Introduction

Welcome to the Graduate Catalog! The Graduate College exemplifies North Carolina A&T State University’s tradition of excellence in learning, discovery and engagement. We are proud of our unique approach to the graduate enterprise that comprises the combined efforts of an intercultural faculty and staff, a diverse student population, and an unparalleled research and learning experience. Our alumni are leading thinkers and innovators in a variety of fields, seeking to improve life for all in the 21st century and beyond.

In 2016, the US News and World Report published its rankings that listed North Carolina A&T as the top ranked public HBCU in the nation and ranked several graduate programs: Rehabilitation Counseling(58), Industrial and Systems Engineering (66), Joint Master’s in Social Work with UNCG (78), Electrical Engineering program (139). The US News and World Report publication ranked the online master’s program in Information Technology at 28th place and the online Graduate Education programs at 153rd place.

In a special report released in 2015, Money magazine ranked A&T among North Carolina’s top ten colleges. In 2016, Money and Essence magazines ranked A&T as one of the top 10 colleges for African Americans. In 2016, A&T was also included in Money magazine’s Best Colleges For Your Money list.

In the 2013 ranking of national universities by Washington Monthly magazine, North Carolina A&T State University has been ranked No. 33 overall and No. 2 in the category of social mobility. Washington Monthly rates schools overall based on their contribution to the public good in three categories: social mobility - recruiting and graduating low-income students; research - producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs; and service - encouraging students to give something back to their country.

Our state of the art research centers and facilities include the NASA Center for Aviation Safety, the NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials, the NOAA-Interdisciplinary Scientific Environmental Technology Center, the Center for Post-Harvest Technologies, the Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business and the recently established Joint School for Nanoscience and Nanoengineering.

The Graduate College at North Carolina A&T State University offers 9 doctoral degree programs (12 concentrations), 29 master’s degree programs (53 concentrations), one post-master’s certificate program, and 8 post-baccalaureate certificate programs in collaboration with the following colleges: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Business and Economics, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Science and Technology, and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Currently, six graduate programs including one doctoral program, five master’s programs and one post-baccalaureate certificate program have been approved for distance education. Details regarding all our programs of study are provided in this catalog. NC A&T also offers a variety of financial assistance options for graduate study.

We invite you to explore the catalog as well as our website for more information on our academic programs, research opportunities, admission processes, and financial assistance. Please don’t hesitate to call us at (336)285-2366 or email us at grad@ncat.edu if you have any questions.

Best wishes.

Clay Gloster, Jr, PhD
Dean, The Graduate College

Academic Calendar

The University Calendar is subject to periodic revision. The updated academic calendars are available at NCA&T Academic Calendar

Catalog Policies and Disclaimers

The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University Graduate Catalog contains academic policies and regulations that relate to graduate courses, graduate degree programs and graduate certificate programs. The Graduate College staff will be responsible for interpreting policies and regulations stated in the Catalog as needed.

The University reserves the right to change any of the rules and regulations of the University at any time, including those relating to admission, instruction, and graduation. The University also reserves the right to withdraw curricula and specific courses, alter course content, change the calendar, and to impose or increase tuition and fees.

The requirements specified in this Catalog apply to students who commence their studies at North Carolina A&T State University during the 2017-2018 academic year and who remain in continuous enrollment at the institution until they graduate. If requirements are changed, students may elect to comply with the new requirements or to remain under the requirements by which they are governed at the time of the change. A student who elects to comply with the requirements of a newer catalog must do so by declaring such intent in writing at least one semester prior to graduation. This declaration must be approved by the academic department and the Graduate College.

Students who change their program of study are bound by the requirements of their new program of study that are in effect the semester they officially begin studies in the new program. Furthermore, students who are readmitted to the University are bound by the program and degree requirements in force at the time of readmission.

Student’s Responsibility

Each student is responsible for the timely completion of his or her academic program, for familiarity with the Catalog, for maintaining good academic standing, and for meeting all other degree requirements. Students are expected to assume academic and financial responsibility for the courses in which they enroll. While the student’s advisor should be consulted regularly, the final responsibility remains that of the student.

A student is also required to have knowledge of and observe all regulations pertaining to campus life and student behavior. Each student is expected to participate in campus and community life in a manner that will reflect credibly upon the student and the University. All students are expected to abide by the Student Handbook.

