University of Arizona School of Journalism Undergraduate Program
Student Retention and Graduation Report Card 2023
Introductory note:
Self-assessment is paramount for improvement. It’s also an essential element to remaining one of the 100 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 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. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know!
Jessica Retis, Director, University of Arizona School of Journalism jessicaretis@arizona.edu
June 24, 2024
1. Enrollment declined slightly
Undergraduate enrollment has gradually declined over the past 16 years from a high of 600 students to the 2022-2023 number of 295. We are happy to report that enrollment stayed mostly flat in 2023-2024, only decreasing to 289. This small decrease is welcome news, and we believe it shows that our 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 |
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 Fall 2021, 83 percent first-year students returned to the program. The newest number is for Fall 2022, when 88 percent of first-year undergraduates stuck with the major, matching the UA’s number. The J-School’s “Returned 2nd Year Rate” increased from 61% for Fall 2020 to 74% for Fall 2021. Both numbers are a welcome increase and further evidence that the worst of the pandemic slump may be over.
| 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% |
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 57% for fourth-year graduates who started in 2019, matching the UA’s rate for the same cohort. The journalism school’s 6th year graduation rate of 56% for the Fall 2017 cohort was lower than the UA’s 6th year average graduation rate of 66%.
| 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% | *Data not available until 2025 | |
| 2020 | 54 | 41% | 53% | *Data not available until 2026 |