CSULB elevated to Doctoral University: High Research Activity designation

Cal State Long Beach has been elevated to "Doctoral University: High Research Activity (R2)" status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, in recognition of the University’s evolution from a master’s-level comprehensive institution to one that awards doctorates. 

The Beach offers two independent doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership from the College of Education and Doctor of Physical Therapy from the College of Health and Human Services, and two joint degrees at the doctoral level. 

Those two joint degrees are a Ph.D. in Engineering and Computational Mathematics with Claremont Graduate University, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Los Angeles.

The engineering joint doctoral program was created to combine computational mathematics with one or more branches of engineering at both the academic and research levels. It draws upon the expertise of research faculty at both institutions to integrate advanced techniques of mathematical analysis with advanced engineering coursework and research. 

The DNP is offered through the Southern California CSU DNP Consortium. It is a professional practice degree designed to prepare advanced practice nurses for complex practice and leadership roles at the clinical setting as well as teaching roles.

"Beach faculty members have created opportunities for professional advancement through their contributions to our professional doctoral programs," President Jane Close Conoley said. "Graduates of these programs assumed influential leadership roles in health care, education and engineering. These doctoral programs fill a critical need in California for professionals prepared at the highest level."

Universities are given R2 status if they awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctorates in 2019-20 or awarded at least 30 professional practice doctorates across at least two programs.

The Carnegie Classification has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in higher education across the United States for more than four decades. This framework has been widely used in the study of higher education, both to represent and account for institutional differences, as well as in the design of research studies to ensure adequate representation of sampled institutions, students or faculty. 

This new designation also reflects the faculty’s continued commitment to engaging students in undergraduate and graduate research.