About the Platform
Michigan General Education Resource
A research-grade platform consolidating institutional requirements, enrollment data, transfer policy, and scholarly context for Michigan higher education.
Mission
Making Michigan general education transparent, comparable, and research-ready
The Michigan General Education Resource Platform consolidates institutional requirements, enrollment and transfer data, and scholarly context into a single research-grade environment. Our mission is to reduce information asymmetry across Michigan higher education so students, advisors, faculty, and policy researchers can make evidence-based decisions about curriculum, transfer, and workforce alignment.
Why this platform exists
General education is the shared foundation of undergraduate learning — yet requirements vary dramatically across Michigan's diverse higher education landscape. Students navigating transfer, advisors building degree plans, and faculty revising curricula all need the same underlying facts presented in comparable form.
Official data exists across IPEDS, state agencies, institutional catalogs, and transfer agreements, but it is fragmented across siloed websites, PDF catalogs, and proprietary systems. This platform was built to bridge that gap with a research-oriented information architecture designed for both public access and scholarly reuse.
Platform at a glance
Key metrics reflecting the scope of Michigan higher education coverage and research infrastructure on this platform.
149+
Platform pages
Structured routes across institutions, data, research, and case studies
Mission pillars
Transparency
Publish structured, navigable profiles for all 89 Michigan institutions with consistent categories for general education, transfer, and enrollment context.
Comparability
Enable side-by-side analysis of gen ed frameworks, MTA alignment, and program enrollment patterns across public, private, and community college sectors.
Research integrity
Document methodology, cite primary sources, and maintain import-ready data models that support longitudinal study and institutional case work.
Explore the platform
Quick navigation to purpose, team mission, references, and the Research Center.
Project development timeline
Milestones from initial research framing through institutional case studies and P–20 pathway expansion.
- Foundation
Research concept and scope definition
Initial framing of Michigan general education as a statewide comparability problem. Literature review and stakeholder interviews informed platform architecture priorities.
- Foundation
Institution catalog and map launch
Structured profiles for 89 Michigan institutions with interactive map visualization, sector filters, and baseline enrollment metadata.
- Expansion
General education comparison module
Side-by-side gen ed frameworks for public universities, MTA category mapping, and transfer policy crosswalks.
- Integration
Data dashboards and workforce alignment
IPEDS enrollment trends, BLS occupational projections, and program enrollment analytics integrated into unified dashboards.
- Research
Research Center and publication library
Scholarly publications, policy documents, national and Michigan timelines, and thematic research areas published for public access.
- Research
Ferris State University case study
Institutional deep dive documenting FSU general education history, competency frameworks, assessment data, and governance structures.
- Expansion
High school and program enrollment sections
Michigan Merit Curriculum alignment, college readiness indicators, and CTE/program enrollment analytics added to support P–20 pathways research.
Featured sections
Ready to explore Michigan general education?
Start with our institution map, dive into the Research Center, or review the scholarly references that inform research integrity.