This summer, the state legislature granted Missouri State University authority to independently offer Doctor of Philosophy degree programs. The new law removes the University of Missouri system’s exclusive authority to grant research doctorates and certain professional degrees.

Following that landmark announcement, a month later, enter Dr. Johannes Strobel as new dean of the Graduate College Missouri State.

Now four months into the role, one of Strobel’s main priorities is to help guide the university though what this new law means. Strobel’s most asked question: What PhD programs will the university pursue?

“The process or path to get to a research doctorate is very interesting,” he said. “We are lucky because (most universities) are thinking in this climate of cutting down PhDs. They are stuck with PhD programs that were designed 100 years ago and they are all mostly in the same mold.

“We get to be really innovative. That means for us, our process, first and foremost, needs to be unlearning what we all know about PhD program. We will not be competing, and we shouldn’t be competing with the places that offer PhD programs now for 150 years.”

As Strobel works through the intricacies of developing PhD programs, he notes that recruitment and retention of students will always be the name of the game.

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