The School of Graduate Studies: A Growing Need

Though all universities have faced unprecedented recruitment challenges due to the pandemic, Dr. Trey Berry, president of SAU, is enthusiastic about this past year’s graduate school enrollment and the quality of the programs.

“Those numbers continue to grow,” Berry expressed of graduate programs and students. “We are seeing promising signs for the fall.”

An exponential reason for this increase is due to the great programs offered and advisors. The most common response to “How did you hear about SAU’s graduate school?” on applications is Word of Mouth. Students enjoy their experience in graduate school at SAU and tell their friends about it.

Several programs have received national recognition from Intelligent.com, Get Educated (Best Buy), Most Affordable Online Programs (College Consensus), and Most Affordable College (Online U).

The new Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership begins this fall with the first cohort of 32 students. “This is the first class, and we are extremely excited,” Dr. Katherine Berry, Director of the Program said. The significance of the program in the lives of the students “speaks to what our mission is all about,” she said.

Applications for all graduate programs have increased. Domestic and international applications for fall 2021 greatly exceed numbers from fall 2020.

“These are great signs our programs are growing even in the pandemic,” Dr. Trey Berry said.

School Counseling

The School Counseling program offers students a week-long, hands-on teaching/learning experience during each summer. Students come from as far as Alaska to participate in this immersive experience during Mulerider Kids College.

Library Media Summer Intensive

During the Library Media and Information Specialist program’s on-campus summer intensive, practicing teachers return to campus to participate in a library makeover project. The project proves to be an effective and beneficial activity for both the students and area participating public schools.

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

The MAT program continues to grow as more working professionals choose to shift their expertise from the workforce to the classroom. Candidates who enter the program during the summer qualify to begin a teaching career during the fall. The program is only 30 hours long, making it easily completed in a 12-month period.

Master of Business Administration

Contributing to the stability and growth of the School of Graduate Studies is the MBA program. The program has doubled in size during the past four years, The MBA Advisory Council aides in curriculum development, the overall program agenda, and is developing a mentor program for students. The innovation and leadership of Dr. Christie Hough continues to keep the MBA program a top pick among students seeking advanced business degrees.

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