Email is the official form of communication at the University; students are responsible for checking their ncat.edu email regularly. Students are expected to also maintain their contact information including mailing address and telephone number with the Office of the Registrar.

The University of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina is a multi-campus state university that encompasses 16 such institutions, as well as the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the nation’s first public residential high school for gifted students. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1789, the University of North Carolina was the first public university in the United States to open its doors and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century. The first class was admitted in Chapel Hill in 1795. For the next 136 years, the only campus of the University of North Carolina was at Chapel Hill. Additional institutions of higher education, diverse in origin and purpose, began to win sponsorship from the General Assembly beginning as early as 1877. Five were historically black institutions, and another was founded to educate American Indians. Some began as high schools. Several were created to prepare teachers for the public schools. Others had a technological emphasis. One is a training school for performing artists.

The 1931 session of the General Assembly redefined the University of North Carolina to include three state-supported institutions: the campus at Chapel Hill (now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University at Raleigh), and Women’s College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The new multi-campus University operated with one board of trustees and one president. By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the University through legislative action: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

In 1971 legislation was passed bringing into the University of North Carolina the state’s ten remaining public senior institutions, each of which had until then been legally separate: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, the North Carolina School of the Arts (now the University of North Carolina School of the Arts), Pembroke State University (now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke), Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University. In 1985 the NC School of Science and Mathematics was declared an affiliated school of the University; in July 2007 NCSSM by legislative action became a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. All the schools and universities welcome students of both sexes and all races.

The UNC Board of Governors is the policy-making body legally charged with “the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions.” It elects the president, who administers the University. The 32 voting members of the Board of Governors are elected by the General Assembly for four-year terms. Former board chairmen and board members who are former governors of North Carolina may continue to serve for limited periods as non-voting members emeriti. The president of the UNC Association of Student Governments or that student’s designee is also a non-voting member.

Each of the UNC campuses is headed by a chancellor who is chosen by the Board of Governors on the president’s nomination and is responsible to the president. Each university has a Board of Trustees consisting of eight members elected by the Board of Governors, four appointed by the governor, and the president of the student body, who serves ex officio. (The UNC School of the Arts has two additional ex officio members; and the NC School of Science and Mathematics has a 27-member board as required by law.) Each Board of Trustees holds extensive powers over academic and other operations of its campus on delegation from the Board of Governors.

In addition to its teaching role, the University of North Carolina has a long-standing commitment to public service. The UNC Center for Public Television, the UNC Health Care System, the cooperative extension and research services, nine area health education centers, and myriad other University programs and facilities reap social and economic benefits for the state and its people.

Mission

The mission of the University is shaped in large measure by the constitutional and statutory mandates by which public higher education is established and maintained. Article IX of the Constitution of the State declares:

Sec. 8. Higher education. The General Assembly shall maintain a public system of higher education, comprising The University of North Carolina and such other institutions of higher education as the General Assembly may deem wise.

Sec. 9. Benefits of public institutions of higher education. The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.

This constitutional mandate for a public system of higher education is effected by Chapters 115 and 116 of the General Statutes. Chapter 115A, enacted in 1963, provides for a statewide network of community and technical colleges and institutes which offer two-year college transfer and technical and vocational programs. Chapter 116 of the statutes, as amended by the General Assembly effective July 1, 1972, provides in Section 3 that:

The board of trustees of the University of North Carolina is hereby redesignated, effective July 1, 1972, as the ‘Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina.’ The Board of Governors shall be known and distinguished by the name of ‘the University of North Carolina’ and shall continue as a body politic and corporate and by that name shall have perpetual succession and a common seal.

Section 4 of the statute provides for the University of North Carolina to be composed of the 16 public senior institutions in the state.

The Higher Education Reorganization Act of 1971, which placed those 16 institutions under one governing board, asserted the basic objectives and purposes for the University of North Carolina: to foster the development of a well-planned and coordinated system of higher education, to improve the quality of education, to extend its benefits, and to encourage an economical use of the state’s resources.

