Lehigh University’s College of Education, a highly-ranked graduate program, faced a significant challenge: their website didn’t match their reputation or meet the needs of its users. The outdated design failed to convey the College’s standing as a leader in education, and its confusing navigation made it difficult for prospective students to explore the unique structure of their programs. This resulted in a steady stream of inquiries for information already available on the site—highlighting the site’s lack of clarity and accessibility. Lehigh recognized the need for a complete website refresh that would not only reflect the College’s distinct strengths and innovative work but also improve usability for prospective students, faculty, and other key audiences. The goal: create a digital presence that mirrors the College’s excellence while reducing friction and redundant inquiries.
Project Highlights
- Reorganized program structure around subjects rather than degree types, making it easier for prospective students to explore academic offerings and find the right path.
- Introduced a redesigned Events section to spotlight the College’s vibrant academic community, improving visibility and engagement for key events.
- Created a modern, user-friendly website experience that reflects the College’s academic excellence, reduces redundant inquiries, and supports prospective students, faculty, and partners.
Helping Students Find Their Path
The College of Education offers a wide range of academic pathways, including master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, certificates, and certifications, with many opportunities for students to combine credentials. To better align with how prospective students search for programs, we helped the College reorganize their website’s structure, shifting from a degree type-first presentation to a subject-first approach.
This reorganization makes it easier for students to explore their academic interests without having to sift through complex program details upfront. Redesigned subject area pages now provide a clear, streamlined overview of all degree and certification options within each field of study. Visitors can quickly grasp the full range of opportunities available, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate their academic journey with confidence.
Elevating Events with Clarity and Impact
The College hosts a diverse range of events, from intimate thesis and dissertation defenses to high-profile, campus-wide speakers discussing critical education topics. However, these events previously lacked prominence on the website and often blended into the broader site content, making them difficult to find or fully appreciate.
To address this, we introduced an updated Events component and dedicated Events pages that elevate this important content. The new design gives these events the attention they deserve, with layouts that highlight key details like date, time, and location at a glance. Additionally, the enhanced structure allows users to easily explore related events, fostering greater engagement and helping the College better showcase its vibrant academic community.
