Augsburg offers Argosy psychology students a lifeline

Argosy University, Twin Cities
Students walk through the atrium of Argosy University, Twin Cities on Thursday, March 7, 2019.
Peter Cox | MPR News File

Earlier this year, Argosy University shut its doors, leaving dozens of students with no place to finish their degrees. Now Augsburg University is hoping to get approval for a new doctoral psychology program that would let those students finish their degrees.

"We believe we have the ability to bring that program over to Augsburg," said Monica Devers, dean of professional studies and graduate education at Augsburg.

The goal is basically to create a situation that allows the Argosy students to pick up where they left off.

The university has received approval from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, and is waiting for approval from two other accrediting bodies.

Augsburg is planning to eventually open the program to students who hadn't been previously enrolled at Argosy.

The shut down threatened to exacerbate an existing shortage of mental health practitioners in Minnesota.

"[T]his Psy.D. program is a way to help former Argosy University students while also meeting the growing demand for mental health services statewide," Devers said.

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