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Student Goals & Achievements

(Updated August 2026)

Table of Contents

College

Business

Divinity

Graduate School

Law

Medicine

Professional Studies

College

Wake Forest University strives to be a dynamic and diverse learning community, valuing knowledge, experience, and service for the benefit of humanity in the liberal arts tradition. It expects to prepare all its undergraduate students, who must meet a core liberal arts curriculum requirement, a major requirement, and a 120 credit hour requirement to graduate, to be active and informed members of the world in which they live. In line with these aims, the institution assesses student achievement using a variety of measures, including first-year retention rates, 6-year graduation rates, study abroad participation rates, and post-graduation destinations. In the tables that follow, all Wake Forest undergraduate students are considered, including those who complete degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences and those who matriculate to the School of Business after fulfilling core requirements in the College. Additional School of Business metrics are provided below. 

First-Year Retention Rate

Because the retention rate measures how many first-year students will return for their second year of school, it provides the College with a valuable tool to determine whether the College is living up to the expectations for student success we set when recruiting students. The first-year retention rate is a well-respected, national best practice gauge of student success. This means not only can we assess internally across various student groups and across time how we are measuring up; we can also track our first-year retention rate against peer and aspirational schools as well. The first-year retention rate in the College has consistently been at or near 94% for the most recent cohorts of entering students (2015-2024). The institution aims to maintain a minimum first-year retention rate of 94%, which falls within the range of reported data on first-year retention rates from a select group of IPEDS comparative peer institutions. The institutional goal is to exceed our peer average by reaching 97%.

Table 1. First Year Retention Rate*

Entering Cohort Years2015-2017 2016-20182017-2019 2018-20202019-20212020-20222021-20232022-2024
Wake Forest College 95% 95% 95%94%94%94%94%93%
 Peer Average 95% 96% 95%95%95%96%96%NA

*Three-year entering cohort averages; NA, not available as of summer 2026.

6-year Graduation Rates

Even more than the 4-year graduation rate, which offers insight into how many students are finishing their degrees in a timely manner, the 6-year graduation rate measures institutional commitment to ensuring our students complete their education at Wake Forest despite challenges along the way. In addition, the 6-year graduation rate is a nationally recognized metric that helps identify those schools most committed to ensuring the academic success of their student body. It is widely understood that student persistence toward completion of their educational goals is a key gauge of student academic success, and therefore of institutional success as a whole. The 6-year graduation rate for undergraduate students has been at least 88% among the most recent cohorts (students entering between 2010-2019). Wake Forest sets a minimum 6-year graduation rate threshold of 87% which falls within the range of reported data on 6-year graduation rates from a select group of IPEDS comparative peer institutions. The peer average of 92% is set as an aspirational goal for 6-year graduation rates.

Table 2. 6-Year Graduation Rate, with Peer Averages*

Entering Cohort Years2010-20122011-20132012-20142013-20152014-20162015-20172016-20182017-2019
Wake Forest College 88% 88% 89%89%90%90%90%90%
 Peer Average 92% 92% 92%92%92%92%92%NA

*Three-year entering cohort averages for all tables; NA, not available as of summer 2026.

Participation in Study Abroad Experience

Study abroad encompasses a constellation of documented high-impact education practices that form the basis of a liberal arts education as valued at Wake Forest. As broadly conceived and carried out, this particular aspect of global learning connects diverse disciplines, cultures, languages, objectives, and pedagogies. By tracking study abroad participation rates, we can evaluate and assess our students’ opportunities for developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities to study, live, and work effectively in cultures other than their own.

From 2014-15 to 2018-19, participation in study abroad at Wake Forest increased 20%, from approximately 61% in 2014-15 to 81% in 2018-19. This 20% increase was double the overall average of leading doctoral universities (10% increase) during the same time period. The COVID-19 pandemic affected participation for the next two cycles with 2020-21 being particularly impacted by pandemic-related travel restrictions and program cancellations. This data point is anticipated to be an outlier as the study abroad rate beginning in 2021-22 exceeds 70% for Wake Forest.

Having improved study abroad participation substantially in the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wake Forest now aims to have at least 75% of students participating in study abroad with an aspirational goal of over 80% participation. The aspirational goal was met during the last two reporting cycles (2022-23 and 2023-24).

Table 3. Undergraduate Participation in Study Abroad: Leading Doctoral Universities (Open Doors)

Academic Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)Wake ForestAverage
2014-1561%48%
2015-1663%51%
2016-1774%52%
2017-1875%57%
2018-1981%58%
2019-2065%39%
2020-212%*6%
2021-2272%41%
2022-2383%56%
2023-2486%59%

*WFU did not officially submit data to Open Doors due to the pandemic. Internal data were used to determine the percentage of WFU students studying abroad.

Post-Graduation Outcomes 2017-2025 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients*

In the last nine years, an average of 97% of bachelor’s degree students are either employed or attending graduate or professional schools after graduation. Aside from 2020 (93.7%), the yearly rates meet a minimum expected threshold of 94% and often surpass the goal of 96% in the professional and academic placement of students graduating from the undergraduate programs at Wake Forest.

Table 4. Post-Graduation Outcomes

2017 2018 2019 2020 20212022202320242025
 Employed67%70%68%61%66%77%65%65%64%
 Attending graduate or professional school30%29%30%32%33%26%32%31%32%
 Seeking employment3%2%2%6%1%3%2%3%4%
 Not seeking employment0%0%0%1%0%0%0%1%0%

*Data collected by the Office of Personal & Career Development. Data sources include survey data provided by students, LinkedIn profile information and knowledge shared from academic departments and career coaches. Additional Undergraduate Post-Graduation Outcomes data can be found in the Fact Book produced by the Office of Institutional Research.

