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Accreditation

Updated July 29, 2022

Public Accountability: School and SDSU Data

The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) is the organization that oversees external review and grants accreditation of journalism and mass communication programs. According to ACEJMC, "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 (M.M.C.) degree are accredited. ACEJMC 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 SDSU and the School of Communication and Journalism.

Student Enrollment

11,465 (Fall 2021)

Undergraduate Majors in Accredited MCOM Programs

Advertising: 66
Journalism: 39
Public Relations: 17
Total in Accredited Programs: 122
Agricultural Communications: 53
Communication Studies: 74
Total Undergraduate: 249

Undergraduate Student Retention

 Year 1Year 2Year 3 
Entering CohortSDSUMCOM*SDSUMCOM*SDSUMCOM* 
201677.2%63.0%67.3%55.6%59.9%55.6% 
201775.9%67.9%67.3%60.7%60.1%

46.4%

 

201878.3%69.0%70.3%51.7%61.4%41.4% 
201981.0%74.2%71.5%67.7%   
202079.9%76.2%     

*MCOM includes accredited programs in Advertising, Journalism and Public Relations. 

Undergraduate Student Graduation Rates

 Year 4Year 5Year 6
Entering CohortSDSUMCOM*SDSUMCOM*SDSUMCOM*
201335.9%28.6%54.2%46.4%56.4%46.4%
201440.7%50.0%56.0%53.6%58.8%57.1%
201541.5%50.0%56.5%54.5%59.2%54.5%
201642.3%40.7%56.7%44.4%  
201742.3%46.4%    

*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 of 2013.

Admissions and Enrollment

YEAR

APPLICATIONS 

 ADMISSIONS

ADMITTED ENROLLED

TOTAL ENROLLMENT*

ADMISSION RATE

2021-2210741770%
2020-21
 
1212629100%

2019-20

19171432

89%

2018-19

2522124588%

2017-18

2927184793%

*Enrollment includes returning students plus new admissions

Graduation Rate**

  • 1-YEAR: 0%
  • 2-YEAR: 66.7%
  • 3-YEAR: 33.3%
  • 4-YEAR: 0%

**Based on Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 graduates

Retention

  • 2021-22: 76%
  • 2020-21: 100%
  • 2019-20: 75%
  • 2018-19: 100%
  • 2017-18: 87%