What is the Graduation Rate of UMass Global?
Graduation rate is one metric used to determine how good a college or university is, but it's not foolproof. Discover the graduation rate at UMass Global and learn why this stat may be misleading.
Graduation rate is one way to determine how well students do at a particular college or university. It's not infallible, but it can help students decide if the school is right for them.
Keep learning to learn more about how the graduation rate is determined and discover the graduation rate of UMass Global.
What is UMass Global?
UMass Global is a private, non-profit, online university.
It's affiliated with the public University of Massachusetts system and offers programs primarily to adult students.
The university was founded in 1958 as Chapman College, a branch of Chapman University.
It offered programs to service members on military bases in California. It changed its name to Brandman University in 2009.
In 2021, the university changed hands from the Chapman University system to the University of Massachusetts system. It rebranded as UMass Global.
UMass Global is headquartered in Irvine, California, and offers exclusively online programs through its five schools:
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Business and Professional Studies
- School of Education
- School of Nursing and Health Professions
- School of Extended Education
The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as certificates, authorizations, and credentials for educators, individual courses, and bootcamps.
The majority of students at UMass Global are over the age of 25, with the average student age being 36 years old.
These students often lead busy lives outside of school. 91% of students hold jobs while they study and 52% care for at least one dependant.
As a result, nearly 80% of students at UMass Global in 2022 were studying part-time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Discover Accredited Online Programs
Find the program that works best for you and apply today.
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you reach them. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you.
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus provides affordable, achievable, and flexible pathways to a college degree for adult learners. With over 90 degrees and certificates, UMGC is built to fit your schedule and goals.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers a wide range of online programs designed for working adults. Earn your degree from a nationally recognized institution with flexible scheduling and strong academic support.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University offers more than 300 online degree programs, certificates and courses. ASU Online delivers the same rigorous academic programs as on campus, with the flexibility you need to succeed.
How Is Graduation Rate Calculated?
The graduation rate of colleges and universities is collected and published. by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
IPEDS is a system of surveys collected every year by NCES, a part of the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) within the United States Department of Education.
To calculate a school's overall graduation rate, IPEDS tracks the progress of students who began their studies as full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students.
They then look to see how many of those students completed their program within 150% of the 'normal time.' The normal time for a bachelor's degree is four years, so the graduation rate is tracked within six years.
According to the most recent IPEDS data, the national graduation rate is 54.5%. Public schools have a graduation rate of 50.3%, while private schools have a rate of 67.6%.
What is the Graduation Rate of UMass Global?
According to IPEDS, the average graduation rate for students at UMass Global is 50%. However, IPEDS adds an asterisk, saying:
'UMass Global primarily serves non-first-time undergraduate students (e.g. non-traditional students and adult learners). As such, the first-time full-time student cohort represents a minuscule percentage of the undergraduate student population that the University serves. Any interpretation of the first-time data should be taken with caution.'
Essentially, because UMass Global has such a high percentage of part-time and returning students, this number doesn't give an accurate representation of the school's success.
Only 5% of entering students were able to be counted as 'full-time, first-time' students in 2022.
According to the university itself, 72% of UMass Global full-time students graduate within eight years.
Additionally, according to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, 59% of overall students, both full-time and part-time, graduate within eight years.
What Degrees Does UMass Global Offer?
UMass Global offers degrees at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. We've broken them down below.
Associate Degrees at UMass Global
Less than 5% of degrees and certificates conferred by UMass Global in 2023 were associate degrees. Only two associate degrees are offered by the university.
The more popular of the two is a general Associate of Arts (AA) degree. This degree is offered in the university's traditional, online format.
In this format, courses last eight weeks, and the pace is set by the instructor. Students have due dates for assignments but generally do not need to log on at a set time.
The other associate degree is an AA in general business. This program is offered in the MyPath format, a competency-based format that allows students to move through courses at their own pace.
Bachelor's Degrees at UMass Global
UMass Global offers a variety of bachelor's degrees, and these degrees made up nearly 36% of all degrees and certificates conferred in 2023.
More than a third of these bachelor's degrees were in either business administration or organizational leadership.
Other popular fields of study at UMass Global include:
- Psychology
- Social Work
- Liberal Arts
Master's Degrees at UMass Global
Over half of all degrees and certificates conferred in 2023 were master's degrees, making them the most common type of degree earned.
The most popular degree field, by far, is education, where students can earn degrees in areas like general education, elementary education, and school counseling.
Other popular fields for master's degrees include:
Doctoral Degrees at UMass Global
Only two types of doctoral degrees are available at UMass Global, and they account for less than five percent of all degrees and certificates conferred in 2023.
The first is a Doctor of Education in organizational leadership. It accounts for about 42% of doctorate degrees conferred in 2023.
The second type is a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in either Family Across the Lifespan or Psychiatric and Mental Health nursing.
UMass Global Graduation Rates
UMass Global has a graduation rate of 50% for full-time, first-time students. However, this type of student only represents a small percentage of the university's student body.
With the information above, you can consider whether pursuing a degree with UMass Global is right for you.
