Academic highlights

The Mike Ilitch School of Business received reaccreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a distinction held by only 6% of business schools worldwide.

The school also opened the Student Engagement and Active Learning Lab, which offers customized individual and group tutoring, certification programs, and corporate and community engagement opportunities. Students benefit from career guidance and study skills development, which help lead to professional success.

These initiatives position students at the forefront of an evolving global marketplace while maintaining academic rigor and innovation.

The College of Education launched a community-based summer internship program, immersing students in local organizations to understand and address authentic community needs. Four new design labs are tackling community challenges in metro Detroit through collaborative partnerships: first-generation students and their families are learning to navigate college, youth-led research projects are transforming neighborhoods, STEM and health educators are using AI to enhance student learning, and Black and Bengali families are creating a community resource hub. Through these projects and showcases that bring faculty, community partners and residents together, the college is proving meaningful change happens when researchers and communities co-design solutions.

The James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering is advancing Wayne State’s College to Career initiative by giving students hands-on opportunities to solve real-world challenges through internships, competitions and industry projects in the Engineering Clinic. Research excellence is also on the rise, with expenditures up 52% since 2021. A record three faculty members — Drs. Zheng Dong, Mahbub Islam and Xingyu Zhou — received NSF CAREER Awards this year for projects in autonomous vehicles, next-generation batteries and trustworthy artificial intelligence, underscoring the college’s growing national impact.

This year, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA) launched the STiLE (Success Through Intentional Learning and Engagement) program to enhance student success. The National Forensic Association’s 54th national tournament welcomed more than 600 students and coaches from 74 institutions. Across CFPCA, nearly 20,000 guests attended music, theatre, dance and gallery event programs, while 6,000 K–12 students were engaged through strategic initiatives. A $3.2 million gift from the estate of Gretchen C. Valade will continue to support jazz programming.

The Graduate School launched the Accelerated Master’s Pathway (AMP) pilot program, giving undergraduate students an opportunity to earn graduate-level course credits in select master’s programs.

By participating in AMP, students can decrease the cost and time to get a graduate degree. AMP features six participating programs from three schools and colleges. Programs are open to all undergraduate students who have earned 75 credits and have a 3.0 GPA; some programs have additional requirements.

To see all participating programs and learn more about AMP, visit gradschool.wayne.edu/amp.

Honors continues to enhance campus life through its living learning communities; expanding global opportunities with Honors-specific study abroad programs; and welcoming the 10th Wayne Med-Direct cohort, a B.S./B.A. to M.D. pipeline. The college continues to grow thanks to increased philanthropic support and has launched new community-focused environmental internships aligned with the university’s College to Career initiatives. Looking ahead, Honors will continue to deepen its impact and prepare top students for leadership in a more just, healthy and sustainable world.

In March, the School of Information Sciences received renewed accreditation from the American Library Association for its master of library and information science degree. The school is one of only two library and information science programs in Michigan and the only completely online program.

The accreditation process involved two years of comprehensive self-evaluation and external review by distinguished practitioners and scholars. This review helps align the program with evolving professional needs and ensures quality education that prepares students for successful careers in libraries, archives, schools, health care, government and other organizations.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) continues to advance health care research with real-world impact. Psychology faculty received NIH support to study the effects of fentanyl during pregnancy, and chemistry researchers developed new methods to improve the effectiveness of MRIs. Meanwhile, CLAS’s communication sciences and disorders scholars confirmed the genetic roots of stuttering. These discoveries highlight the essential role of CLAS research in shaping healthier, stronger communities. Our students are a critical part of these discoveries, gaining hands-on experience alongside pioneering faculty that prepares them to excel in their careers.

The Law School is proactively developing innovative programs that align with the needs of employers and Detroit’s large health sector. The minor in law program provides a unique interdisciplinary opportunity to equip undergraduates from other schools and colleges with legal insight alongside their training. For example, students from the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences can gain an edge in health care careers that involve interaction with legal professionals or the legal system.

At the graduate level, Waye Law offers an online master of studies in law with a health law concentration, featuring courses on health care organizations, patient privacy, fraud prevention, public health law and more.

The School of Medicine educates more physicians for Michigan than any other medical school. More than 10,000 candidates nationwide compete for 300 slots annually. After four years of education and hands-on practice, the school graduates the largest class of physicians in the state. More than 50% of the class match with Michigan health systems, including the Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health, McLaren Health Care, Corewell Health and Trinity Health, for residencies. Because history indicates students who perform residencies in Michigan are more likely to remain in the state for their full careers, the School of Medicine is the leading producer of doctors for the state.

For 80 years, the College of Nursing has prepared nurse clinicians, leaders and scientists to advance health in Detroit and beyond. With nationally ranked B.S.N., M.S.N. and DNP programs, the college is Michigan’s #2 nursing school. For 50 years, its Ph.D. program has produced cutting-edge scientists for the research community.

For more than 100 years, the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has educated and trained generations of health care professionals. More than 90% of Wayne State’s pharmacy and health sciences students secure positions in their chosen field upon graduation. In addition to career training, WSU Applebaum advances knowledge through research, as investigators work toward groundbreaking innovations that lead to healthier lives.

As it celebrates 90 years of turning “Compassion into Action,” the School of Social Work continues its legacy of equity-centered education while driving statewide impact. Today, it’s transforming Michigan’s behavioral health response through applied research, workforce training and cross-sector collaboration. Through the Center for Social Work Research and the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, the school advances innovative, community-informed solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. With MDHHS, it launched the Behavioral Health Crisis Provider Training to equip frontline workers with crisis response skills and continuing education. And a $4 million grant supports efforts to align 911 and 988 systems with behavioral health services, advancing the school’s mission to build healthier, more responsive communities.