Washington & Jefferson dips its toe into graduate programs, but leaders of the traditionally undergraduate college admit it’s a balancing act.

Inside Higher Ed reports.

Washington & Jefferson balances new programs with old emphasis

Washington & Jefferson College leaders want to make sure a new foray into graduate education doesn’t cause an identity crisis.

The small, 1,400-student liberal arts college about 45 minutes southwest of Pittsburgh announced in January it was starting new graduate programs in applied health care economics, professional writing, professional accounting and thanatology — the study of death, dying and bereavement. The move represents the institution’s first foray since 1984 into master’s degrees, and it only came after years of discussion about how to best meet a changing higher education market.

This summer, Washington & Jefferson held some of its first new graduate classes. But it is also still planning the launch of several of the programs announced in January. And it will remain open to tweaks and changes if, say, students prove more interested in certificate programs.