DEGREES CONFERRED: A HISTORICAL STUDY
The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) is responsible for reporting the number of students who graduate from JMU by academic level and discipline to SCHEV (State Council of Higher Education for Virginia) and the federal government (IPEDS). OIR has reported these data for 40 years. The purpose of this Research Note is to share with the JMU community the graduation trends observed since 2001-02 in undergraduate, graduate, STEM and healthcare disciplines.
James Madison University conferred 4,886 degrees during the 2013-14 academic year. Of these 4,027, or 82 percent, were awarded to undergraduates. Eight hundred fifty-nine (859 - 18 percent), were post-graduate degrees. Total degrees conferred increased by 42 percent since 2001-02 while annual full-time equivalent students (FTES) increased by 57 percent from 2001-02 to 2013-14.
Over the past 30 years, the rate of growth of degrees conferred (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Educational Specialist and Doctoral) followed a predictable, linear pattern of growth. The patterns of growth in Bachelor’s degrees mirror the changes in the number of enrolled new freshmen. An increase in freshmen in one year will be followed by an increase in graduates four and five years in the future. JMU has maintained a six-year graduation rate of 80+ percent for more than 25 years. The growth in
post-baccalaureate degrees in the last few years is noteworthy, with the number of degrees increasing by 185 percent from 301 in 2001-02 to 859 in 2013-14. Graduate degrees, which accounted for nine percent of total degrees in 2001-02 now account for 17 percent. The increase in graduate degrees can be attributed partially to increases in new and innovative health-related majors and to the requirement that many students who wish to be endorsed to teach obtain a Master’s degree. Finally, the number of professional and research doctorates awarded grew from four in 2001-02 to 24 in 2013-14.
Table 1
Degrees Conferred Historical Data
Graduate Degrees Academic
Year Bachelor’s Percent Master’s Ed Spec
Professional Doctoral
Research
Doctoral Percent Total
CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF DEGREES
There have been significant changes in the distribution of degrees conferred since the early 2000s, but these changes are typically small from year to year. It is only when change is viewed over many years that one begins to glimpse how significantly JMU has changed in disciplines offered and student degree preferences.
Table 2 displays the number of baccalaureate degrees awarded by discipline cluster since 2001-02. The federal government and SCHEV use the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for counting graduates in major discipline areas. Each academic major at JMU has a six-digit code (see the Statistical Summaries). The two-digit codes are used to count graduates at a higher content level. Publications by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) often report changes in degrees conferred by two-digit discipline clusters.
The distribution of graduates by discipline cluster has changed in several disciplines since 2001-02. Bachelor’s degrees in the following discipline clusters have decreased numerically and proportionally (10 percent or more): Computer and Information Sciences (CIP code 09) and Interdisciplinary Studies (CIP code 30). There are several majors that have experienced significant percentage growth (10 percent or more).
Table 2
Undergraduate Degrees (1
stand 2
ndMajors) Conferred by CIP Code
Discipline 2001-02 2006-07 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Change Percent Change
09 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs (SMAD,
Communication Studies)
263 301 382 362 368 105 40%
11 Computer and Information Sciences (Computer Science, IT)
307 90 167 180 188 -119 (39%)
14 Engineering 44 52 52 52
16 Foreign Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
47 93 82 92 75 28 60%
19 Family and Consumer
Sciences/Human Sciences (Dietetics)
26 30 44 28 34 8 31%
22 Legal Professions and Studies (Justice Studies)
29 99 102 125 125
23 English Language and Literature Letters (English, WRTC)
183 211 200 197 167 -16 (9%)
24 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Individualized Studies, IDLS)
53 189 244 288 255 202 381%
Discipline 2001-02 2006-07 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Change Percent Change
27 Mathematics and Statistics 16 28 57 54 50 34 213%
30 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (ISAT, Intelligence Analysis)
191 77 109 116 102 -89 (47%)
31 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies (Kinesiology,
Recreation, Sport & Rec Management)
128 193 275 259 240 112 88%
38 Philosophy and Religious Studies 24 58 43 43 33 9 38%
40 Physical Sciences (Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Geology)
53 73 75 71 85 32 60%
42 Psychology 234 209 215 241 229 -5 -2%
44 Public Administration and Social Service Professions (PUAD, Social Work)
89 100 104 106 114 25 28%
45 Social Sciences (Anthropology, Economics, Geographic Science, IDSS, International Affairs, Political Science, Sociology)
389 411 411 366 368 -21 (5%)
50 Visual and Performing Arts (Art History, Graphic Design, Interior Architecture, Studio, Music, Theatre, Theatre & Dance)
205 230 240 236 209 4 2%
51 Health Professions and Related Clinical Services (Communication Sciences, Health Services, Athletic Training, Health Sciences, Nursing
301 362 564 599 624 323 107%
52 Business (Accounting, Economics (BBA), Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, International Business, Management, Marketing, Operations Management, Quantitative Finance)
638 809 637 573 645 7 1%
54 History 56 99 120 109 101 45 80%
Post-baccalaureate
Table 3 shows how the Post-baccalaureate (Master’s Educational Specialists, Doctoral) degrees in each discipline cluster have changed since 2001-02. The requirement that most students who desire to be certified to teach earn a Master’s is responsible for a large proportion of the growth in graduate programs.
