CLA Among the Top Departments Honored for Grad Rates, Retention

May 8, 2015

22 Departments Honored for Grad Rates, Retention

cla1As we approach the time of year when we celebrate our graduates and all they have achieved, it’s appropriate that we recognize the departments that have contributed significantly to our increasing graduation and retention rates. For the second year, Academic Affairs is recognizing departments with the highest graduation rates and those that have improved student retention the most in recent years. Winning departments receive $5,000 in operating funds to use at their discretion (within Lottery funding guidelines).

The 12 departments with the highest average (combined freshman + transfer) graduation rates are:

  1. Africana Studies
  2. Communication Studies
  3. English
  4. Film & Electronic Arts
  5. Finance
  6. Human Development
  7. International Studies
  8. Journalism
  9. Marketing
  10. Political Science
  11. Psychology
  12. Social Work

Selection of departments with the highest graduation rates within respective majors is based on a rolling three year average combining numbers of six-year freshman graduates and four-year transfer graduates divided by combined cohort number totals. Since a combined rate is calculated, the size of the department does not directly influence the result.

The 12 departments with the highest average (combined freshman + transfer) improvements in retention rates are:

  1. Anthropology
  2. Civil Engineering & Construction Engineering Management
  3. Speech-Language Pathology
  4. Computer Engineering & Computer Science
  5. Electrical Engineering
  6. Environmental Science & Policy
  7. Film & Electronic Arts
  8. Geography
  9. Health Science
  10. Religious Studies
  11. Social Work
  12. Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Selection of departments with the greatest improvement is based on comparing the two most recent years to the prior two years using numbers retained within respective majors. For native juniors who began as first time freshmen, numbers retained from third to fourth year are used and for transfer students numbers retained from first to second year are used. Older and current rates are calculated from combined numbers. Since a combined rate is calculated, the size of the department does not directly influence the result.

 

(Source: Provost Weekly)