For Release November 25
Degrees Conferred at South Dakota Public Universities is at Ten Year High
PIERRE—This week the Board of Regents released a report detailing trends in the degrees conferred over the last ten years. The report includes the total numbers of degrees awarded, most popular disciplines in which degree were awarded, and the type of degrees awarded.
Director of Information and Institutional Research Carol Stonefield said, "Looking at the degrees conferred provides useful information about the university system. In fiscal year 1997 we were at a ten year high in the number of degrees conferred by the system universities."
Between FY87 and FY97, the number of degrees conferred by South Dakota’s public universities has increased over 21%. The graph below shows the total number of degrees awarded in that period.
"Over the last ten years some changes in the popularity of degrees have occurred as well," Stonefield added. "However, education, engineering, and business management, among others, are always in the top five in the total number of degrees awarded."
Below are two tables, the first of which shows the top ten disciplines for degrees conferred in FY97 and the second shows the top ten in FY87. (Both tables include only baccalaureate degrees.)
Top Ten Disciplines - FY97 |
Top Ten Disciplines - FY87 |
|||||||
| Discipline | # of Degrees |
% of Total |
Discipline | # of Degrees |
% of Total |
|||
1 |
Education | 498 |
14% |
1 |
Education | 504 |
17% |
|
2 |
Business Management | 388 |
11% |
2 |
Engineering | 503 |
17% |
|
3 |
Social Sciences | 375 |
11% |
3 |
Business Management | 484 |
16% |
|
4 |
Health Professions/Related Sciences | 360 |
10% |
4 |
Social Sciences | 317 |
11% |
|
5 |
Engineering | 318 |
9% |
5 |
Health Professions/Related Sciences | 234 |
8% |
|
6 |
Life Sciences | 213 |
6% |
6 |
Life Sciences | 125 |
4% |
|
7 |
Psychology | 200 |
6% |
7 |
Agricultural Sciences | 90 |
3% |
|
8 |
Agricultural Sciences | 134 |
4% |
8 |
Communications | 79 |
3% |
|
9 |
Letters | 115 |
3% |
9 |
Computer/Information Sciences | 79 |
3% |
|
10 |
Parks & Recreation | 115 |
3% |
10 |
Psychology | 65 |
2% |
|
Stonefield explained that over 70% of all the degrees conferred by the public universities in FY97 were baccalaureate degrees. The graph below shows the degrees conferred by level in FY87 and FY97.
Stonefield concluded, "A college degree leads to higher earnings over a lifetime and qualifies people for the fastest growing jobs. The universities are working to provide individual and collective opportunity by producing skilled graduates and providing incentive for business growth through education, and research and development opportunities."