Central to the process of strategic planning is the clarification of the overall mission of the University as a whole and the role and scope of the constituent institutions within that overall mission. As a part of the comprehensive mission review of 1992, the Board of Governors adopted a general mission statement for the University. This statement, with minor modifications, was given statutory status in 1995 when the General Assembly amended Chapter 116-1 of the General Statutes to include the following as the official mission statement of the University of North Carolina:

The University of North Carolina is a public, multi-campus university dedicated to the service of North Carolina and its people. It encompasses the 16 diverse constituent institutions and other educational, research, and public service organizations. Each shares in the overall mission of the University. That mission is to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge to address the needs of individuals and society. This mission is accomplished through instruction, which communicates the knowledge and values and imparts the skills necessary for individuals to lead responsible, productive, and personally satisfying lives; through research, scholarship, and creative activities, which advance knowledge and enhance the educational process; and through public service, which contributes to the solution of societal problems and enriches the quality of life in the State. In the fulfillment of this mission, the University shall seek an efficient use of available resources to ensure the highest quality in its service to the citizens of the State.

Teaching and learning constitute the primary service that the University renders to society. Teaching, or instruction, is the primary responsibility of each of the constituent institutions. The relative importance of research and public service, which enhance teaching and learning, varies among the constituent institutions, depending on their overall missions.

Board of Governors - The University of North Carolina, Randy Ramsey, Chair
Wendy Floyd Murphy, Vice Chair
Pearl Burris-Floyd, Secretary
Darrell Allison
W. Louis Bissette, Jr., Emeritus
Kellie Hunt Blue
C. Philip Byers
Jimmy D. Clark
Carolyn Coward
N. Leo Daughtry
Thomas C. Goolsby
Isaiah Green
Reginald Ronald Holley
James L. Holmes, Jr.
Mark Holton
Terry Hutchens
W. Marty Kotis, III
Steven B. Long
J. Alex Mitchell
Anna Spangler Nelson
R. Doyle Parrish
Art Pope
David Powers
Temple Sloan
Dwight D. Stone
Michael Williford

General Administration
Peter Hans, President
Chris McClure, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff
Kimberly Van Noort, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Matthew Brody, Senior Vice President for Human Resources
Clinton P. Carter, Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration and CFO
Thomas Shanahan, Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Andrew P. Kelly, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Policy

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a learner-centered community that develops and preserves intellectual capital through interdisciplinary research, discovery, engagement and operational excellence. The university’s rich history dates back over 118 years. N.C. A&T was established as the A. and M. College for the “Colored Race” by an act of the General Assembly of North Carolina ratified March 9, 1891. It was in the fall of 1890, when the North Carolina General Assembly enacted a second Morrill Act that mandated a separate college for the colored race. (The College operated in Raleigh as an annex to Shaw University during the years 1890-1891, 1891-1892, and 1892-1893). A group of Greensboro citizens banded together to make a permanent home for the institution. Members such as Dr. DeWitt, a black dentist, C. Benbow and Charles H. Moore donated 14 acres of land for the site and an additional $11,000 in cash that aided in construction of the buildings. This amount was supplemented by an appropriation of $2,500 from the General Assembly. The plan was approved on March 9, 1891, and the first building was completed in 1893: the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race (now North Carolina A&T State University) had found its new home.

In 1915 state legislators changed the college’s name to The Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, and in 1967 elevated it to university status. N.C. A&T became a constituent university of The University of North Carolina in 1972.

Since its inception, A&T has maintained a tradition of excellence in education. Under the leadership of Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr., the university’s current Chancellor, A&T continues to thrive as it sustains its rich legacy.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a public, land-grant, doctoral research institution located in Greensboro, NC. The university is a member of the University of North Carolina system.

The university offers 117 undergraduate programs, 29 master’s programs, and 9 doctoral programs. The academic programs are offered through the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Business and Economics; College of Education; College of Health and Human Sciences; College of Science and Technology; College of Engineering; Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering; and the Graduate College.

A&T’s outstanding student body is the primary strength of the university. Students are carefully selected from thousands of applicants annually. Once enrolled, they are taught and mentored by excellent faculty, the majority of whom have earned doctoral and other degrees from some of the nation’s most prestigious graduate and professional schools.

A&T is among the top institutions to graduating the largest number of African-American engineers at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels and psychology undergraduates in the nation. Through its nationally accredited AACSB College of Business and Economics, the institution is among the largest producers of African American certified public accountants. True to its heritage, North Carolina A&T is home to the largest agricultural school among HBCUs and the second largest producer of minority agricultural graduates. The institution was recently awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Center (ERC) grant for biomedical engineering and nanobio applications research.

The University has advanced to the forefront in the area of research, generating over $60 million in research grants and contracts and more than $6 million in appropriations for agricultural research and cooperative extension. It also generates contracts with major international companies, foundations, and federal agencies to secure funding to enhance academic programs and to provide student scholarships.

