Cal Poly Journalism is an Accredited Journalism Program
Cal Poly Journalism is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The program received accredited status in 2020.
Accreditation Reports and Decisions
Strategic Action Plan
Long-range planning information for the Journalism Department is provided by Cal Poly Academic Affairs.
Plan for Assessment of Learning Outcomes
In order to verify that our curriculum is having the desired impact on students, the Journalism Department engages in self-assessment of learning outcomes according to a plan that's updated on annual basis.
Plan for Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Journalism Program Data
The information below is updated as it becomes available from Cal Poly Institutional Research. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
Most recent Essential Program Data Summary Report:
College of Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded Profile
The following notes explain how Institutional Research reports degree data:
- A college year includes all four academic quarters, with summer serving as the lead quarter. For example, summer 2020 is part of college year 2020–21.
- Degrees are reported by a student’s actual term of completion, rather than the date the degree was posted. Figures may change when degrees are posted retroactively.
- Degrees awarded is not an unduplicated headcount. Students who receive more than one degree are counted for each degree received.
Journalism Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
| Category | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total awarded | 86 | 91 | 81 | 74 | 58 | 50 | 88 | 84 |
| Gender | ||||||||
| Men | 17.4% | 24.4% | 22.2% | 25.7% | 20.7% | 26% | 17% | 28.6% |
| Women | 82.6% | 75.6% | 77.8% | 74.3% | 79.3% | 74% | 83% | 71.4% |
| Ethnic grouping | ||||||||
| Underrepresented minorities | 18.6% | 20.0% | 27.2% | 25.7% | 20.7% | 20% | 23.9% | 16.7% |
| Non-underrepresented minorities | 81.4% | 80.0% | 72.8% | 74.3% | 79.3% | 80% | 76.1% | 83.3% |
| Ethnic origin | ||||||||
| Hispanic/Latino | 15.1% | 14.4% | 22.2% | 18.9% | 17.2% | 20% | 22.7% | 14.3% |
| African American | 1.2% | — | 1.2% | — | 1.7% | — | — | 2.4% |
| Native American | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Asian American | 5.8% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 8.1% | 6.9% | 4% | 5.7% | 7.1% |
| Multiracial | 2.3% | 8.9% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.1% | 2% | 4.5% | 3.6% |
| White | 72.1% | 68.9% | 54.3% | 58.1% | 58.6% | 68% | 67% | 71.4% |
View the Journalism Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded Profile (PDF)
Source: Institutional Research
First-Time Freshman Selection and Yield Rates
| Measure | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total applications | 401 | 396 | 361 | 425 | 434 | 571 | 507 | 515 |
| Total selected | 195 | 184 | 225 | 276 | 256 | 256 | 315 | 338 |
| Selection rate | 48.6% | 46.5% | 62.3% | 64.9% | 59% | 44.8% | 62.1% | 65.6% |
| Total enrolled | 52 | 51 | 70 | 87 | 86 | 60 | 88 | 105 |
| Yield | 26.7% | 27.7% | 31.1% | 31.5% | 33.6% | 23.4% | 27.9% | 31.1% |
View the First-Time Freshman Profile (PDF)
Official Enrollment Projections
Admissions Targets and Projections by Major
| Measure | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduates last fall | 274 | 284 | 267 | 250 | 264 | 269 | 289 | 314 | 323 | 329 |
| Undergraduates this fall | 284 | 267 | 250 | 264 | 269 | 289 | 314 | 323 | 329 | 328 |
| Continuing students | 203 | 206 | 192 | 183 | 173 | 189 | 237 | 215 | 209 | 251 |
| New students | 81 | 61 | 58 | 81 | 96 | 100 | 77 | 108 | 120 | 84 |
| First-time freshmen | 57 | 52 | 51 | 70 | 87 | 86 | 60 | 88 | 107 | 78 |
| Transfers | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 5 |
Note: Data retrieved 10/26 from Cal Poly Institutional Research
First-Time Freshman Graduation and Retention
Updated February 2025
| Cohort | Original | No major change | Out of major | Into major | Adjusted | Enrolled after 1 year | Four-year graduation | Five-year graduation | Six-year graduation | No longer enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 87 | 62 | 25 | 20 | 82 | 96.5% | 74.4% | 88.9% | 92.6% | 8 |
| 2014 | 68 | 56 | 12 | 30 | 86 | 94.0% | 75.6% | 87.2% | 88.4% | 10 |
| 2015 | 58 | 53 | 5 | 10 | 63 | 93.7% | 64.9% | 85.9% | 88.7% | 4 |
| 2016 | 58 | 54 | 4 | 4 | 58 | 94.8% | 74.2% | 81.8% | 83.3% | 3 |
| 2017 | 57 | 51 | 6 | 8 | 59 | 93.2% | 71.8% | 81.8% | 85.9% | 4 |
| 2018 | 51 | 46 | 5 | 12 | 58 | 94.8% | 83% | 92.3% | 92.3% | 3 |
| 2019 | 51 | 41 | 10 | 7 | 48 | 91.5% | 68.6% | 76.5% | 78.8% | 4 |
| 2020 | 70 | 64 | 6 | 12 | 76 | 90.8% | 71.8% | — | — | 7 |
| 2021 | 87 | 82 | 5 | 5 | 87 | 94.3% | 71.7% | — | — | 5 |
| 2022 | 85 | 77 | 8 | 4 | 81 | 97.5% | — | — | — | 2 |
| 2023 | 60 | 53 | 7 | 9 | 62 | 98.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
| 2024 | 88 | 80 | 8 | 6 | 86 | 91.9% | — | — | — | — |
New Transfer Graduation and Retention
Updated February 2025
| Cohort | Original | No major change | Out of major | Into major | Adjusted | Two-year graduation | Four-year graduation | No longer enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 62.5% | 100% | 0 |
| 2016 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 70.0% | 81.8% | 1 |
| 2017 | 22 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 71.4% | 100% | 0 |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 57.1% | 100% | 0 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 42.9% | 71.4% | 2 |
| 2020 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 50% | 90% | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 55.6% | 88.9% | 1 |
| 2022 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 78.6% | — | 0 |
| 2023 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 40.0% | — | 1 |
| 2024 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | — | — | — |
More Detailed Reports
For additional information, review the Undergraduate Program Profile Summary Report (PDF).
Please note that new data typically becomes available in October. Tables will be updated when new information is available.
Updated Aug. 12, 2026