Daemen University has received approval from the New York State Board of Regents to amend its charter and master plan to offer academic doctorates. Daemen will be offering its first PhD program in Behavioral Science, further elevating the institution’s academic portfolio. 
Daemen currently offers 78 baccalaureate degrees, 35 master’s degrees, and four professional and clinical doctorates. While Daemen has offered professional doctorates for over two decades, the Behavioral Science PhD—one of only two programs of its kind offered in New York State—represents the university’s first academic doctorate.
“This is a major step forward for Daemen as an institution because the PhD is considered the highest degree that can be awarded in the United States,” said Daemen President Dr. Gary A. Olson. “Now that Daemen’s charter allows for the conferral of the PhD degree, we hope to develop more PhD programs in other disciplines in the future.”
“The addition of the PhD program in Behavioral Science is a natural expansion of Daemen’s master’s program in Applied Behavior Analysis,” said Dr. Lisa Rafalson, founding dean of the College of Health, Human Sciences, and Business. “The program focuses on developing leaders and social scientists who can apply behavioral science across diverse systems, settings, and populations. In addition to the core classes, the program will have three concentration areas in teaching, behavioral health, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
The 56-credit program will be offered in the evening to accommodate working professionals. Qualified applicants for the program must possess a master’s degree in behavioral analysis from an accredited college or university and have a 3.4 GPA or higher.
The first cohort is planned for fall 2026.