University of Phoenix

Phoenix – September 26, 2026 -- A peer-reviewed study from University of Phoenix examining AI-supported storytelling in environmental science education has been named an Editor's Choice paper by the journal Glacies.

Study links AI-generated imagery to measurable gains in student engagement

The paper, "Harnessing AI, Virtual Landscapes, and Anthropomorphic Imaginaries to Enhance Environmental Science Education at Jökulsárlón Proglacial Lagoon, Iceland," was published in February 2026. It reports that 87.1% of surveyed students enjoyed the anthropomorphic narratives used in the course, while 82.0% agreed the approach reinforced systems thinking.

PHOENIX – September 20, 2026 -- New peer-reviewed research from University of Phoenix found that non-traditional undergraduate students who used generative AI tools more frequently reported higher GPAs and greater confidence in technology skills, contradicting assumptions that GenAI is primarily a crutch for struggling or time-pressed learners.

The study, "Strategic Integration or Skill Compensation? Understanding GenAI Use in Online Higher Education," was published June 30, 2026, in Artificial Intelligence in Education, Vol. 2, No. 1, pages 205-223. It was authored by researchers affiliated with the University's Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR): Jessica Sylvester, EdD; Melinda Kulick, EdD; Leonidas Maganares, EdD; and Stella Smith, PhD.

Phoenix – September 19, 2026 -- A peer-reviewed study of 380 U.S. college graduates has identified curriculum-career alignment as the highest-rated strategy for building employability, ahead of critical thinking training and real-world application opportunities.

Researchers surveyed 380 graduates across 11 employability strategies

The mixed-methods study, published in the International Journal of Innovative Business Strategies under the title "Graduate Employability in a Changing World," was conducted by scholars affiliated with the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR) at University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies. Respondents ranked connecting curriculum to careers as the top employability factor, followed by teaching critical thinking and adaptability, incorporating real-world applications, and encouraging internships or employment.

Phoenix – September 18, 2026 -- University of Phoenix has signed a new articulation agreement with York Technical College, giving eligible graduates of the South Carolina community college a defined transfer pathway into the university's online bachelor's degree programs.

University accepts up to 90 transfer credits under new pact

Under the agreement, eligible York Technical College students can apply up to 87 transfer credits toward many bachelor's degree programs at University of Phoenix, with select programs allowing up to 90 credits. The deal adds to a network the university describes as more than 500 articulation agreements with community colleges nationwide, alongside transfer credit acceptance from over 5,000 accredited institutions.

Phoenix – September 17, 2026 -- Ninety-eight percent of managers who directly supervise University of Phoenix graduates report overall satisfaction with those employees, and 97% say they would likely hire another University of Phoenix graduate in the future, according to new research from The Harris Poll commissioned by the university.

Harris Poll surveys 408 U.S. managers to benchmark employer experience

The Harris Poll conducted an online survey from June 4-25, 2026, among 204 U.S. managers supervising at least one University of Phoenix graduate and 204 managers supervising graduates from other colleges and universities. Of 1,796 individuals contacted, 96% met screening requirements (n=1,728), and 24% of the qualified sample completed the survey. Results carry a Bayesian credible interval of ±8.6 percentage points for the University of Phoenix group and ±8.0 percentage points for the benchmark group at a 95% confidence level.

Phoenix – September 16, 2026 -- University of Phoenix's College of Doctoral Studies will convene its 13th annual Knowledge Without Boundaries Summit on October 22-23, 2026, a fully online research conference featuring more than 90 research and scholarship presentations across disciplines.

Summit centers on research amid uncertainty and disruption

Co-sponsored by the Research and Scholarship Enterprise (RSE) and the College of Doctoral Studies, the event is themed "Research as Sense-Making in Times of Uncertainty" and titled "Exploring Scholarship, Society and Change." The interdisciplinary program addresses research practices during crisis and transition, methodological innovation amid data ambiguity, research ethics in high-stakes environments, and digital methods including artificial intelligence and algorithmic sense-making.

Phoenix – September 12, 2026 -- University of Phoenix will join Jobs for the Future (JFF), VOA Northern Rockies, Ochsner Health and Skillmore in a webinar on September 24, 2026, examining how employers can deploy AI-powered skills intelligence to map workforce capabilities and build internal mobility pathways.

Nearly 40% of core job skills will shift by 2030, WEF data shows

The webinar, titled "Making Skills Work: How Employers are Helping Workers Navigate Growth, Mobility, and Change," runs from 12:00pm ET to 9:00am PT. Organizers cite the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, which projects that nearly 40% of workers' core skills will change by 2030, as the driver behind employer demand for skills-intelligence tools.