Table 3
Graduate Degrees Conferred by CIP Code
Discipline 2001-02 2006-07 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Change Since 2001-02
11 Computer and Information Sciences 50 23 17 17 13 (37)
13 Education, including IDLS 119 271 366 391 457 338
23 English Language and Literature Letters 10 12 14 22 12 2
26 Biological and Biomedical Sciences 4 5 5 5 4 0
30 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (ISAT, Intelligence Analysis)
5 17 19 19 19
31 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies
13 43 56 47 44 31
42 Psychology 17 20 27 30 32 15
44 Public Administration and Social Service Professions (PUAD, Social Work)
4 5 20 25 25 21
45 Social Sciences (IDSS, Anthropology, Economics, Geography, International Affairs, Political Science, Sociology)
21 19 11 21
50 Visual and Performing Arts 12 19 20 18 20 8
51 Health Professions and Related Clinical Services
32 57 107 99 105 73
52 Business 32 86 126 69 107 75
54 History 8 13 16 16 10 2
Total 301 559 812 777 859 558
STEM and Health Graduates
JMU has responded aggressively to national and state needs for graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as well as healthcare. Shortages of well-trained graduates in STEM and healthcare result in reduced economic competitiveness and gaps in care for all individuals, especially the growing elderly population in the U.S.
believing that there would be few or no jobs awaiting them upon graduation. This did not prove to be true. JMU’s response to these changes included the revamping of the disciplines that suffered major declines as well as the introduction of new and innovative majors like biotechnology, engineering, and intelligence analysis. JMU introduced science and technology specialties into the Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS) curriculum that prepares teachers to teach STEM-related disciplines in K-12 schools. The result of all these efforts is increased major offerings for JMU students that relate to the evolving needs for highly trained individuals.
Table 4
STEM Graduates
Major CIP 2001-02 2006-07 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Change
Bachelor’s
Biology 26.0101 93 137 157 175 154 61
Biotechnology 26.1201 2 25 20 21 21
Chemistry 40.0501 25 37 37 34 32 7
Computer Information Systems 11.0401 176 37 98 115 132 (44)
Computer Science 11.0101 131 53 69 65 67 (64)
Earth Science 40.0601 5 8 2 2
Engineering 14.0101 44 52 52 52
Geographic Science 45.0701 53 52 39 58 58
Geology 40.0601 19 19 18 14 31 12
Integrated Science & Technology
30.1501 191 76 87 97 80 (111)
Intelligence Analysis 30.0601 22 19 23 23
Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies 24.0101 51 87 98 76 76
Mathematics 27.0101 16 26 53 48 41 25 Physics 40.0801 9 17 15 15 22 13 Statistics 27.0101 2 4 5 9 9 Total Bachelor’s 660 507 773 804 800 140 Master's Biology (M.S.) 26.0101 4 5 5 5 4 0 Computer Science (M.S.) 11.0101 50 23 17 17 13 (37)
Integrated Science & Technology (M.S. - Malta)
30.1501 - 11 11 13 13
Integrated Science & Technology (M.S.)
30.1501 5 6 8 3 3
Mathematics (M.Ed.) 13.1311 1 1 1 2 2
Total Master’s 54 34 40 42 35 (19)
Health Graduates
The number of graduates in healthcare disciplines more than doubled between 2001-02 and 2013-14. This change was primarily due to increases in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Sciences, and Nursing. JMU also introduced several popular healthcare majors like Health Care Administration, Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant studies. Nursing and Health Sciences are two of the most popular majors for new freshmen and transfer students.
It should be noted that the declines in several STEM majors (Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, ISAT) were related to the so-called “Dot Com” crisis at the beginning of the century.
Nationwide the number of degree-seeking students in these disciplines declined because students and parents were concerned about the supposed decline in jobs for graduates in these fields. While JMU’s graduates in these fields declined for several years, they have rebounded nicely in the last few years. JMU also added STEM majors like Geographic Science, Engineering and Intelligence Analysis into which students have enrolled in high numbers.
Table 5
Health Graduates
Major CIP 2001-02 2006-07 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Change
Bachelor's
Athletic Training 51.0913 15 17 18 15 15
Communication Sciences & Disorders
51.0203 42 57 91 105 96 54
Health Sciences 51.1504 215 181 278 318 332 117
Health Services Administration 51.0701 36 43 40 40 40
Nursing 51.3801 44 73 135 118 141 97
Total Bachelor's 301 362 564 599 624 323
Graduate
Audiology, Clinical (Au.D.) 51.0202 1 9 5 7 3 2
Communication Sciences & Disorders (Ph.D.)
51.0203 3 1 2 1 1
Health Sciences 13.1307 19 12 2 4 5 (14)
Nurse Practitioner (M.S.N.) 51.3803 7 19 11 20 20
Nursing (M.S.N.) 51.3803 3 1 5 5
Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) 51.2306 19 22 18 18
Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.)
51.0912 21 27 23 24 24
Speech Language Pathology - Clinical (M.S.)
51.0203 31 17 28 32 26 (5)
Speech Language Pathology - Clinical DLVE-SLP (M.S.)
51.0203 5 1 8 8
Total Graduate 51 69 109 103 110 59
Total Health 352 431 673 702 734 382
The full listing of JMU’s academic programs can be viewed in the online Statistical Summaries at: http://www.jmu.edu/instresrch/statsum/2014_15/2014-15toc.shtml#DEGREE. The degree programs and conferred data are displayed in Tables 3-1 through 3-6.