The Graduate Program Viability Playbook

Launching a new graduate program is a big deal. It’s a chance to innovate, attract new students and grow enrollment and the brand of your institution. But as someone who’s worked in higher ed marketing for over a decade, I’ve seen how these rollouts can fall short when marketing isn’t brought in early or when critical steps are rushed. Programs are sometimes named without considering their organic search potential, marketing teams are given unrealistic timelines, or there’s no dedicated budget for new digital campaigns.

As marketers, we have a unique role to play in fostering the success of new programs. Marketing can help institutions avoid common pitfalls and set new offerings up for long-term success. Here’s how we can do it:

Step 1: Start with Program Viability Research

Before investing in a new program, it’s essential to assess its viability. This goes beyond academic interest — it’s about understanding whether the program can thrive in a competitive and increasingly saturated market. After all, every marketer has faced the moment when a program like 'underwater basket weaving' lands on their desk, pitched as the next big thing. And yes, you’re expected to generate leads for it! Marketing can lead the charge by providing data-driven insights to ensure the program has a real shot at success.

Naming a program based on internal jargon or faculty preferences without considering how prospective students search online is not a recipe for success; a name with poor search potential limits discoverability from the start. Instead, use carefully researched data to make your case. This may be an internal battle, but it’s worth the fight. 

Step 2: Build Internal Collaboration Early

Collaboration between marketing, academic departments, and enrollment teams can make or break a program launch. Unfortunately, in many institutions, marketing is brought in late or given insufficient information to craft a cohesive strategy.

Why Collaboration Matters:

• Early alignment ensures unified messaging that resonates with prospective students.
• Marketing can guide decisions on audience targeting, key program features to highlight, and the optimal time to launch campaigns.
• Enrollment teams can share insights into what resonates with students during the application process of similar programs.

I’ve been involved in many program launches, but the most successful one was when I was included in the discovery phase — well before the program went for accreditation approval. The original program name wasn’t optimized for organic or paid search, but because I was involved early, I was able to conduct keyword research and propose alternative names that aligned with how prospective students search online. That early collaboration ensured the program was positioned for search success from the start. 

Encourage program directors to involve marketing during the program development phase. Regular meetings between departments can streamline efforts and reduce last-minute challenges. 

Step 3: Develop a Realistic Timeline

Rolling out a new graduate program is not an overnight task. It requires time to build program pages, landing pages, and digital campaigns — and to test them before going live. And more importantly, nurturing the leads through the enrollment funnel takes time. Schools that rush this process can face significant consequences.

While the timeline varies by program level, give marketing teams at least 6-12 months to develop a comprehensive strategy. Also, look at similar programs to understand enrollment timelines. For example, if the lead-to-enrollment cycle for similar programs is six months, plan your campaign to allow sufficient time for lead nurturing. I have found that if I follow Step 2 and engage in the conversation early, I have greater influence and trust in defining the timeline.

Risks of Cutting Corners:

• Starting with a small cohort, which can lead to poor student experiences, retention issues, and budget strains.
• Canceling the program mid-campaign due to low enrollment, damaging trust with prospective students.
• A less than stellar first cohort can lead to Internal frustration from academics, marketing, and enrollment.

Step 4: Balance Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion

One of the most common mistakes institutions make is focusing exclusively on lead generation. While there is immense pressure to produce leads quickly, awareness campaigns are often overlooked, even though they lay the foundation for long-term success. 

Budget Allocation:

• Awareness: Invest in organic social media, paid campaigns, and boots-on-the-ground efforts like having program directors attend industry events.
• Consideration: Host webinars or info sessions to provide prospective students with more details about the program. Highlight key faculty stories, career outcomes, and the program’s unique value.
• Conversion: Develop nurturing campaigns that include personalized emails and reminders about deadlines. 

Work with strategic partners to ensure your budget isn’t spread too thin. Awareness campaigns may not yield immediate results but are critical for building a strong pipeline of inquiries

Don’t overlook your own lead pool for potential opportunities. Are there other programs with leads or applicants who might align with the new program? Consider mining your database of leads and applications that never matriculated, and create a dedicated campaign to inform them about the new program. While the original program may not have been the right fit, the new one might be exactly what they’re looking for.

Step 5: Monitor Metrics and Adapt

Data should guide every stage of your program rollout. By tracking performance metrics, you can identify what’s working — and what isn’t — early in the process.

Key Metrics to Track:

• Top of Funnel: Impressions, clicks, and engagement (for awareness campaigns).
• Middle of Funnel: Leads and applications (consideration phase).
• Bottom of Funnel: Enrollments (conversion phase).

Use early campaign data to refine your messaging, targeting, and channel mix. For example, if organic social isn’t driving traffic, reallocate budget to paid ads or webinars. Agility is critical in optimizing performance.

A Collaborative, Strategic Approach

Launching a new graduate program is a significant investment of time, money, and resources. By involving marketing from the outset, your institution can avoid common pitfalls and create a roadmap for success. From ensuring program viability to balancing awareness and lead generation, marketers play a crucial role in shaping the program’s future.