Oakland University extends long-standing enrollment growth trend
Anticipating its 15th straight year of enrollment growth, Oakland University is now home to 19,390 students. To date, the fall 2012 semester has welcomed 16,106 undergraduates and 3,284 graduate students.
Growth has been fueled primarily by a 2.1 percent surge in undergraduate enrollment, which includes a 4 percent increase in the number of freshmen. Also, the 1,983 transfer students joining the Golden Grizzlies community this fall represent a 5.3 percent jump over last year's contingent and the largest class of transfer students in the university's history.
"Oakland continues to attract not only a greater number of students each year, but students with increasingly impressive academic accomplishments," said OU President Gary Russi. "I have no doubt that this comes as a result of the tremendous work our faculty and support staff have done to expand the quality and diversity the educational opportunities we offer."
Oakland University continues to introduce new undergraduate and graduate programs designed to meet the needs of Michigan's new economy and evolving workforce, as well as to prepare students for academic and research careers that will help expand the cultural, social and scientific knowledge base the nation relies on to advance our quality of life. Prospective OU students can currently choose from 133 bachelor's degree programs and 128 graduate degree and certificate programs.
A growing number of programs at the graduate level also have helped spur enrollment gains this fall. Oakland has seen a 12.7 percent increase in new students pursuing master's degrees – primarily in engineering, business and the liberal arts – as well as a 19 percent increase in post-graduate, professional development students.
Across the board, enrollment gains have been concentrated in OU's School of Engineering and Computer Science, and School of Health Sciences, both of which have welcomed double-digit growth. The College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Business Administration also have welcomed appreciable growth.
"Oakland remains one of the most affordable universities in Michigan, and we're offering world-class education that has created and will continue to create life enriching opportunities for our students," Russi said.
"We're thrilled to see our recent growth by the numbers, but our greatest pride is in the remarkable contributions our students and alumni are making to the world around them. Seeing this is what has inspired us to encourage current and future students to reach beyond the ordinary."
To learn more about Oakland University and the wide array of programs and services it offers, visit oakland.edu.
Anticipating its 15th straight year of enrollment growth, Oakland University is now home to 19,390 students.
Created by Katherine Land - Deleted (land@oakland.edu) on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 Modified by David Groves (groves@oakland.edu) on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Article Start Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012