A&T is proud of its 40,000 alumni of record who occupy leadership positions across the country and around the world. These alumni spread the Aggie tradition throughout the nation, continuing to strive for excellence and to make their mark in society. Among its well-known successful alumni are the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., civil rights activist; U.S. Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-NY); retired Maj. Gen. Charles D. Bussey; retired Brig. Gen. Clara Adams-Ender; Ralph Shelton, founder of Southeast Fuels; Dr. Joe Dudley, Sr., founder of Dudley Products, Inc.; Alvin Attles, vice president of Golden State Warriors; former District Court Judge Lawrence McSwain; U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-ILL); former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry E. Frye; The Greensboro/A&T Four, Jibreel Khazan, Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain and the late David Richmond; North Carolina legislator Alma Adams; Elvin Bethea, 2003 Pro Football Hall of Famer; Janice Bryant-Howroyd, founder and CEO of ACT 1 Group; Willie Deese, president, Merck Manufacturing Division; Donna Scott James, managing director, Lardon Associates LLC; Dmitri Stockton, president and CEO of GE Consumer Finance for Central and Eastern Europe; and the late astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair.

Twelve presidents/chancellors have served the university since its founding: Dr. John O. Crosby (1892-1896), Dr. James B. Dudley (1896-1925), Dr. Ferdinand D. Bluford (1925-1955), Dr. Warmoth T. Gibbs (1956-1960), Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor (1960-1964), Dr. Lewis C. Dowdy (1964-1980), Dr. Cleon Thompson Jr. (1980-1981, interim), Dr. Edward B. Fort (1981-1999), Dr. James C. Renick (1999- 2006), Dr. Lloyd V. Hackley (2006-2007, interim), Dr. Stanley Battle (2007- 2009) and Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr. (2009 - Present).

Mission

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University advances knowledge through scholarly exchange and transforms society with exceptional teaching, learning, discovery, and community engagement. An 1890 land-grant doctoral research institution with a distinction in STEM and commitment to excellence in all disciplines, North Carolina A&T creates innovative solutions that address the challenges and economic needs of North Carolina, the nation and the world.

Board of Trustees

Ex Officio Member
President, Student Government Association

Chancellor’s Cabinet

Deans of Colleges

Mohamed Ahmedna, Dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Frances Ward-Johnson, Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Kevin L. James, Dean, College of Business and Economics

Paula Groves Price, Dean, College of Education

Robin Coger, Dean, College of Engineering

Clay S. Gloster Jr., Dean, The Graduate College

Lenora Campbell, Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences James

Sherine O. Obare, Dean, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering

Abdellah Ahmidouch, Dean, College of Science and Technology

Nondiscrimination Policy

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleixcoordinator@ncat.edu

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University supports the protections available to members of its community under all applicable Federal and state laws, including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 799A and 845 of the Public Health Service Act, the Equal Pay and Age Discrimination Acts, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Executive Order 11246.

The Graduate College

Graduate education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was authorized by the North Carolina State Legislature in 1939. The authorization provided for training in agriculture, technology, applied sciences, and other approved areas of study. An extension of the graduate program approved by the General Assembly of North Carolina in 1957 provided for enlargement of the curriculum to include teacher education, as well as such other programs of a professional or occupational nature as might be approved by the North Carolina Board of Higher Education.

On July 1, 1967, the Legislature of North Carolina approved regional university status for the institution and renamed it North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The University awarded its first master’s degree in 1941 to Woodland Ellroy Hall. Since that time, over 8,000 students have received advanced graduate degrees from the University. A significant number of master’s graduates have gone on to earn doctoral degrees in their chosen disciplines, either at North Carolina A&T or at other universities.

The Graduate College coordinates and administers advanced programs and course offerings leading to 9 doctoral, 29 master’s and 9 certificate programs in collaboration with the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Business and Economics; College of Education; College of Health and Human Sciences; College of Science and Technology; College of Engineering; and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Degrees offered include PhD, MA, MAEd, MAT, MBA, MS, MSA, and MSW. The Graduate Catalog provides detailed information about our programs, some of which are available online. NCA&T also offers a variety of financial assistance options for graduate study.