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Business

The primary indicators of student achievement within the School include: (1) learning outcomes, (2) employment outcomes, and (3) on-time graduation. Employment outcomes and on-time graduation performance are discussed below.

Employment Outcomes

A key distinction of the School is its significant commitment to students’ career/professional development readiness and employment outcomes. Dedicated Market Readiness and Employment (MRE) staff members exist within each degree program to provide three core services: career coaching, career education and programming, and employer/market connections. The MRE team is an extension of Wake Forest’s Office of Personal and Career Development (OPCD), which is nationally recognized by the leading industry associations (e.g., National Association of Colleges and Employers, National Career Development Association) and various business school ranking organizations (e.g., The Economist, Poets & Quants) for their outstanding thought leadership and career/professional development best practices. 

The goal for first destination/employment outcomes for all degree programs is 100%. Employment outcomes for working professional programs (i.e., Charlotte Evening MBA, Winston-Salem Evening MBA, Charlotte Hybrid MBA, online MBA, and online Master of Science in Business Analytics) is typically 100% as these students are employed throughout their degree program experience. Working professional students are advised during orientation that limited career and professional development support is available to working professional students and provided as needed. Thresholds for first destination/employment outcomes are set annually for each degree program in the School, and specific employment outcome targets and timelines are established and routinely monitored to maintain overall market competitiveness.

As is well established, employment outcomes can have a significant effect on business degree rankings. The School has seen consistent success over the years, well-recognized by employers; however, the often proprietary ways in which the rankings are calculated means that it is difficult, at best, to anticipate from year to year exactly how employment outcomes will impact overall ranking each year. Therefore, the School undertakes an annual effort to use all available information to attempt a reverse engineering of the likely rankings calculations and lets them partially inform the setting of employment outcome goals for the following year. Results are tracked and aligned with staff performance review assessments for MRE staff members. MRE resources represent a significant personnel and financial commitment, for which the School expects to see strong employment/first destination results. Employment outcomes have been encouraging, while continuing to acknowledge any remaining impacts of the pandemic.

Overall, the Class of 2026 has shown a continued increase in career outcomes, with 74% of graduates securing employment or enrolling in graduate school by graduation – an increase from 73% last year. As of July 2026, 81% of graduates across all programs have achieved successful career outcomes, up from 79% in the previous year. MSA outcomes are challenging for the Class of 2026 due to market pressures. Commitment to supporting students remains steadfast, as the School aims to help those still seeking opportunities secure their paths within six months of graduation (i.e., November).

Table 1. Employment & Graduate School Outcomes at Graduation and 3-Months Post

2020202120222023202420252026
Grad3-MoGrad3-MoGrad3-MoGrad3-MoGrad3-MoGrad3-MoGradAs of 7/8
UG
76%91%79%91%81%90%80%99%74%83%77%86%80%86%
MSM
54%68%44%72%66%88%51%73%53%74%55%72%58%70%
MSA
97%98%92%95%97%97%94%97%98%98%98%99%80%82%
MSBA
37%63%52%84%63%89%33%60%39%66%47%72%53%72%

Note: Class of 2025 career outcomes are based on NACE standards (employment + graduate school) for all programs. For prior years, undergraduate outcomes were based on First Destination Outcomes (employment, graduate school, non-seeking), and all graduate programs were based on employment only. 

Internship Outcomes: 98% of the Undergraduate Business Class of 2025 participated in an internship

Job and internship opportunities have significantly increased over the past year and the last five years, even as the number of graduate schools declined. While the total number of employers and organizations fluctuated year-to-year, the School has experienced a substantial increase over the past five years.

Table 2 – Total # of Employers and Job/Internship Opportunities

2025-2026 (current year)2024-2025 (current year)Change from the previous year2020-2021 (5 years ago)*Change from 5 years ago
Total Organizations OCR286341-16%296-3%
Employers195215-9%151+29%
Graduate Schools91126-28%145-37%
Jobs & Internship Postings398,767256,864+55%138,048+188%

Note: Job and internship postings for 2020-2021 were significantly affected by COVID.

Retention Rates and On-Time Graduation

Retention rates and on-time graduation represent two additional serious commitments the School of Business makes to students.

The School has a goal of retaining 100% of enrolled students. Retention is defined as follows:

Note: Students who take a leave of absence, switch programs, or withdraw and are readmitted are not defined as retained as they have left their matriculation cohort.

The School of Business aims for a 100% retention rate, with an accompanying threshold set at 90%. Active monitoring occurs only if this threshold is not met. Retention rates are generally strong, and any rare instances where thresholds fall short prompt a focused investigation to address specific issues (e.g., https://business.wfu.edu/strategic-framework/). While recognizing that online programming has its own retention challenges across the graduate education market, the School has chosen to maintain its same standards. To combat these unique challenges, the School provides student-focused resources similar to its on-ground programs; uses business-specific, national ranking metrics for comparison data, and meets monthly to review metrics and discuss strategies. As a result of its concentrated efforts, the School was listed in the 2025 Top 25 Online MBA Programs by Poets & Quants.

