Our Program Portfolio

Citing data from the Burning Glass Institute, a recent paper by Jeff Selingo points to the fact that of the over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate degree programs reviewed, half had produced five or fewer graduates five years after they were introduced. While a large program portfolio with low enrolled degrees was perhaps sustainable when overall enrollment was growing, low enrollment programs are being discontinued in some states by legislative mandate and in others by decisions taken by administrators.

How might we structure new degree program introductions so they are less likely to have low enrollment? The paper offers suggestions.

• National job postings are not always reflective of demand. Regional labor market trends are more important in determining demand and offer a cleaner signal for job opportunities.
• In addition to the number of opportunities in the region, an important consideration is the earnings potential associated with a new degree. Anymore and whether we like it or not, students and parents are looking at a return on investment as they decide on program choices.
• Finally, program modality matters, especially at the graduate level. With more students in urban environments choosing to go part-time, offering online options is almost a requirement. An analysis of 1,500 institutions finds that graduate students are more than twice more likely to want online programs as undergraduate students.

At a time when federal regulations have limited borrowing for education, while also requiring that new degree programs meet an earnings test (earnings associated with graduate degrees must exceed that associated with undergraduate degrees which in turn must be higher than what students earn with a high school diploma), the criteria used to evaluate new degree program proposals should address ideally reduce concerns related to weak enrollment.

Let's be more thoughtful about new degree program introductions – being careful on the front end will ensure that we do not have to eliminate programs after introduction – this is a responsibility we owe our faculty.