Retention and Graduation Rates
Department of Journalism and Strategic Media faculty and staff have an excellent record of helping students to succeed in our program. In 2014, the Department received special recognition from the College of Communication and Fine Arts for its academic advising. The Department is consistently among the best in the university for its 6-year graduation rate.
Retention
Data from the University of Memphis Office of Institutional Research show the percentage of students as retained by the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media as they progressed through the program. Because the university limits freshmen on declaring a major, cohort level data is based on a student's declaration in a JRSM major.
| Undergraduate Cohort | 2nd year | 3rd year | 4th year |
| 2012 | 87.1% | 82.2% | 78.7% |
| 2013 | 84.7% | 78.8% | 77.2% |
| 2014 | 86.2% | 81.1% | 54.9%* |
| 2015 | 87.7% | 45%* | TBD |
| 2016 | TBD* | TBD | TBD |
| Graduate Cohort | 2nd year |
| 2012 | 83.1% |
| 2013 | 73.0% |
| 2014 | 79.1% |
| 2015 | 87.1% |
| 2016 | TBD |
| 2017 | TBD |
* Notes: Beginning in Fall 2016, Journalism and Strategic Media transitioned from a journalism major with concentrations in advertising, news and public relations to three majors of advertising, journalism and public relations. Because many students transferred majors within JRSM to take advantage of this opportunity, retention data from 2014 onward is incomplete at the present time. Historical data may change over time to reflect students who left JRSM and returned.
Graduation
Data from the University of Memphis Office of Institutional Research show the number of degrees in the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media awarded per academic year.
| Year | BA | MA |
| 2012-13 | 67 | 13 |
| 2013-14 | 68 | 14 |
| 2014-15 | 58 | 12 |
| 2015-16 | 79 | 15 |
| 2016-17 | 74 | 11 |
Data from the University of Memphis Office of Institutional Research show the average years to the degree since joining the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media (JRSM) and the since joining the university measured in the year of graduation. Many students enter the university without a major and choose it within the first year. Additionally, the university has a high percentage of students who enter as transfers with community college or other university credit.
| Undergraduate Graduation Year | JRSM | University |
| 2012-13 | 4.13 | 5.72 |
| 2013-14 | 3.66 | 4.54 |
| 2014-15 | 2.71 | 2.70 |
| 2015-16 | 3.49 | 4.25 |
| 2016-17 | TBD | TBD |
| Master's Graduation Year | JRSM | University |
| 2012-13 | 3.96 | 4.81 |
| 2013-14 | 3.66 | 3.57 |
| 2014-15 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2015-16 | 3.13 | 3.83 |
| 2016-17 | TBD | TBD |
| Graduate Certificate Graduation Year | JRSM | University |
| 2015-16 | 2.0 | 12.5 |
| 2016-17 | TBD | TBD |
Data from the University of Memphis Office of Institutional Research show the six-year graduation rates for first-time freshmen graduating from the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media and the four-year graduation rates for transfer students, as compared to similar data for the College of Communication and Fine Arts.
| Freshman Cohort Entering | JRSM 4-year | CCFA 4-year | JRSM 6-year | CCFA 6-year |
| Fall 2009 | 25.5% | 14.9% | 63.8% | 29.8% |
| Fall 2010 | 30.8% | 9.60% | 67.3% | 21.2% |
| Fall 2011 | 19.2% | 5.8% | 59.6% | 21.2% |
| Fall 2012 | 41.8% | 12.7% | TBD | TBD |
| Fall 2013 | 35.3% | 13.7% | TBD | TBD |
| Fall 2014 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Transfer Students Entering | JRSM 2-year | CCFA 2-year | JRSM 4-year | CCFA 4-year | |
| Fall 2011 | 14.7% | 14.7% | 52.9%% | 47.1% | |
| Fall 2012 | 5.9% | 5.9% | 35.3% | 23.5% | |
| Fall 2013 | 10.0% | 10.0% | 36.7% | 36.7% | |
| Fall 2014 | 14.8% | 11.1% | TBD | TBD | |
| Fall 2015 | 4.8% | 4.8% | TBD | TBD | |
| Fall 2016 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
*TBD=To Be Determined
Job Placement
According to the most recent ASJMC Survey, 75 percent of University of Memphis Journalism and Strategic Media bachelor's graduates had at least one job offer at the time of graduation compared to 74 percent nationwide; and 75 percent of the University of Memphis bachelor's graduates were employed full time compared to just 57 percent of a national sample. According to a survey of 2014-2016 graduates from the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media, 86% were currently employed.