| Date of Event | Announced Dec. 5, 2025; program set to start in the spring 2026 semester |
|---|---|
| Primary Location | University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM), Monticello, Drew County |
| Key Entities | UAM; Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE); Arkansas Forest Resources Center |
| Outcome | HLC approval; first Ph.D. at UAM and the first Ph.D. in forest resources in Arkansas |
MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) is set to offer a Ph.D. in forest resources in the spring 2026 semester after winning approval from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The program is the first Ph.D. at UAM and the first Ph.D. in forest resources in Arkansas, the university said.
Approvals Behind the UAM Forest Resources Ph.D.
- October 2024: UAM Board of Trustees approved the program
- January 2025: Arkansas Division of Higher Education Coordinating Board approved a Role and Scope change that lets UAM offer doctoral degrees
- Late 2025: Higher Learning Commission approval
Ph.D. Funding, Faculty and Tuition
UAM says 20 faculty members with forestry and natural resource expertise support the program, along with about $6 million in active grants, private research endowments and a partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Doctoral students would receive full tuition coverage through apprenticeships, with stipends funded by research grants and endowments. UAM says graduates are expected to earn starting salaries of $67,000 to $144,000.
UAM is the only Arkansas university with an accredited bachelor’s degree in forestry and offers the state’s only master’s degree and graduate certificate in forestry. UAM College of Technology-Crossett and College of Technology-McGehee offer technical certificates and associate degrees in the field, so the Ph.D. completes a full ladder of degrees.
“Students will receive the highest level of mentoring from our faculty on research, teaching and outreach.”
— Dr. Michael Blazier, dean of the UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, in the UAM news release
Contact and Related Coverage
Contact Dr. Michael Blazier at [email protected] or 870-460-1152. UAM said doctoral students would use the Arkansas Forest Health Research Center, then under construction on the Monticello campus. See UAM to hold ribbon-cutting for the center and UAM fall headcount rises 23%. More: Monticello news and school news.
Source: University of Arkansas at Monticello (Dec. 5, 2025).
