Wayne State University has announced it will provide Graduate Program Enhancement Awards of $1.5 million over the next two years, with $250,000 in funding provided to six doctoral programs. The departments of Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology, Biomedical Engineering, Communication, Instructional Technology, Physiology and Psychology were selected as this year’s recipients. Programs will add faculty, support students and improve facilities to provide graduate students with exceptional training in top-notch programs.

The Graduate Program Enhancement Awards are part of WSU President Irvin D. Reid’s broader vision for the university. Consistent with other recent investments in research and graduate education, the awards will advance work in instructional technology, communication, biomedical science and engineering and will extend cooperation across disciplines and the global community.

"To advance graduate education at WSU, we need to sharpen the research focus of some of our best programs and build on our strengths," says Nancy S. Barrett, provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs. “Quality programs are the only way we can attract and retain superior faculty and provide students with the cutting-edge training that they need to be competitive in a knowledge-based economy and society.”

The deans of the university’s 11 schools and colleges nominated programs for the awards, and the programs each submitted a plan to Provost Barrett for program improvement.

This is the second year Wayne State has provided enhancement awards to graduate programs. Last year, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Political Science were selected. Commenting on the effect of the enhancement, Chemistry doctoral student Teresa D’Amico noted, “We may not be a Big 10 school, but in terms of quality programs, we are a Big 10 program.”

For more information about Wayne State University\'s Graduate School, visit www.gradadmissions.wayne.edu or call (313) 577-3577.
Wayne State University has nearly 13,000 graduate and professional students who choose from more than 60 doctoral degree programs, 130 master’s degree programs and 30-plus certificate, specialist and professional programs.