University of Arizona School of Journalism Undergraduate Program
Introductory note:
Self-assessment is paramount for improvement. It’s also an essential element to remaining one of the 120 or so undergraduate journalism programs in the nation accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. On these pages we provide some quantifiable measurements of school performance and what we are doing to achieve our goal of educating our undergraduate journalism students to serve Arizona, society at large, and the world. We also have provided all our 2024-25 re-accreditation self-study report, and the previous 2017-18 re-accreditation and academic program review information online, including site-team reports since 1964, when the undergraduate journalism program was first accredited.
The school adopted its first assessment plan in 1999. We have continued to update our assessment plan since its inception. The goal is to figure out whether students are leaving the program prepared for the workplace and competent in the school’s 12 core student learning outcomes, which are based on ACEJMC’s 10 Professional Values and Competencies. Students, parents, and the public must know that their tax and tuition dollars are making a difference. The school employs quantitative and qualitative assessment indicators, both direct and indirect, of student learning (see the assessment plan). Below are some of the indicators of the school’s performance.
The school is currently working to update its assessment plan.
For more information, please contact School of Journalism Director Jan Lauren Boyles, boyles3@arizona.edu.
1. Enrollment declined slightly
Undergraduate enrollment has gradually declined from a high of 600 students to the 2024-25 number of 252. As universities across the country face an enrollment decline, our School is working to maintain or grow the program through increased recruitment and improved curriculum. We believe relatively stable enrollment in the past several years reflect that the School’s strong efforts and commitment to recruiting are working.
| Year | Majors |
|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 341 |
| 2001-02 | 388 |
| 2002-03 | 463 |
| 2003-04 | 499 |
| 2004-05 | 563 |
| 2005-06 | 643 |
| 2006-07 | 680 |
| 2007-08 | 665 |
| 2008-09 | 653 |
| 2009-10 | 608 |
| 2010-11 | 558 |
| 2011-12 | 544 |
| 2012-13 | 498 |
| 2013-14 | 485 |
| 2014-15 | 497 |
| 2015-16 | 448 |
| 2016-17 | 471 |
| 2017-18 | 414 |
| 2018-19 | 372 |
| 2019-20 | 374 |
| 2020-21 | 359 |
| 2021-22 | 357 |
| 2022-23 | 295 |
| 2023-24 | 289 |
| 2024-25 | 252 |
2. Retention rates – most students continue to stay
Retention is an indicator of whether incoming first-year undergraduate journalism students tend to stay with the major or switch to another major by their second year. In 2024, 72% of Journalism majors returned for a second year, compared to 82% of students across the University. While the School is glad to see the majority of students stick with the major, faculty recognize the need to continue efforts to retain students to match or exceed the university retention rate.
| Fall Term | Freshmen | Returned 2nd Year | UA return rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 63 | 83% | 76% |
| 2002 | 91 | 78% | 77% |
| 2003 | 75 | 79% | 79% |
| 2004 | 101 | 83% | 79% |
| 2005 | 102 | 74% | 79% |
| 2006 | 96 | 75% | 80% |
| 2007 | 82 | 76% | 79% |
| 2008 | 96 | 82% | 78% |
| 2009 | 104 | 72% | 77% |
| 2010 | 110 | 77% | 77% |
| 2011 | 110 | 77% | 80% |
| 2012 | 82 | 80% | 78% |
| 2013 | 74 | 78% | 81% |
| 2014 | 86 | 81% | 80% |
| 2015 | 67 | 78% | 80% |
| 2016 | 51 | 86% | 83% |
| 2017 | 57 | 72% | 81% |
| 2018 | 76 | 72% | 84% |
| 2019 | 61 | 82% | 86% |
| 2020 | 55 | 76% | 84% |
| 2021 | 69 | 83% | 86% |
| 2022 | 88 | 74% | 88% |
| 2023 | 68 | 76% | 83% |
| 2024 | 35 | 72% | 82% |
3. Graduation rate strong
Below are the percentages of freshmen journalism students who graduate within four years and within six years, compared to graduation rates for the University of Arizona as a whole. The J-School’s 4th year graduation rate increased to 59% for fourth-year graduates who started in 2021, slightly higher than the UA’s rate for the same cohort. The journalism school’s sixth-year graduation rate of 67% for the Fall 2019 cohort was just lower than the UA’s sixth year average graduation rate of 71%.
| Fall Term | Freshmen | Graduated 4th Year | UA 4th Year Average | Graduated 6th Year | UA 6th Year Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 63 | 37% | 34% | 56% | 56% |
| 2002 | 91 | 35% | 32% | 59% | 57% |
| 2003 | 75 | 29% | 32% | 56% | 58% |
| 2004 | 101 | 41% | 34% | 56% | 60% |
| 2005 | 102 | 39% | 36% | 65% | 61% |
| 2006 | 96 | 44% | 35% | 64% | 61% |
| 2007 | 82 | 42% | 40% | 54% | 61% |
| 2008 | 96 | 47% | 40% | 54% | 60% |
| 2009 | 104 | 40% | 43% | 64% | 61% |
| 2010 | 110 | 49% | 42% | 59% | 60% |
| 2011 | 111 | 47% | 45% | 62% | 63% |
| 2012 | 82 | 50% | 48% | 57% | 55% |
| 2013 | 74 | 55% | 48% | 63% | 65% |
| 2014 | 86 | 56% | 49% | 64% | 65% |
| 2015 | 67 | 61% | 50% | 50% | 66% |
| 2016 | 51 | 58% | 54% | 54% | 64% |
| 2017 | 57 | 44% | 50% | 56% | 66% |
| 2018 | 57 | 46% | 50% | 53% | 66% |
| 2019 | 61 | 57% | 56% | 67% | 71% |
| 2020 | 54 | 41% | 53% | *Data not available until 2026 | |
| 2021 | 69 | 59% | 57% | *Data not available until 2027 |