Dean Robert Thomas, who had been dean of the College of Science and interim dean of Liberal Arts, will preside over the new combined college.

The Wayne State Board of Governors approved the merger unanimously in February. The merger was motivated by the opportunity to enhance research and increase academic benefits for students and the university.

"The new combined college has helped realign Wayne State's intellectual center and will further propel the university's combined mission of providing a strong core of studies for undergraduate students while further fulfilling its research mission in the graduate arena," said Wayne State's Senior Vice President and Provost Nancy Barrett. "We view the merger of the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Science as yet another important cornerstone in Wayne State University's ongoing effort toward building an institution that provides a world-class education in a vibrant urban setting."

The College of Liberal Arts had 13 departments and two programs. Those departments included: Africana Studies; anthropology, Classics Greek and Latin; criminal justice; economics; English; German and Slavic Studies; history; Near East and Asian Studies; philosophy; political science; romance languages and sociology.

The College of Science had nine departments and two programs. Those departments included: audiology and speech-language pathology; biological sciences; computer science; chemistry; geology; mathematics; nutrition and food science; physics and astronomy and psychology.

The combined CLAS will have 22 departments and four programs.

Overall Wayne State now offers more than 350 academic programs through 12 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.