NSU Awards Most Doctoral Degrees Nationally to Hispanics for Fourth Consecutive Year

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla., June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nova Southeastern University (NSU) was recently ranked as the number one institution in the nation for the number of doctoral degrees awarded to Hispanic students. The ranking was published in the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine's 2012 "Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics" edition.

For the fourth consecutive year, NSU earned the top spot on the list for doctoral degrees awarded in such high-demand fields as education, business, psychology, dental medicine, law, osteopathic medicine and others, with 279 degrees conferred on Hispanic students out of the 1,699 total conferred in 2011. NSU was also the highest ranking private non-profit university, coming in second overall, conferring master's degrees to Hispanic students, with 812 degrees conferred in 2011.

NSU prides itself on providing a quality education for those who want to excel in their studies and chosen field. The university had 6,492 students who identified as Hispanic as of fall 2011, which makes up 23% of the overall university population of 28,457 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and first-professional students. Thirty-three percent of the university's undergraduate population is Hispanic.

"We are honored to be ranked number one nationally in conferring doctoral degrees to Hispanic students for the fourth year in a row," said NSU President George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. "Diversity is one of NSU's eight core values and we pride ourselves on being as diverse as the South Florida community that we call home."

NSU's core value on diversity reads:

Diversity includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, philosophy, gender, physical, socioeconomic status, age and sexual orientation. Differences in views, interpretations and reactions derived from diversity are important. Diversity enriches a learning environment focused on preparing individuals to live and work in a global society.

NSU received a $2.87 million Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2010 to increase academic opportunities for Hispanic students and other minorities. The five-year grant is designed to help more students succeed in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). More specifically, the grant aims to increase enrollment, retention and graduation rates of Hispanics and other students at NSU's Oceanographic Center, which focuses heavily on science and research. Data from the federal government indicates that graduation rates in STEM-oriented programs for Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans are disproportionately low.

The U.S. Department of Education's Title V grant program helps eligible institutions of higher education enhance and expand their capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen academic quality. The grants are awarded to colleges and universities that serve Hispanic students.

According to the Magazine's website, Hispanic Outlook used data that "are derived from various lists compiled by NCES and its Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System" to compile the rankings. The rankings for degrees awarded were based on 2011 data. The full report is available on Hispanic Outlook's website here: http://www.hispanicoutlook.com/top-100-schools/

About Nova Southeastern University: Located in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited Florida University dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 28,000 students and is the eighth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The University awards associate's, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, specialist, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences.  Classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU was also awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification in 2010 for the University's significant commitment to and demonstration of community engagement. For more information about NSU visit www.nova.edu.

SOURCE Nova Southeastern University