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We recently launched the Physics & Astronomy department website (opens new window). This site fits within the established Planetarium theme (opens new window). Physics is one of the few College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (opens new window) departments that have broken away from their standard template to focus on a brand that resonates with their primary audience.

Visuals

In order to effectively pull in prospective students we had think like a student looking for a physics or astronomy degree. A large centerpiece image shows off activities in the department. The goal is to attract a student by showing things they could be working on if they enroll. We made sure to also highlight the related programs in promotion buttons on the left hand side. These are supporting reasons a student would pick Wayne State over others schools.

As we evaluated the offerings of the department we ran in to a little confusion about which degrees were offered at each level. We set out to solve this with the new design by highlighting the degree types on the homepage in a multi-column view. In addition, we have a more detailed table on the programs page (opens new window). This allows a student to see what is available at a glance without having to struggle to find information.

Content

Program descriptions and course listings were on the top of our needs list. Without an accurate and complete description and list of requirements, students won't be confident in their decision about applying to the program. Creating confidence is the main goal of the content on this site. We ensured every page was hand transferred to its new location and revised for accuracy.

Extending beyond the Web

As an added bonus to using the main university CMS and events calendar is the ability to extend their information beyond their website. Events get promoted across multiple Web areas including the student portal, Today@Wayne newsletter (opens new window) and mobile app. The physics department also has a digital sign in their space that promotes local news, events and features on faculty. All of this information pulls from the same place and on the same schedule so there is no need to enter news and events more than once.

Visit the new Physics & Astronomy website at: http://physics.wayne.edu/ (opens new window)