2023 Student Retention and Graduation Report view here.
2022 Student Retention and Graduation Report view here.
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 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 12 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
Pate McMichael, Associate Director, University of Arizona School of Journalism patemcmichael@arizona.edu
August 15, 2023
1. Enrollment continues to decline
Undergraduate enrollment has gradually declined over the past 15 years from a high of 600 students to the current 295 students. This decline may relate to changes in the media ecosystem over that period of time. We have adjusted to these changes by bringing class sizes in line with faculty numbers, and as a result, students are given more attention. The school is large enough to support resources for students, yet small enough that students receive individualized attention by world-class faculty. It should be noted that, although enrollment has declined, it is still higher than it was in academic year 2000-2001.
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 |
2. Retention rates – most students 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 of 20120-21 first-year students returned to the program. Our analysis indicates that some of our entering majors move to other majors by their
sophomore year. As a result, we have revised our undergraduate curriculum to provide students with more flexibility in their programs in turn affording them the opportunity to explore and grow within the major. We have also instituted two new programs – a bilingual journalism program and a program in studies of global media-each with undergraduate and graduate student contingents.
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% |
**Data not available until 2024
3. Graduation rate strong despite pandemic
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 4th year graduation rate dipped to 44% for fourth-year graduates who started in 2017, a cohort whose education encompassed several pandemic years. The journalism school 6th year graduation rate of 66% for the same 2017 cohort exceeded the UA 6th year average graduation rate of 64%. This suggests that the 2017 cohort of journalism freshmen rebounded somewhat from pandemic setbacks.
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% | 68% | |
2018 | 57 | 46% | 50% |