What year did A&T grant its first Ph.D. degree?

What year did A&T grant its first Ph.D. degree?

• A. 1996
• B. 1994
• C. 1989
• D. 2000

Answer: (A)

The main idea this question tests is when NC A&T first conferred a Doctor of Philosophy degree, marking its emergence as a doctoral-granting institution. In the mid-1990s the university expanded its graduate programs and research infrastructure, and the first PhD was awarded in 1996. This milestone reflects the university’s growth in faculty expertise, doctoral supervision, and the ability to support original research at the highest level. The other years would place the milestone either before the institution had built the necessary doctoral programs or after it had already established them, whereas 1996 is the point at which the first PhD actually came to conferment.

The main idea this question tests is when NC A&T first conferred a Doctor of Philosophy degree, marking its emergence as a doctoral-granting institution. In the mid-1990s the university expanded its graduate programs and research infrastructure, and the first PhD was awarded in 1996. This milestone reflects the university’s growth in faculty expertise, doctoral supervision, and the ability to support original research at the highest level. The other years would place the milestone either before the institution had built the necessary doctoral programs or after it had already established them, whereas 1996 is the point at which the first PhD actually came to conferment.