172.280.  Authority to confer degrees — only public research university and exclusive grantor of certain degrees. — The curators shall have the authority to confer, by diploma, under their common seal, on any person whom they may judge worthy thereof, such degrees as are known to and usually granted by any college or university.  The University of Missouri is the state's only public research university.  As such, the University of Missouri shall be the only state college or university that may offer research doctorates, doctor of philosophy degrees, or first-professional degrees, including dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine, except as provided in sections 174.160 and 175.040.