Table 3. Retention Rates by Program

Undergraduate
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Fall 2021Spring 202398.55%
Fall 2022Spring 202498.93%
Fall 2023Spring 202597.68%
Fall 2024Spring 202699.36%
MS in Management
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Summer 2022Spring 202395.78%
Summer 2023Spring 202492.77%
Summer 2024Spring 202595.06%
Summer 2025Spring 2026100.00%
MS in Business Analytics (In-Person)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Summer 2022Spring 202397.76%
Summer 2023Spring 202498.48%
Summer 2024Spring 202595.65%
Summer 2025Spring 202697.67%
MS in Business Analytics (Online)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Summer 2021Spring 202362.50%
Fall 2021Summer 202375.00%
Fall 2022Summer 202466.66%
Fall 2023Summer 202593.75%
MBA (Winston-Salem Evening)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Fall 2021Spring 202393.47%
Fall 2022Spring 202492.10%
Fall 2023Spring 202594.59%
Fall 2024Spring 202699.22%
MBA (Charlotte Evening)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Fall 2021Spring 202392.15%
Fall 2022Spring 202487.09%
Fall 2023Spring 2025100.00%
Fall 2024Spring 202692.68%
MBA (Charlotte Hybrid)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Spring 2022Summer 202378.94%
Spring 2023Summer 202496.55%
Spring 2024Summer 202596.66%
Spring 2025Summer 2026TBD
MBA (Online)
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Spring 2021Spring 202390.24%
Summer 2021Summer 202386.36%
Fall 2021Fall 202375.00%
Spring 2022Spring 202475.00%
Summer 2022Summer 202471.42%
Fall 2022Fall 202476.47%
Spring 2023Spring 202585.71%
Summer 2023Summer 202594.73%
Fall 2023Fall 202592.50%
Spring 2024Spring 202695.83%
Summer 2024Summer 2026TBD*
Fall 2024Fall 2026TBD*
MS in Accountancy
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermRetention Rate
Fall 2022 (2-semester format)Spring 202393.5%
Fall 2022 (3-semester format)Fall 202390.47%
Fall 2023 (2-semester format)Spring 202493.5%
Fall 2023 (3-semester format)Fall 202492.85%
Fall 2024 (2-semester format)Spring 202596.2%
Fall 2024 (3-semester format)Fall 202596.15%
Fall 2025 (2-semester format)Spring 202698.76%
Fall 2025 (3-semester format)Fall 2026TBD*

*Data not available at the time of submission.

Close counseling and tracking of all students across all degree programs contributes to strong on-time graduation performance. On-time graduation is defined as a student who graduates with his/her matriculation cohort at the expected graduation date as outlined by his/her initial program curriculum. Student-initiated delays resulting from changes in major or plan of study are not counted as on-time.

The goal for on-time graduation for all in-person programs is 100%, which is reflective of the strong commitment and investment the School continues to make in student services. The threshold for on-time graduation is 85% for all in-person programs and 60% for online programs, reflecting normal variation due to factors beyond the control or significant influence of the School (e.g., a student electing to take a year’s leave of absence, a student failing a required course late in the degree program such that graduation is delayed).

Overall, the School has consistently achieved its aspirational thresholds for on-time graduation rates, reflecting a commitment to student success. When thresholds are not met, senior leadership collaborates with the relevant associate/assistant dean or academic leader to analyze trends and identify areas for improvement. Interventions may include enhanced academic advising, additional course sections, financial aid counseling, and expanded tutoring services. Policies are also reviewed to address potential barriers, and outcomes are continuously monitored to refine strategies. For example, while the MBA (Charlotte Hybrid) Summer 2023 graduating class did not meet the 80% threshold, achieving 78.9%, targeted efforts led to an improvement with the Spring 2024 cohort reaching a 96.6% on-time graduation rate. Such actions ensure the School maintains and exceeds goals where possible, fostering continuous improvement and student success.

Table 4. Graduation Rates by Program

Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
Undergraduate
Fall 2021Spring 202334633596.82%
Fall 2022Spring 202428227197.28%
Fall 2023Spring 202530229497.53%
Fall 2024Spring 202631230296.79%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MS in Management
Summer 2022Spring 2023958488.42%
Summer 2023Spring 2024837387.95%
Summer 2024Spring 2025817693.82%
Summer 2025Spring 2026615996.72%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MS in Business Analytics
Summer 2022Spring 202313412291.04%
Summer 2023Spring 202413212896.96%
Summer 2024Spring 2025928693.47%
Summer 2025Spring 2026868194.18%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MS in Business Analytics (Online)
Summer 2021Spring 20238562.50%
Fall 2021Summer 20234375.00%
Fall 2022Summer 20249666.66%
Fall 2023Summer 2025161487.50%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MBA (Winston- Salem Evening)
Fall 2021Spring 2023463780.43%
Fall 2022Spring 2024383181.57%
Fall 2023Spring 2025373594.59%
Fall 2024Spring 2026534686.79%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MBA (Charlotte Evening)
Fall 2021Spring 2023514384.31%
Fall 2022Spring 2024312787.09%
Fall 2023Spring 2025424095.23%
Fall 2024Spring 2026413892.68%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MBA (Charlotte Hybrid)
Spring 2022Summer 2023191578.94%
Spring 2023Summer 2024292896.55%
Spring 2024Summer 2025302983.33%
Spring 2025Summer 2026TBD*TBD*
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MBA (Online)
Spring 2021Spring 2023413585.36%
Summer 2021Summer 2023221777.27%
Fall 2021Fall 2023241770.83%
Spring 2022Spring 2024241458.33%
Summer 2022Summer 202414964.28%
Fall 2022Fall 2024342573.52%
Spring 2023Spring 2025141285.71%
Summer 2023Summer 2025191789.47%
Fall 2023Fall 2025403177.50%
Spring 2024Spring 2026241979.16%
Cohort Entry TermOn-Time Grad TermEntering Cohort Size (# of persons)On-Time Graduates (# of persons)Graduation Rate
MS in Accountancy
Fall 2022 (2-semester format)Spring 2023777293.50%
Fall 2022 (3-semester format)Fall 2023423583.33%
Fall 2023 (2-semester format)Spring 2024776989.61%
Fall 2023 (3-semester format)Fall 2024282589.28%
Fall 2024 (2-semester format)Spring 2025797594.93%
Fall 2024 (3-semester format)Fall 2025262492.3%0
Fall 2025 (2-semester format)Spring 2026817795.06%
Fall 2025 (3-semester format)Fall 2026TBD*TBD*TBD*

*Data not available at the time of submission

Additionally, on-time graduation performance is monitored at a more granular level (with the same goal/threshold for each subcategory as for the degree program overall). Such measures are chosen based on similar practices within other Wake Forest academic units and at peer/aspirant schools of business, allowing greater comparisons, ultimately toward improvement.

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Divinity

Wake Forest University School of Divinity is a graduate, professional school that is Christian by tradition, Baptist in heritage, and ecumenical in outlook. The School of Divinity shares in the University’s commitment to Pro Humanitate through explorations of religious identity, vocation, social responsibility, and public engagement.

The School uses multiple measures to document student success, including graduation rates, placement rates, assessment of direct measures, and responses to a graduating student questionnaire, as outlined below. These measures apply to on-campus (MDiv and MA) and online (DMin) programs. Some of those measures are related to accrediting standards established by The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the accrediting body for graduate theological institutions and related annual reports. The ATS Standards of Accreditation also require that institutions identify, assess, and publish goals and outcomes for student achievement.

Graduation Rates

As a measure of program success, the Divinity School tracks graduation rates. Because the three-year Doctor of Ministry Program commenced in Fall 2024, there is no graduation rate data available for this program. The School submits to ATS and subsequently receives graduation and placement data through an annual Strategic Information Report (SIR) compiled and shared by ATS with member schools. The information compiled in the SIR is based on data reported by each school through the ATS Annual Report process. The SIR details graduation and placement rates for the previous ten years.

MDiv Graduation Rates

The School of Divinity’s Master of Divinity graduation rate threshold is 80% of students graduating within three to four years of matriculation. The Divinity School’s Master of Divinity graduation rate goal is 85% of students graduating between three to four years of matriculation. The Divinity School aims for this graduation rate over a consistent, three-year average period. This percentage shows the School of Divinity’s desire to graduate as many students as possible while reflecting certain realities amongst our students. For example, each year, a few MDiv students withdraw or take a leave of absence for personal reasons, or they transfer to another theological school. A few MDiv students become academically ineligible (fewer than 5% per year). The three to four year time frame of this goal aligns with the School’s related aim of reducing student debt. Further, a small percentage of students (5-10%) are accepted into one of the School’s combination degree programs, with the result that they will graduate from both programs in a total of about four or five years.  

Over the past 10 years, 88% of MDiv graduates have completed the degree in three to four years, as demonstrated in Table 1. 

Table 1. MDiv Completions by Time to Degree

Over the past three years, the average three to four year graduation rate for students matriculating into the MDiv program has been 81%, as seen in Table 2. This data reflects both program attrition and prolongation of the degree program due to leave of absence or program withdrawal and readmission.  

Table 2. Master of Divinity Students 3-4 year Graduation Rates

Year of MatriculationNumber of Students EnrolledNumber of Students who Graduated in 3-4 Years3 – 4 Year Graduation Rate
2021242292%
2022211471%
2023252184%
Average81%

MA in Religion Graduation Rates

The School of Divinity’s MA in Religion graduation rate threshold is 80% of students graduating within two to three years of matriculation. The Divinity School’s MA in Religion graduation rate goal is 85% of students graduating between two to three years of matriculation. 

The MA in Religion program graduated its first class of three students in 2025 – 26. All three of these students originally matriculated as MDiv students and subsequently changed degree programs to the MA in Religion. One student graduated within four years of matriculation, one student graduated within three years of matriculation, and one student graduated within one-and-a-half years of matriculation. Therefore, 66% of graduating students in 2025 – 26 completed their degree program in two to three years of matriculation. 

Students who matriculated in the MA program in 2025 have not yet graduated. The School of Divinity will continue to track graduation rates in this new program in order to support students’ academic progress and improve graduation rates. 

Improving Graduation Rates

The School continues its efforts to improve graduation rates among all students. 

The Divinity School supports students to complete their MDiv degrees within three to four years by encouraging full-time enrollment status and designing the degree program so that most students can graduate within that time frame. The School initiated and implemented a renewed MDiv curriculum in Fall 2024 that reduced the overall credit hours from 76 to 72 and streamlined the program’s requirements giving students greater access to and flexibility in course offerings, thereby increasing the likelihood that students can complete the degree within three to four years by taking twelve credit hours per semester. 

The School implemented the Wake Div Promise in 2023, a program offering full-tuition scholarships to all full-time students in the MDiv program. The majority of MDiv students are employed part- or full-time while enrolled in the MDiv program. These MDiv students often enroll in fewer credit hours per semester and sometimes take time off from their studies due to employment obligations. Some MDiv students who leave the program cite financial reasons. The full-tuition model helps alleviate some issues related to employment and financial security while enrolled in the MDiv program.

To improve overall retention and graduation rates over the past year, the School of Divinity has also implemented several key initiatives. The Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Admissions and Student Services have met jointly to review retention data, and subsequent reports have been delivered to the Dean.

