and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission. Enrollment at the university dropped sharply at the beginning of World War II, dropping to 161 in 1945. However, the end of World War II brought increased enrollment as returning veterans continued their education.
The end of the war also expanded programs beyond teaching degrees, especially in the fields of art and science. To reflect this growth, the school changed its name to Arizona State College at Flagstaff in 1945 and, in 1958, became Arizona State College. Also in 1958, the world-renowned forestry program was started.
=== Transition to Northern Arizona University ===
With further growth over the next two decades, the Arizona Board of Regents granted Arizona State College university status as Northern Arizona University in 1966. The university received authorization to offer Doctors of Philosophy and Education in 1968, with the first doctoral candidates graduating in …
