the tremendous work of our faculty, staff and students.”
The increase in degree conferrals matches areas of high workforce need in the state of Texas and our country including Nursing, STEM fields, education and business. 2,516 degrees were awarded in STEM fields including a record 1,794 in the nationally ranked College of Engineering where degree conferrals increased by 52 percent over the previous year responding to the critical shortage in Texas and in line with the College’s Strategic Plan growth targets.
The College of Nursing and Health Innovation continues to be the largest producer of nurses in Texas with 3,854 degrees being awarded in the disciplines of Nursing and Kinesiology. The increase of 14 percent over the previous year highlights the highest levels of excellence in the College which boasts of a licensure passing rate of 91 percent, 9 points higher than the state and national average.
In addition the College of Business, which was just listed in the highly selective international Tier 1 list by CEO magazine, conferred 1,605 degrees while the College of Education graduated 1,062 highly trained teachers and administrators, a 26 percent increase, as a step towards alleviating the critical shortage of teachers in the metroplex and across Texas.
The record number of degree conferrals are attributed to an increased focus on student success through enhanced course offerings to ensure course availability per degree plan, increased levels of mentorship, advising and support services.
In addition to its growing capacity, UTA was recognized for the richness of its student population. The campus is the fifth most ethnically diverse in the nation and a Hispanic Serving Institution. Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s Top 100 Degrees Conferred list ranked UTA first in Texas and tenth in the nation for the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to African Americans.
About The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research-1 “highest research activity” institution of about 55,000 students in campus-based and online degree programs and is the second-largest institution in The University of Texas System. U.S. News & World Report ranks UTA fifth in the nation for undergraduate diversity. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times’ 2016 Best for Vets list. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more, and find UTA rankings and recognition at www.uta.edu/uta/about/rankings.php.
For more on the Strategic Plan, see Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact.