The United States Sports University identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to USSU’s mission, the nature of the students we serve, and the kinds of programs offered. USSU uses multiple measures to document student achievement including the following quantitative and qualitative measures:
Quantitative Measures
- Graduation Rates Using IPEDS 8-Year Outcomes: This measure reflects the percentage of students who complete their academic programs within an eight-year time frame, as reported through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). It is aligned with national standards and provides a comprehensive view of student persistence and completion.
- Graduate School Comprehensive Examination Results: This measure evaluates the performance of graduate students on comprehensive examinations, which are designed to assess their mastery of the program’s subject matter. Success on these exams indicates a student’s readiness to advance in their academic or professional career.
- National Standardized Test Results: This measure assesses student performance on national standardized tests that are relevant to their field of study. These results provide a benchmark for comparing USSU students against national norms, ensuring that the institution maintains high academic standards.
- Internship Evaluation Results: This measure assesses the successful completion and quality of student internships, which are integral to USSA’s experiential learning model. These evaluations are based on criteria such as skills acquisition, professional behavior, and overall performance during the internship.
Qualitative Measures
- Student Employment Data: This measure tracks the employment rates of graduates within their field of study after completing their programs at USSU. It is an indicator of the effectiveness of USSU’s educational programs and career services in preparing students for successful careers in the sports industry.
- Internship Evaluation Comments by External Mentors: This qualitative measure gathers feedback from external mentors who supervise USSU students during their internships. The comments provide insight into the students’ performance, professional growth, and readiness for the workforce, offering a deeper understanding of the internship experience beyond quantitative metrics.
In accordance with USSU’s Policy 2035 on Student Achievement Goals and Outcomes, these student success measures will be reviewed and published annually.
The 2023 IPEDS Data Feedback Report for USSU’s reported data for 2021-2022 may be found at this Data Feedback Report link as compiled by the Institute of Education Sciences.
Bachelor’s Retention and Graduation Rates by Cohort
Graduate and Retention Calculations as of Fall 2024
| Cohort Year |
Cohort 1st Term Students |
USSA Graduate |
Graduate % | Retention | Retention % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | No Program | 16 | 22.2% | 19 | 26.4% |
| 2017-18 | No Program | 8 | 20.0% | 9 | 22.5% |
| 2018-19 | No Program | 6 | 10.5% | 14 | 24.6% |
| 2019-20 | No Program | 2 | 5.6% | 16 | 44.4% |
| 2020-21 | No Program | 3 | 6.3% | 17 | 35.4% |
| 2021-22 | 32 | 4 | 12.5% | 9 | 28% |
| 2022-23 | 25 | N/A | N/A | 14 | 56% |
| 2023-24 | 48 | N/A | N/A | 40 | 83% |
Data provided by the Student Information Systems department
USSA began accepting first year, full time BSS students in 2021. The years covered by the above posted report consist of an upper-division (including only junior and senior years) bachelor’s degree program delivered entirely online to non-traditional, adult learners most of whom pursue their studies on a part-time basis. This methodology requires more time for students to graduate than is typical with a cohort of entering freshmen in a residential program. Thus, the “retention” headcount and percentage represent those students who are considered active in their program of study.
