The W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications is one of three schools operating within the College of Arts and Media. The school has been nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications since 1976, and it was most recently reaccredited in 2022. Graduation and retention rates are posted in accordance with the ACEJMC public accountability requirements.
Unit Retention & Graduation Rates – (Updated August 14, 2024)
Retention rates are a reflection of student persistence in a program. The W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications rates are calculated regularly through the Office of Institutional Research & Planning. The school’s retention rates consistently rank among the top in the university. Students who accelerate their programs of study and those who transfer into the program after their freshman year may graduate in fewer than four years.
| Entering Cohort | Cohort Size | Retained to Second Year | Retained to Third Year | Retained to Fourth Year | Overall Graduation % | Graduated < 4 Years | Graduated 4 Years | Graduated 5 Years | Graduated 6+ Years | |
| 2005 | 50 | 72.0% | 72.0% | 56.0% | 52.0% | 6.0% | 22.0% | 10.0% | 14.0% | |
| 2006 | 53 | 79.2% | 73.6% | 64.2% | 60.4% | 1.9% | 22.6% | 28.3% | 7.5% | |
| 2007 | 59 | 78.0% | 59.3% | 59.3% | 57.6% | 3.4% | 18.6% | 20.3% | 15.3% | |
| 2008 | 36 | 75.0% | 58.3% | 55.6% | 47.2% | 0.0% | 27.8% | 11.1% | 8.3% | |
| 2009 | 44 | 88.6% | 81.8% | 79.5% | 75.0% | 0.0% | 27.3% | 31.8% | 15.9% | |
| 2010 | 42 | 66.7% | 59.5% | 57.1% | 54.8% | 9.5% | 31.0% | 9.5% | 4.8% | |
| 2011 | 41 | 82.9% | 65.9% | 53.7% | 61.0% | 7.3% | 24.4% | 22.0% | 7.3% | |
| 2012 | 29 | 75.9% | 69.0% | 69.0% | 65.5% | 0.0% | 27.6% | 31.0% | 6.9% | |
| 2013 | 49 | 79.6% | 69.4% | 65.3% | 61.2% | 2.0% | 46.9% | 8.2% | 4.1% | |
| 2014 | 50 | 72.0% | 66.0% | 64.0% | 58.0% | 8.0% | 30.0% | 16.0% | 4.0% | |
| 2015 | 37 | 64.9% | 56.8% | 51.4% | 51.4% | 8.1% | 21.6% | 13.5% | 8.1% | |
| 2016 | 35 | 80.0% | 71.4% | 68.6% | 65.7% | 8.6% | 37.1% | 17.1% | 2.9% | |
| 2017 | 31 | 83.9% | 71.0% | 67.7% | 64.5% | 12.9% | 38.7% | 12.9% | 0.0% | |
| 2018 | 30 | 83.3% | 70.0% | 66.7% | 60.0% | 6.7% | 33.3% | 20.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2019 | 34 | 82.4% | 64.7% | 55.9% | 47.1% | 14.7% | 32.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2020 | 25 | 96.0% | 80.0% | 64.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2021 | 22 | 72.7% | 59.1% | 57.1% | — | — | — | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2022 | 22 | 86.4% | 68.2% | — | — | — | — | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2023 | 25 | 80% | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| 2024 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
— Data not yet available
Note: A number of students who entered the program in any given year may still be in the pipeline and making progress toward graduation. The completion percentages for five years for six or more years may increase as the remaining students in a cohort matriculate.
Job Placement
Job placement is assessed through an annual survey of graduates immediately following matriculation conducted by the university Assessment Office, and through a periodic survey of graduates conducted by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. On average, about one quarter of the school’s graduates continue employment in a job they originally had as an intern while the remainder go on to other employment in the field, employment in other areas or continue their academic careers. Generally, about 30% of journalism and mass communications majors continue in master’s programs. In the most recent survey of alumni 75% reported full-time employment directly in the field or in a closely related field and 20% reported full-time employment in an unrelated field.
Scholarships available
The following scholarship opportunities are offered to declared majors through the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
- George R. Andrick-WSAZ-TV Scholarship
- Arnold-Turner Journalism Scholarship
- Dr. Charles G. Bailey Scholarship
- SOJMC Estelle Margaret Belanger Scholarship
- James E. Casto Journalism Scholarship
- Ezra Cochran Scholarship
- Margie Crabtree Coltrane-Journalism Scholarship
- George “Mickey” Curry Broadcast Scholarship
- Angelene Battlo Footo Memorial
- Dorothy Goodman Scholarship
- Leah Hickman Memorial Scholarship
- John H. Houvouras Scholarship for Journalism
- C. Bosworth “Bos” Johnson Scholarship
- The Marcum Family Scholarship
- John D. Maurice Scholarship
- Tom D. Miller Scholarship Award for Excellence
- Jeff Nathan Scholarship
- Sarah Nott Memorial Scholarship
- Manly Keith Ray Scholarship
- George T. Rorrer Jr. Memorial Scholarship
- Julia Sadd Scholarship in Journalism
- Ernie Salvatore Scholarship
- Juanita Carpenter Sammons Scholarship
- Marvin L. Stone Memorial Journalism Scholarship
- G. Terry Turner Scholarship
- W. Page Pitt Memorial
- West Virginia Advertising Federation
The data reported are generated by Marshall University’s Institutional Research and Planning office, by the Banner enrollment management system, by the Assessment Office and by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