The Graduate College has an integrated and intercultural faculty and student body and beckons students from all over the world. The Graduate College provides a foundation of knowledge and techniques for those who wish to enhance their career options or to continue their education in doctoral programs. While studying at this university, it is expected that graduate students will (i) acquire special competence in their chosen fields; (2) further develop their ability to think independently and constructively; (3) develop and demonstrate the ability to collect, organize, evaluate, create, and report facts that will enable them to make a scholarly contribution to knowledge about their discipline; and (4) apply new and existing knowledge so as to contribute to their professions and to humankind.

In 1994, the first doctoral programs were authorized at North Carolina A&T State University in the Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering disciplines. The first set of doctoral students enrolled the same year. The University granted its first Ph.D degrees to Sidney Llewellyn Bryson (Electrical Engineering), Alfred L. Burress (Electrical Engineering) and Christopher Grace (Mechanical Engineering) in 1999. The PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering was added in 2000. In 2001, Electrical Engineering student Yaxi Shen became the first female to receive the PhD degree. In 2003, Tracie Jamison (Electrical Engineering) and Mary Murdock (Mechanical Engineering) became the first African American females as well as the first Title III HBGI Fellows to receive doctoral degrees. In 2005, two interdisciplinary PhD programs in Energy and Environment Systems and in Leadership Studies were added. The PhD in Computational Science and Engineering was established in 2010. The UNC Board of Governors approved the establishment of the PhD in Nanoengineering in 2011. The PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling was established in 2013. A year later, the PhD in Computer Science was approved in 2014.

Currently, over 375 doctoral students are enrolled at the university; over 60% are in STEM disciplines. Since the establishment of its first doctoral programs, the university has awarded over 300 doctoral degrees.

In 2004, based on its production of doctoral degrees and research, North Carolina A&T qualified for Doctoral Research University status established by the Carnegie Foundation. This status was formally approved by The University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Seventeen persons have served as dean of the Graduate School since its beginning in 1939. They are Dr. Wadaran L. Kennedy (1939-1951), Dr. Frederick A. Williams (1951-1961), Dr. George C. Royal (1961-1965), Mr. J. Niel Armstrong (1965-1966), Dr. Darwin Turner (1966-1969), Dr. Albert W. Spruill, (1970-1993), Dr. Meada Gibbs (1993-1996), Dr. Charles Williams (1996-1997), Dr. Melvin N. Johnson (1997), Dr. Thoyd Melton (1998-2000), Dr. Kenneth H. Murray (2000-2006), Dr. Thomas Hassell (2006-2006), Dr. William J. Craft (2007 -2009), Dr. Kenneth Murray (2009-2009), Dr. Alan Letton (2010 - 2011), Dr. Sanjiv Sarin (2011-2018), Dr. Clay S. Gloster, Jr. (2018-present).

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is responsible for formulating all academic policies and regulations affecting graduate students, graduate courses, and graduate curricula. The council consists of faculty, students and administrative representatives from graduate programs. The Dean of the Graduate College serves as chairperson of the Council.

Accreditation and Institutional Memberships

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Programs and their accrediting agencies:

• American Chemical Society Certification Program - American Chemical Society
• Business and Accounting programs - AACSB International - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• Child Development, Early Education and Family Studies - National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• Computer Science - Computing Accreditation Commission, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Construction Management - American Council for Construction Education, and National Association of Industrial Technology
• Didactic Program in Dietetics - Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, American Dietetic Association
• Engineering: Architectural, Biological, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial and Systems, and Mechanical Engineering programs - Engineering Accreditation Commission, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Family and Consumer Sciences - American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Human Development and Services - Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and Council on Rehabilitation Education
• Industrial Technology - National Association of Industrial Technology
• Journalism and Mass Communication - Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
• Landscape Architecture - American Society of Landscape Architects
• Media Program - Association of Educational Communications and Technology
• Music - National Association of Schools of Music
• School of Nursing - National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
• Social Work - Council on Social Work Education
• Teacher education programs - National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction
• Theater Arts Program in Acting - National Association of Schools of Theater

University membership in Professional organizations:

• Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers
• American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
• American Association of University Women (graduates are eligible for membership)
• American Chemical Society
• American College Public Relations Association
• American Council for Construction Education
• American Council on Education
• American Library Association
• American Personnel and Guidance Association
• American Public Welfare Association
• American Society for Engineering Education
• American Society of Landscape Architects
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Association of Educational Communications and Technology
• Associated Schools of Construction
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
• Association of American Colleges
• Association of College Unions International
• Association of Collegiate Deans and Registrars
• Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
• Association of Public Land Grant Universities Board on Human Sciences
• College Language Association
• Conference of Southern Graduate Schools
• Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs
• Council of Graduate Schools
• Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools
• Council on International Education Exchange
• Council on Rehabilitation Education
• Council on Social Work Education
• National Association of Business Teacher Education
• National Association of College and University Business Officers
• National Association of College and University Food Service
• National Association of Industrial Technology, International Association of Technology Education
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Association of Schools of Theatre
• National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges
• National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
• National Commission on Accrediting
• National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• National Institutional Teacher Placement Association
• National League for Nursing
• North Carolina Association of Colleges and Universities
• North Carolina League of Nursing
• North Carolina Library Association
• North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction
• Southeastern Library Association
• Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges
• Southern Regional Education Board Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing
• Southern Universities Research Association
• University of North Carolina Exchange Program
• University of North Carolina Graduate Council

Degree and Certificate Programs Offered

The Graduate College at North Carolina A&T State University offers 9 doctoral degree programs (12 concentrations), 29 master’s degree programs (53 concentrations), one post-master’s certificate program, and 8 post-baccalaureate certificate programs in collaboration with the following schools and colleges: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Business and Economics, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Science and Technology, and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Currently, six graduate programs including one doctoral program, five master’s programs and one post-baccalaureate certificate program are available through distance education.

In 2016, the US News and World Report published its rankings that included the following A&T programs: Rehabilitation Counseling was ranked 58th, Industrial and Systems Engineering was ranked 66th; the master’s in Social Work (joint with UNCG) was ranked 78th; the Electrical Engineering program was ranked 139th. The US News and World Report publication ranked the online master’s program in Information Technology at 28th place and the online Graduate Education programs at 153rd place. Furthermore, N.C. A&T is ranked #16 out of 26 programs in the Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs for Veterans, and #112 out of 156 Best Online Graduate Education Programs for Veterans.

A complete list of programs offered is given below.

Doctoral Degrees

• Ph.D. Applied Science and Technology
• Ph.D. Computational Data Science and Engineering
• Ph.D. Computer Science
• Ph.D. Electrical Engineering
• Ph.D. Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Ph.D. Leadership Studies *
• Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering
• Ph.D. Nanoengineering
• Ph.D. Rehabilitation Counseling and Rehabilitation Counselor Education
• Ph.D. Social Work - Joint Program with UNC Greensboro

Masters Degrees

• Accountancy, M.Acc.
• Adult Education, M.S.
• Agricultural and Environmental Systems, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Integrated Animal Health Systems
  • Agribusiness & Food Industry Management
  • Natural Resources and Environmental Systems
• Agricultural Education M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Professional Licensure
  • Professional Service
• Applied Mathematics, M.S.
• Bioengineering, M.S.
• Biology, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Biology
  • Industrial Biosciences (PSM)
• Business Administration, M.B.A. with concentrations in:
  • Accounting
  • Human Resource Management
  • Supply Chain Systems
• Chemical Engineering, M.S.
• Chemistry, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Chemistry
  • Developmental and Applied Chemistry (PSM)
• Civil Engineering, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
• Computer Science, M.S.
• Data Science and Engineering, M.S.
• Electrical Engineering, M.S.
• Elementary Education, M.A.Ed.
• English and African American Literature
• Food and Nutritional Science, M.S.
• Industrial and Systems Engineering, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Industrial and Systems Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
• Information Technology, M.S.*
• Master of Arts in Teaching, M.A.T.* with concentrations in:
  • Biology Education
  • Business Education
  • Chemistry Education
  • Child Development: Early Education & Family Studies Birth-K
  • Elementary Education
  • English Education
  • Family and Consumer Sciences Education
  • History Education
  • Math Education
  • Physical Education
  • Special Education
  • Technology Education
• Mechanical Engineering, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
• Mental Health Counseling, M.S. with concentrations in:
  • Clinical
  • Rehabilitation
• Nanoengineering, M.S.
• Physics, M.S.
• Reading Education, M.A.Ed.
• School Administration, M.S.A.
• School Counseling, M.S.
• Social Work, M.S.W. (Joint with UNCG)
• Technology Management, M.S. * with concentrations in:
  • Six Sigma
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Construction Management