Recognizing that financial challenges have often led to student departures, the Office of Admissions and Student Services has expanded its financial wellbeing resources. This has included a virtual pre-orientation module for MDiv students and the launch of “The Cost of Your Call,” a session designed to help students creatively fund their education. Furthermore, the Wellbeing Watch form, created in 2024, has been promoted to address academic and personal struggles. Finally, the office has established regular outreach to students who have paused their studies, seeking creative solutions to help them finish their degrees. As a result of these efforts, the School of Divinity has readmitted eleven MDiv students since 2019. Five of these students have since graduated with the MDiv degree, one has graduated with the MA in Religion degree, and three are expected to graduate with the MDiv degree in December 2026.   

Placement Rates

The School of Divinity also assesses program outcomes, particularly those related to the University’s Mission of “applying and using knowledge in the service of humanity” by monitoring career placement statistics. The changing nature of ministry and religious leadership means that students are finding ways to apply their theological education not only in traditional congregational and chaplaincy settings, but also in a broad range of other ministry contexts. As of May 2026, students from the May 2025 MDiv graduating class (n = 20) were working in the following areas: 30% in congregational ministry, 25% in chaplaincy, 10% non-profit work, 5% in education/higher education, and 5% in counseling. 15% were pursuing advanced study, 5% were retired, and 5% were unknown.

The Divinity School’s 6-month post-graduation placement rate threshold for all is 85%. This threshold is based on our average placement rate since 2015 and on our typical student vocational goals post graduation. A small percentage of students each year fall in the category of what ATS calls a “non-vocational placement.” This category includes graduates who enter the program for non-vocational reasons, such as for personal enrichment. For example, we have had retirees, attorneys, higher education professionals, teachers, etc. who completed the program but remain in their previous status (retirement) or job. A small percentage of graduates also choose to go on to further study rather than seek a vocational placement. 

Our goal for six-month post-graduation placement is 95% and is set by the average placement rate over the past ten years (Table 3, Percent of Positive Placements, 2025 ATS SIR ) and in consultation with our Director of the Art of Ministry program. This number reflects our desire for all of our students who seek a vocational placement to gain one while keeping in mind that we have students who will not be seeking placement.

Table 3. Percent of Positive MDiv Placements 

Our overall placement rate for students who graduated in 2025 was 95%. Of our May 2025 graduates, six months post-graduation (in November 2025), 70% were employed in a vocational placement, 20% were engaged in further study, 5% were seeking employment, and 5% were “unknown.” As of one year post-graduation, the 5% seeking employment were employed in a vocational placement. Table 4 shows placement rate data for our MDiv program compared with all ATS schools. This data indicates that students meet hiring standards and educational requirements of potential employers in ministry contexts and are competitive as applicants for additional education beyond the MDiv and for diverse ministry jobs.

Table 4. WFU and All ATS Schools Placement Rates

YearWFU School of Divinity MDiv Placement RatesAll ATS Schools Placement Rates
2021100%91%
202295%91%
202390%90%
202487%91%
202595%89%

Direct Measures of Student Achievement

Each academic year, the School of Divinity faculty evaluates student achievement through a curriculum assessment process for each of the learning goals assigned to the MDiv and MA in Religion programs respectively. Assessment of student achievement in the DMin program will begin when the first cohort of students completes their DMin Project in spring 2027.

Assessment of MDiv Learning Goals

Upon completion of the MDiv program, students will be able to demonstrate the following competencies for religious leadership:

  1. Academic integration of Christian traditions, theologies, scriptures, and practices; [SLO1]
  2. Sustained vocational reflection and spiritual formation that inform ministry in pluralistic contexts; [SLO2]
  3. Innovative application and embodiment of a range of ministerial practices for a continually transforming religious world; [SLO3] 
  4. Theologically informed analysis of social, cultural, political, and ecological systems within a variety of particular settings. [SLO4]

The faculty has identified the following threshold for student achievement of these learning outcomes: At least 90% of students will score proficient or outstanding on faculty-generated assessment of student work. The faculty has set the following goal for student learning outcomes: At least 40% of students will score outstanding, 55% will score proficient, and no more than 5% will score inadequate. Faculty assessment of student artifacts from 2025 – 26 indicates that, overall, 92% of the student body has achieved proficiency or higher in these learning outcomes. A breakdown of this percentage according to individual learning goals and scores can be seen in Table 5 below.

Table 5. MDiv Learning Outcomes Assessment

Assessment of MA in Religion Learning Goals

Students who graduate with the Master of Arts degree will be able to demonstrate the following competencies for a variety of leadership positions informed by religious and theological traditions:

  1. Generate theologically informed analysis of social, cultural, political, and ecological systems; [SLO8]
  2. Engage in interdisciplinary reflection on the meaning and practice of religious traditions in a pluralistic world; [SLO9] and
  3. Participate in collaborative design that responds to global challenges and the needs of local communities. [SLO10]

The faculty has identified the following threshold for student achievement of these learning outcomes: At least 90% of students will score proficient or outstanding on faculty-generated assessment of student work. The faculty has set the following goal for student learning outcomes: At least 40% of students will score outstanding, 55% will score proficient, and no more than 5% will score inadequate. Faculty assessment of student artifacts from 2025-26 indicates that, overall, 89% of the student body has achieved proficiency or higher in these learning outcomes. A breakdown of this percentage according to individual learning goals and scores can be seen in Table 6 below.

Table 6. MA in Religion Learning Outcomes Assessment 

With each assessment cycle, the faculty identifies action plans to improve learning outcomes in target areas of concern, particularly in outcomes that fall short of the goal and/or threshold. 

