Ilitch School sees significant increase in graduate and undergraduate student enrollment
The Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University has seen a marked increase in enrollment for the Fall 2024 term, carrying through to Winter 2025. Overall enrollment has increased 8.7%, with first-time freshman enrollment increasing by 14.1%, and graduate enrollment increasing by an incredible 28.3%.
Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs and Enrollment Management Joey VanDevender is extremely pleased to see this growth in enrollment, commenting that "The enrollment growth and new program initiatives at the Mike Ilitch School of Business demonstrate our commitment to addressing the evolving needs of both the workforce and the broader educational landscape. By aligning our offerings with current industry trends, we are creating valuable opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to thrive and lead in today’s dynamic business environment."
The increase in enrollment was intentional and reflects a renewed focus on telling the story of why an Ilitch School of Business degree is a superb investment for a student. Dean Virginia Kleist indicates, “The Mike Ilitch School of Business provides a student with Top 100 Public University education, with excellent faculty and exceptional support, and it is of great value for a student who is seeking an edge in their business career. We are incredibly proud of the successes that our students achieve following their degree from Ilitch, and an increased awareness of this strong student outcome is what is driving our enrollment growth.”
This increase comes at a time when the Ilitch School has introduced changes to its curriculum to stay on the cutting edge of business education and provide the best service possible for its students.
These updates include hiring new faculty with a technology in business lens, including AI, cloud, data analytics and machine learning capabilities, creating new online offerings that allow for flexible learning environments and improved support services so students can find the resources they need to pursue their education, and take their career to the next level.
Tailored graduate level programs
New offerings at the graduate level allow students to have the educational experience that they want to have, and that will help them push their career to the next level.
The online Executive M.S. in Automotive Supply Chain provides students with an industry-approved curriculum designed for working professionals to advance their supply chain career in the automotive industry. Bolstered by a faculty who bring their real-world experience working for Ford, GM, Chrystler and numerous tier-one suppliers to the classroom so student can benefit from their years of experience.
Business and medicine are intertwined in a modern medical system, and the joint M.D./M.B.A. program reflects this interest. Students in this program take classes to earn an M.B.A. while in medical school, graduating with the experience they need to treat patients and the business acumen to advance further in their careers.
Another new offering, the Master's in Organizational Leadership (M.S.O.L.) is designed to turn today’s students into tomorrow’s industry leaders. Students in this program hone their leadership competencies through rigorous, evidence-based curriculum designed by faculty experts.
In response to an increase in non-business students seeking to become licensed CPAs, the new M.B.A./M.S. in Accounting program was introduced to fill this need. This innovative new offering helps students meet the educational requirements for CPA licensure, while providing a comprehensive business education.
Finally, the new, STEM designated Master's of Science in Finance prepares graduate students for the data-driven world of financial markets, with a program that teaches students the mathematics they need to make smart investment decisions, for themselves, and for their firms.