Marygrove College To End Undergraduate Programs, Offer Master's Degrees Only

DETROIT (WWJ) - Major changes are coming at Marygrove College.

Administrators announced Wednesday that the college, located along McNichols Road and Wyoming Avenue in Detroit, will close its undergraduate programs and offer master's degree programs only.

President Elizabeth Burns says Marygrove has experienced the same enrollment and financial issues as many liberal arts colleges across the country and the state, and a recent analysis found that the college is not sustainable in its current business model.

"Vigorous marketing and recruitment efforts have failed to provide sufficient revenue from our undergraduate programs to continue operations as usual," Burns said in a statement. "Given the downward trend in Marygrove enrollment, and the plight of other liberal arts colleges, the Marygrove Board of Trustees determined that transitioning the college to a graduate-only institution was the best course of action."

Undergraduate enrollment is projected to be lower than last fall.

The college will help current students in finding other colleges and universities to attend. Marygrove is also assisting affected faculty and staff with their career transition.

The change will take place at the start of the Winter 2018 semester.

"We know of no other college in the country that has made this type of transformation," Burns said. "Marygrove is grateful for this opportunity to reinvent ourselves to remain viable for the future. ... We have seen our alumni make a positive impact on our world by living the ideals known here as the three C's: competence, compassion and commitment. Marygrove is committed to continuing that legacy."

In recent years, Marygrove enrollment peaked in 2013 with more than 1,850 graduate and undergraduate students. In Fall 2016, total enrollment had fallen to 966.