Educational Goals and Outcomes
University Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Richmond is to educate in an academically challenging, intellectually vibrant, and collaborative community dedicated to the holistic development of students and the production of scholarly and creative work. A Richmond education prepares students for lives of purpose, thoughtful inquiry, and responsible leadership in a diverse world.
Student Achievement
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires institutions to publish goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered. Consistent with its mission and the breadth of programs offered, the University of Richmond evaluates student achievement in a number of ways.
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Undergraduate
Retention and Graduation Rates
The University tracks the success of first-time full-time students in continuing and completing their program through federal retention and graduation rates.The University’s goals for retention and graduation rates are 92% and 88% respectively, rates comparable to our peer institutions and among the highest in the nation.
First to Second-Year Retention
Cohort Entering Year
Retention to 2nd Year
Fall 2019
Fall 2020
Fall 2021
Fall 2022
Fall 2023
Richmond Actual
93%
91%
91%
93%
91%
Goal: 92%
6-Year Graduation
Cohort Entering Year
6-Year Graduation
Fall 2015
Fall 2016
Fall 2017
Fall 2018
Richmond Actual
89%
88%
88%
85%
Goal: 88%
Post-Graduation Outcomes
The University measures employment 1 year after graduation through a survey of all graduates from its traditional undergraduate programs. In assessing its success in student first employment outcomes, the University has set an ambitious goal of 90% employment rate for students in their first year after graduation.
Employment at 1-Year after Graduation
% of Traditional Undergraduate Students Employed 1 year after graduation
2019 Grads
2020 Grads
2021 Grads
2022 Grads
2023 Grads
Richmond Actual
94%
95%
96%
96%
98%
Goal: 90%
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School of Law
Consistent with the University’s mission and the strategic plan’s focus on providing students with the academic resources they need to support their educational journey, the University’s student achievement measures for students enrolled in the Law School are focused on key outcomes essential to the educational journey of these professional students — bar passage, which is required for the practice of law, and 10-month employment outcomes.
Ultimate Bar Passage
Ultimate bar passage is measured by passage for graduates who sat for a bar exam in any jurisdiction within two years of graduation. The Law School sets an ambitious ultimate bar passage goal of 90%, recognizing that the majority of its graduates will wish to pass the bar and become licensed as attorneys within two years of graduating from law school.
Ultimate Bar Passage
Ultimate Bar Passage
2017 Grads
2018 Grads
2019 Grads
2020 Grads
2021 Grads
Richmond Actual
90%
92%
93%
96%
94%
Goal: 90%
Employment Outcomes
In assessing its success in student employment outcomes 10 months after graduation, the Law School includes students in any field of employment and includes those students who have chosen to continue their education with a complementary graduate school enrollment. The University has set a goal of 85% employment within ten months of graduation.
10-month employment (all jobs or graduate school)
10-Month Employment (all jobs/grad school)
2019 Grads
2020 Grads
2021 Grads
2022 Grads
2023 Grads
Richmond Actual
94%
93%
94%
94%
90%
Goal: 85%
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Graduate Business
The Graduate Business School offers a part-time MBA program designed for working professionals employed in the local region. It is structured to be completed on a part-time basis within two years. The new Masters in Management is designed to be a full-time, one-year program with a summer start and summer completion (4 semesters). Both graduate programs are designed to ensure that students can advance in their careers, and timely degree completion is a key indicator of student achievement and an appropriate measure consistent with the strategic plan’s focus on becoming “even more academically excellent.” In assessing student achievement, the University has set goals of 85% completing their program within 150% of the allotted timeframe.
Graduate Business
Cohort Entering Year
% Entering Students Complete in 3 Years
2017
2018
2019
2020
Richmond MBA
86%
91%
86%
84%
Richmond Masters in Management
First Class of Entering Students 2023
Goal: 85%
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SPCS
The vision for SPCS is to “be an exemplar of continuing education for working professionals and lifelong learners in the Richmond region and a top choice for those seeking transforming learning experiences.” Since all of the programs in SPCS are designed for working professionals who are pursuing their education part-time, the measures of student achievement for those programs are focused on degree completion within three years. In assessing student achievement for its master’s programs, the University has set goals of 75% of graduates in SPCS master’s programs completing their degree within three years.
SPCS Graduate Programs
SPCS Masters Graduates who Completed within 3 Years
2020 Grads
2021 Grads
2022 Grads
2023 Grads
Richmond Actual
76%
84%
87%
87%
Goal: 75%