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Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§9417 Degree granting authority for Air University

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle D— - Air Force and Space Force › Part PART III— - TRAINING › Chapter CHAPTER 951— - TRAINING GENERALLY › § 9417

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The commander of Air University can give degrees to students who meet the school’s requirements, if the Air University faculty recommends it and the Secretary of the Air Force has issued the rules. Degrees cannot be given unless the Secretary of Education has recommended approval under the federal policy for federal agencies granting degrees, and the Air University is accredited by the proper civilian accrediting agency as the Secretary of Education decides. When the Defense Department asks to start or change degree‑granting authority, the Secretary of Defense must send the Armed Services Committees in the Senate and House a copy of the self‑assessment sent to the Department of Education’s advisory committee and the Secretary of Education’s recommendations and reasons. The Secretary of Defense must also report the reasoning for any proposed change and explain any accrediting agency decision not to accredit the University for any degree.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §9417

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in section 9414 and 9415 of this title, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force, the commander of the Air University may, upon the recommendation of the faculty of the Air University components, confer appropriate degrees upon graduates who meet the degree requirements.
(b)A degree may not be conferred under this section unless—
(1)the Secretary of Education has recommended approval of the degree in accordance with the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies; and
(2)the Air University is accredited by the appropriate civilian academic accrediting agency or organization to award the degree, as determined by the Secretary of Education.
(c)(1)When seeking to establish degree granting authority under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives—
(A)a copy of the self assessment questionnaire required by the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies, at the time the assessment is submitted to the Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; and
(B)the subsequent recommendations and rationale of the Secretary of Education regarding the establishment of the degree granting authority.
(2)Upon any modification or redesignation of existing degree granting authority, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the rationale for the proposed modification or redesignation and any subsequent recommendation of the Secretary of Education on the proposed modification or redesignation.
(3)The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing an explanation of any action by the appropriate academic accrediting agency or organization not to accredit the Air University to award any new or existing degree.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 9417 was renumbered section 9487 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232, § 806(a)(3), renumbered section 9317 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–232, § 809(a), substituted “section 9414 and 9415” for “section 9314 and 9315”. 2008—Pub. L. 110–417 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) and (b) relating to the authority of Air University to confer academic degrees and

Regulations

under which authority would be exercised. Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 110–181 added par. (4) and redesignated former par. (4) as (5). 2004—Pub. L. 108–375, § 556(c)(1), substituted “conferral of degrees” for “graduate-level degrees” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375, § 556(a), substituted “may confer academic degrees as follows:” for “may confer—” in introductory provisions, “The” for “the” in pars. (1) to (3), period for semicolon in par. (1), and period for “; and” in par. (2) and added par. (4). 1999—Pub. L. 106–65, § 543(b)(1), substituted “graduate-level degrees” for “master of airpower art and science” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–65, § 543(a), amended heading and text of subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Upon the recommendation of the faculty of the School of Advanced Airpower Studies of the Air University, the Commander of the university may confer the degree of master of airpower art and science upon graduates of the school who fulfill the requirements for the degree.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–417 applicable to any degree granting authority established, modified, or redesignated on or after Oct. 14, 2008, for an institution of professional military education referred to in such amendment, see section 543(j) of Pub. L. 110–417, set out as a note under section 2163 of this title.

Effective Date

Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IX, § 913(b), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2828, provided that: “The authority provided by section 9317(a) [now 9417(a)] of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall become effective on the date on which the Secretary of Education determines that the requirements established by the School of Advanced Airpower Studies of the Air University for the degree of master of airpower art and science are in accordance with generally applicable requirements for a degree of master of arts or a degree of master of science.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 9417

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73