Crossword Genius

State requiring a student with a couple of degrees (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

alabama

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'state' is the definition.
(Alabama is an example)

'a student with a couple of degrees' is the wordplay.
'a couple of degrees' means two replacements for 'degree'.
'a student with' becomes 'ala' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'degree' becomes 'ba' (Bachelor of Arts).
'degree' becomes 'ma' (Master of Arts is a type of degree).
'ala'+'ba'+'ma'='ALABAMA'

'requiring' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for alabama that I've seen before include "Somewhere in US" , "Southern American state" , "US state known as the Heart of Dixie" , "US state, capital Montgomery" , "SE US state" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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