Nine graduate students have been selected as the inaugural participants in the Graduate School’s Open Graduate Programs, allowing them to create their own expanded graduate curricula. The pilot program allows doctoral students the flexibility and resources to pursue a master’s degree in a secondary field while they earn their doctorates. The aim is to enhance the educational options for top graduate students, catalyze new interdisciplinary pursuits, and prepare students for the demands of the job market. Applicants to the program were invited to propose a combination of studies, explain their rationale, describe their career plans, and list the courses to be pursued for the master’s program. The Graduate School received 20 applications, which were reviewed by a team of deans and faculty spanning disciplines. The program begins with the 2012-13 academic year. More about participants