Indirect Measures of Student Achievement

Demographic and program satisfaction data for each graduating class in the School of Divinity’s Doctor of Ministry, Master of Arts in Religion, and Master of Divinity degree programs is collected each academic year through the Graduating Student Questionnaire (GSQ), which is administered through ATS. The GSQ provides information about student satisfaction with the degree program, debt load upon graduation, and job placement. The GSQ is self-reported by graduating students using a survey asking students to rate their evaluation on the following 1 – 5 scale: 1 – Not at all effective; 2 – Not very effective; 3 – Somewhat effective; 4 – Effective; 5 – Very effective

Coupled with placement data (above), the GSQ provides the Divinity School with a useful picture of program effectiveness and student achievement.  The Divinity School had a 100% GSQ participation rate for MDiv students in both 2025-26 and 2024-25, a 92% participation rate for 2023-24; a 83% participation rate for 2022-23; and a 85% participation rate for the year 2021-22. 2025-26 was the first year that students graduated from the School of Divinity’s new Master of Arts in Religion Program. Two out of three graduates (66%) completed the GSQ. The School’s Doctor of Ministry program will not graduate its first cohort of students until 2026-27.

All of the School of Divinity’s degree programs are designed to equip graduates to be effective religious leaders and to cultivate personal and professional growth. The Divinity School expects that students will experience their degree program curricula to be “somewhat” to “very effective” in equipping them to lead in diverse ministry settings so the GSQ threshold is set at the middle of the self-reported scale (an average of at least 3 on each of the tables below). This threshold is based on the diverse vocational goals students bring into the program and the breadth of course offerings available to students. In 2025 – 2026, the Divinity School met this GSQ threshold in all of the 36 areas assessed for both the MA in Religion and the MDiv programs. All areas show a general trend of improvement in the MDiv program over the past four years.  The School’s GSQ goal is an average of 4 on the self-reported scale in each of the areas surveyed. The MDiv program met this goal for 67% of all areas assessed and the MA in Religion program met the goal for 92% of all areas assessed. To advance toward this goal in other areas, faculty regularly explore curricular adjustments to improve educational effectiveness. Examples include enhancing existing courses and offering additional courses in particular curricular areas where the average scores are lower than the threshold.

Table 7. MDiv Measure of Educational Effectiveness and Personal Growth

Area of Personal Growth20262025202420232022
Empathy for the poor and oppressed4.44.94.64.34.5
Ability to pray3.73.63.12.83.1
Concern about social justice4.44.94.74.14.5
Enthusiasm for learning4.24.54.13.83.8
Insight into troubles of others4.14.74.44.04.4
Desire to become an authority in my field3.84.33.73.73.3
Trust in God3.73.93.43.33.1
Self-discipline and focus3.84.03.33.73.2
Respect for other religious traditions4.14.64.64.24.0
Respect for my own religious tradition4.24.34.13.93.8
Ability to live my faith in daily life4.14.33.73.33.3
Clarity of vocational goals3.74.53.83.63.1
Self-confidence4.04.64.33.43.6
Self-knowledge4.14.64.43.83.8
Strength of spiritual life3.94.33.43.13.5

Table 8. MDiv Program Educational Effectiveness in Facilitating Skill Areas

Skill Area20262025202420232022
Ability to preach well3.64.03.53.23.2
Ability to use and interpret Scripture4.64.64.74.24.2
Knowledge of church polity/canon law3.43.53.12.63.1
Ability to give spiritual direction3.83.73.42.83.3
Ability to teach well3.93.83.43.33.3
Knowledge of church doctrine and history4.14.24.33.73.8
Ability to lead others4.14.03.93.73.8
Ability to conduct worship/liturgy4.14.24.13.83.8
Ability to interact effectively with those of religious traditions other than my own4.34.64.54.24.1
Ability to work effectively within my own religious tradition4.44.64.1 3.53.5
Ability to interact effectively with those from cultural and racial/ethnic contexts other than my own4.44.74.64.14.2
Awareness and appreciation of the globalized context in which ministry is practiced4.24.84.63.94.3
Ability to work effectively with both women and men4.44.84.4 4.14.5
Ability to relate social issues to faith4.54.94.84.34.8
Ability in pastoral counseling4.24.23.43.03.6
Ability to administer a parish/congregation3.83.62.92.73.1
Knowledge of Christian ethics4.34.13.93.63.8
Ability to think theologically4.54.74.74.54.3
Ability to integrate insights from science into theology and ministry3.94.23.83.63.6
Ability to integrate ecological concerns into theology and ministry4.04.64.44.24.4
Knowledge of Christian philosophy4.24.23.73.53.9 

Table 9. MA in Religion Degree Program: Measure of Educational Effectiveness and Personal Growth

Area of Personal Growth2026
Empathy for the poor and oppressed5.0
Ability to pray3.5
Concern about social justice5.0
Enthusiasm for learning4.5
Insight into troubles of others5.0
Desire to become an authority in my field4.5
Trust in God4.0
Self-discipline and focus5.0
Respect for other religious traditions5.0
Respect for my own religious tradition3.5
Ability to live my faith in daily life5.0
Clarity of vocational goals4.5
Self-confidence4.5
Self-knowledge4.5
Strength of spiritual life4.5

Table 10: MA in Religion Program Educational Effectiveness in Facilitating Skill Areas

Skill Area2025
Ability to preach well3.0
Ability to use and interpret Scripture4.5
Knowledge of church polity/canon law4.5
Ability to give spiritual direction4.0
Ability to teach well4.0
Knowledge of church doctrine and history4.5
Ability to lead others4.5
Ability to conduct worship/liturgy4.0
Ability to interact effectively with those of religious traditions other than my own5.0
Ability to work effectively within my own religious tradition4.5
Ability to interact effectively with those from cultural and racial/ethnic contexts other than my own5.0
Awareness and appreciation of the globalized context in which ministry is practiced5.0
Ability to work effectively with both women and men5.0
Ability to relate social issues to faith5.0
Ability in pastoral counseling4.0
Ability to administer a parish/congregation4.0
Knowledge of Christian ethics4.0
Ability to think theologically4.5
Ability to integrate insights from science into theology and ministry4.0
Ability to integrate ecological concerns into theology and ministry4.0
Knowledge of Christian philosophy4.0

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Graduate School

Arts and Sciences — Reynolda Campus

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences identifies, evaluates, and publishes its goals and outcomes for student achievement.

