The Department of Education alleges that the Towson and 45 other schools violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) by partnering with "The Ph.D. Project," a nonprofit that helps students from underrepresented groups get degrees in business.

Two local universities are under investigation for alleged racial discrimination. The education department is looking into more than 50 schools, including Rutgers University and the University of Delaware.

U.S. Department of Education officials said Friday that they had opened investigations into more than 50 universities, including Rutgers University, for alleged racial discrimination. Most of the investigations initiated by the Office for Civil Rights relate to the universities’ partnership with a program for doctoral students that limits eligibility based on race,