Public Accountability
Updated Aug. 7, 2025
Public Accountability: School and ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ Data
The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication is the organization that oversees external review and grants accreditation of journalism and mass communication programs. According to the council, "Accreditation is a system of voluntary self-assessment and external review of educational institutions and of professional programs offered by those institutions. Accreditation provides an assurance of quality to students, parents and the public. In the accrediting process, the performance of educational units is measured against national standards."
Three undergraduate majors (advertising, journalism and public relations) and the online Masters of Mass Communication (MMC) degree are accredited. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication requires its accredited programs to report enrollment and retention and graduation rates to the public. Following is the most recent student achievement information available for ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ and the School of Communication and Journalism.
Student Enrollment – 12,065 (fall 2024)
Undergraduate Majors in Accredited MCOM Programs
- Advertising: 102
- Journalism: 41
- Public Relations: 37
- Total in accredited programs: 180
- Agricultural Communications: 71
- Communication Studies: 64
- Total undergraduate: 315
Undergraduate Student Retention
| Year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entering Cohort | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* |
| 2019 | 81.0% | 74.2% | 71.5% | 67.7% | 61.2% | 51.6% |
| 2020 | 79.9% | 76.2% | 70.8% | 61.9% | 61.9% | 52.4% |
| 2021 | 78.8% | 70.0% | 69.4% | 70.0% | 59.7% | 50.0% |
| 2022 | 82.9% | 85.2% | 73.3% | 77.8% | ||
| 2023 | 83.8% | 91.7% | ||||
*MCOM includes accredited programs in advertising, journalism and public relations.
Undergraduate Student Graduation Rates
| Year | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entering Cohort | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* | ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ | MCOM* |
| 2016 | 42.3% | 40.7% | 56.7% | 44.4% | 59.3% | 48.1% |
| 2017 | 42.3% | 46.4% | 56.6% | 53.6% | 58.9% | 57.1% |
| 2018 | 46.0% | 31.0% | 59.6% | 37.9% | 61.7% | 37.9% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | 56.7% | 59.6% | 63.3% | ||
| 2020 | 49.6% | 38.1% | ||||
*MCOM includes accredited programs in advertising, journalism and public relations.
Master of Mass Communication
The Master of Mass Communication (MMC) degree was approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents in 2012. The first cohort of students for the MMC was enrolled in fall 2013.
Admissions and Enrollment
| Year | Applications | Admissions | Total Enrollment | Admission Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 100% |
| 2023-24 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 70% |
| 2022-23 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 86% |
| 2021-22 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 73% |
Graduation Rate**
- 1 year: 0%
- Two years: 88%
- Three years: 12%
- Four years: 0%
**Based on summer 2024, fall 2024 and spring 2025 graduates.
Retention
- 2024-25: 91%
- 2023-24: 89%
- 2022-23: 100%
- 2021-22: 76%
- 2020-21: 100%