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences uses three key metrics to document student success.  While individual programs may have various and disparate goals for student success, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences considers the following three metrics of student success across all graduate programs.

The Graduate School (Arts & Sciences) aims for its graduating students to exceed the Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) established by each individual program.

Each program identifies expected student learning outcomes by setting at least three learning objectives for its graduating students.  Each program evaluates the extent to which it achieves these goals as follows. At the time of graduation, each student is rated by the mentor and/or director of the graduate program across each learning objective with one of the following scores: 1-does not meet expectations; 2-meets expectations; 3-exceeds expectations. Two programs (Interpreting and Translation Studies, Education) use a 5-point scale where 3 is equivalent to meets expectations. These 5-point scales provide these two programs with more useful and actionable information within the context of their programs and SLOs and, for comparison purposes, the average scores for these programs are converted to the 3-point scale in the table below. The minimum threshold for each program is an average of 2.00 (meets expectations). These scores are based upon historical practices. “Meets Expectations” is the minimum historical standard for “pass” for a thesis or dissertation defense evaluation. The minimum threshold is therefore a score of 2, i.e., all students would successfully complete the degree. The aspirational goal, of course, is that all students exceed expectations (average score 3.0). These data are tabulated below.

Table 1. Performance on Student Learning Outcomes

 ProgramNumber of Learning Objectives Total 2023 GraduatesAverage SLO Score 2023 Total 2024 GraduatesAvg. SLO Score 2024Total 2025 GraduatesAverage SLO Score 2025
Bioethics4 42.80102.7392.79
Biology4 113.0082.53202.40
Chemistry5 112.7342.73192.20
Communication3 102.7792.01 42.43
Computer Science3 6 2.55 42.55 42.40
Counseling3 1122.71 1122.84 1422.74
Documentary Film8 10 2.20 112.22 102.49
Education5 11 2.83 152.69 82.82
English3 82.33 7 2.48 62.57
Health and Exercise Science4 52.23 62.20 62.42
Interpreting and Translation Studies3 112.62 52.65 72.88
Liberal Arts Studies4 242.73 112.65NANA
Mathematics5 92.4062.46 132.72
Physics4 53.00 52.8632.68
Psychology5 52.30 102.75 142.60
Statistics562.3092.75152.78
Sustainability5 232.69 152.57 72.86
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences73 2712.602472.552872.61

All programs met this 2.0 threshold in the Academic Years 2023, 2024, and 2025. The average performance for all students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is given in the bottom row and has remained consistent (2.55-2.61) for the past three years. The average score for 271 graduating students was 2.60 in 2023. In 2024, the average score for 247 graduating students remained essentially the same at 2.55. In 2025, the average score for 287 graduating students was 2.61.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences sets a goal that less than 10% of its graduating students will have undecided career paths upon graduation.

While 100% of students with career paths related to their graduate work is the goal, the identified outcome for student achievement of 90% is a more realistic and attainable minimum threshold.  It can reasonably be expected that some students will change their focus during or after graduate school each year.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences evaluates the extent to which it meets this goal by tracking the specific placement of recent graduates.  There are 4 categories: (1) Pursued Advanced Degree; (2) Entered the Workforce; (3) Began a Teaching Position; and (4) Undecided. Those results from the past 10 years are tabulated below.

Table 2. Graduation Placement

Graduation Year% Advanced Degree% Workforce% Teaching% Undecided
20251965511
20241567711
20231367813
2022355078
20213548812
2020394877
2019424477
20184044134
20174635163
201635401510
20155425183

Note that Pursuing an Advanced degree refers to students going on to Masters, PhD, or JD programs, Entering the Workforce Directly means pursuing an opportunity in the private sector or a post-doc, and Going Into Teaching means pursuing a career in K-12 education/higher education.

Only 11% of Wake Forest graduates had unknown career paths upon graduation in 2025. From 2015 to the present, one may argue that the graduates are slowly transitioning from mostly “Pursuing an Advanced Degree” to “Entering the Workforce Directly,” or that the fraction “Going Into Teaching” is shrinking, or that there is a minor upward trend evident in the % Undecided data. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is monitoring the trends in these data. At present, given the challenges faced by graduates during and after the COVID pandemic and the current crises in higher education, it is not surprising to see the number of students undecided on their career path being slightly over the goal of 10%. At the present time, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not believe the data in % Undecided is actionable. We will continue to monitor these data and communicate with Graduate Program Directors to ensure graduate students are aware of all potential career paths.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences sets a goal that 100% of its master’s students complete the degree in 2 years, and 100% of its doctoral students complete the degree in no more than 7 years.