Post Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

• Advanced Waste Management
• Community College Teaching
• Cybersecurity*
• Data Analytics*
• Data-Driven Modeling and Analysis of Complex Systems
• Family and Consumer Sciences*
• Human Lactation
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Certificate Program*
  • Interdisciplinary Environmental Engineering
  • Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences
  • Interdisciplinary Environmental Justice
  • Interdisciplinary Environmental Health and Safety
• International Agricultural Development and Engagement
• Marriage and Family Counseling
• Rehabilitation Counseling and Behavioral Addiction
• Rehabilitation Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
• Supply Chain Management
• Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment

Post Masters Certificate Programs

• School Administration

* Approved online programs

Distance Education

The Instructional Technology and Distance Education (ITSDE) office supports the use of educational technologies to enhance the teaching, learning, and research experiences of the faculty, students, and staff at the University. The ITSDE office provides support and infrastructure services to assist faculty with the development and continued maintenance of fully online, hybrid, and traditional face-to-face courses. The overall goal of the office is to enhance faculty-student interactions, increase student engagement with course materials, foster communication and collaboration, and increase opportunities for students to develop their skills for the workforce and lifelong learning.

The following units report to this office: Learning Management Systems, Instructional Design Services, Classroom Technology Services, Technology Training, Multimedia Support, and Program and Student Support for Distance Education.

ITSDE works in close cooperation with the academic colleges to administer online courses, certificates, and degree programs to students seeking convenient and cost-efficient opportunities to complete their education. All online courses at the University are delivered through an online Learning Management System (LMS) that allows the University to deliver quality instruction in a web-based format that mirrors instruction offered in traditional face-to-face settings. Students and faculty interact via online group discussion sessions, interactive video classrooms, streamed videos, and web conferencing sessions. Students are required to log into the LMS using a secured username and password to gain access to course materials, assignments, and other important items related to their classes.

Effective Fall 2016, the University offers 15 Distance Education (DE) programs including eight (8) undergraduate degree programs (offering 13 concentrations), five (5) master’s degree programs (offering 10 concentrations), and three certificate programs as listed below. For a complete list of DE programs please visit this website.

Graduate degree programs:

1. Agricultural Education, M.S.
2. Business Administration, M.B.A.
3. Information Technology, M.S.
4. Teaching, M.A.T.
   • Biology Education
   • Business Education
   • Chemistry Education
   • Elementary Education
   • English Education
   • Family and Consumer Sciences
   • History Education
   • Mathematics Education
   • Technology Education
5. Technology Management, M.S.

Certificate programs:

1. Cybersecurity (post baccalaureate)
2.  Data Analytics (post baccalaureate)
3. Family and Consumer Science (advanced)
4. Family Financial Planning
5. International Agricultural Development and Engagement(post baccalaureate)
6. Occupational Safety and Health

Summer School

The Office of Summer Sessions is committed to providing exemplary services to fulfill the educational and professional development needs of a diverse community of learners. The Office of Summer Sessions additionally provides a unique opportunity for the University to expand its capacity to offer courses for traditional and non-traditional students by offering educational opportunities during the summer in compact sessions.

Summer Sessions helps bridge the academic year by creating a continuous flow of learning opportunities for the university and the community-at- large while serving as a catalyst for the advancement and enhancement of lifelong learning. Consequently, students may optimize their efforts to remain on schedule for projected degree completion thus promoting higher graduation rates.

The Office of Summer Sessions features several convenient sessions of varying lengths: two five-week sessions; one two-week intersession; and one 10-week dual session. Students may enroll in a maximum of seven credit hours in each five-week session and the dual session, and one three-credit hour course during the intersession. These sessions facilitate study aimed at meeting a wide range of educational, career, and personal enrichment goals. Sessions are specifically designed for community-wide accommodation through courses, study abroad experiences, internships, and other programs that promote diversity among populations.

Continuing Education

The Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development (OCEPD) offers certificate programs, courses, workshops and seminars for the working adult. The purpose of OCEPD is to extend the resources of the university to the community in accessible formats, and to assist the professional community stay abreast of cutting edge knowledge and practice. In collaboration with the academic departments, schools and colleges of the university, OCEPD offers professional development programming through industry partnerships, high tech training seminars, short courses, workshops, conferences, camps and pre-college activities for youth that supports learning, discovery and engagement.

The Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development sponsors both non-credit and contract credit programming. Continuing Education Units (CEU) may be awarded for successful completion of non-credit activities. OCEPD maintains permanent transcripts of all CEU earned.