The Graduate School of Art and Sciences has identified a minimum threshold for its graduates to complete their degree faster than the national average. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) includes almost all graduate schools in the United States.  It published a survey in 2013 entitled “Completion and Attrition in STEM Master’s Programs” which includes data for mathematics, computer science, physical, behavioral and social sciences.  That work reported national average 2-year completion rates for the M.A. as 45%, and the M.S. as 40%. The data were also disaggregated by gender and race/ethnicity. A similar survey published in 2007 “A Data-Driven Approach to Improving Doctoral Completion” reported the national average 10-year completion rate for the Ph.D. as 54.7%. A recent web search shows that time to degree completion for MA/MS (2-3 years) and PhD (5.8-7.5) have not changed appreciably over time. Similarly the estimated average 2-Year completion rates for MA/MS programs for full-time students is ~40–50% complete within 2 years. The estimated average 7-Year completion rates for PhD programs for full-time students is ~50–60% complete within 7 years (Bio-55-60%, Chem & Physics-60-70%). Based on this nationwide data, the Graduate School adopted these as minimum thresholds of success for all students regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences evaluated the extent to which it met this goal by comparing its completion rates to the CGS rates. The 2024 master’s graduates would have entered in 2022, and the 2025 graduates in 2023, while the Ph.D. graduates would have entered in 2017 and 2018. For the Ph.D., Wake Forest reports the 7-year completion rate rather than the 10-year rate reported by CGS. Note that in every case reported by CGS, Wake Forest exceeds the completion rate reported by CGS except for the Ph.D. rate. However, it is important to note that the 7-year rate at Wake Forest is comparable to the CGS rate which took 3 extra years to achieve. By any measure, the WFU completion rates for Masters and Doctoral programs far exceeds the national averages.

Table 3. Completion Rates

2024 WFU Graduates2025 WFU GraduatesCGS Data
% Completed% Completed% Completed
Degree
Ph.D.895255
M.A.989045
M.S.979540

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Biomedical Sciences — Bowman Gray Campus

 The Biomedical Science programs of the Graduate School evaluate and refine their success metric goals as a part of their annual reporting process each summer. The current success metrics were drafted by central administration of the Biomedical Graduate Programs office and reviewed by program directors to allow for shared feedback and alignment. The success metrics have been published, with initial thresholds set based on an analysis of prior data, and goals set to encourage programs to deliberately monitor the academic progress of their enrolled students. These metrics and their thresholds have been monitored annually, with thresholds and goals modified during the annual reporting process. Data related to these metrics are available in Annual Report Tables which may be requested from the Biomedical Graduate Programs Office.  

 The Biomedical Graduate Programs office located at Wake Forest University School of Medicine is steadfast in its mission “to train and mentor future leaders in research, teaching, and innovation in service to humanity.” This mission is intricately tied to Wake Forest University’s overarching mission, “Wake Forest is a university dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the liberal arts and in graduate and professional education.” The alignment of these missions underscores a unified commitment to academic rigor, professional development, interdisciplinary learning, and societal contribution. As one of the engines of creativity and innovation of Wake Forest University, the Biomedical Science programs of the Graduate School contribute to the academic reputation of the University by educating the next generation of teachers and scholars and by providing mentors and role models for educating undergraduates.  

The most recent Annual Report outlines overall data concerning the Biomedical Science programs and tracks metrics related to the Admissions Process, the Demographics of the Applicant Pool and the Student Body, the Academic Credentials and Performance of the Applicant Pool and the Student Body, and the Outcomes for Graduated Students.  The full report for the academic year may be requested from the Senior Associate Dean, Biomedical Graduate Programs via email. Included within these data tables are insight related to four distinct measures of student success that the Biomedical Science programs of the Graduate School are focused on. The following are addressed in detail in the student success section below: 

For the Biomedical Graduate Programs, our office combines all doctoral (PhD) degree programs and all master (MS and MHL) programs into pools due to the small sample size of graduated students in individual programs in a given academic year.  

On-time degree completion

Time-to-degree is a key attribute of graduate programs and is considered an indicator of graduate program efficiency. Monitoring on-time completion allows the Biomedical Graduate Programs office to identify and manage issues within our programs. Each program has a plan of study that defines the required coursework and, in many cases, the expected time-to-degree.

While dissertation and thesis-based programs have some variability in the amount of time that is required to collect an adequate amount of research productivity that may result in a final document, we are able to set an expectation for each biomedical graduate program. For students completing a PhD dissertation or an MS thesis, we maintain an overarching objective to see our programs graduate these students as soon as they have compiled enough research results to generate a written product that a committee of faculty agree meet the standard of a PhD dissertation or MS thesis.

Data compiled in a report from the National Research Council (NRC) revealed median values of 5.06 (Biomedical Engineering) to 5.73 (Genetics and Genomics) years, with other discipline areas offered by Wake Forest falling somewhere between those two values. In order to recognize the constant evolution of factors that impact the research environment and our dissertation and thesis students ability to compile the requisite data/results, we calculate the expected time-to-degree for each academic year by determining the median time-to-degree and one standard deviation for all graduating students in the academic year. The standard deviation is added to the median value. The resulting value is designated as the upper limit for an assignment of “on-time degree completion” for the academic year.

For on-time degree completion:

Our calculated time-to-degree expectation for the 25-26 Academic Year and the percentage of graduates meeting the expectation are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Time-to-degree expectations for dissertation and thesis students and programmatic success analysis

Time-to-degree expectedAll Students
2022-2023
PhD dissertation students5.93 years86%
MS thesis students2.25 years91%
2023-2024
PhD dissertation students6.13 years89%
MS thesis students2.41 years92%
2024-2025
PhD dissertation students5.86 years88%
MS thesis students2.10 years94%
2025-2026
PhD dissertation students5.89 years83%
MS thesis students1.97 years86%

For master-level programs that do not require a thesis, our threshold is for 80% of all master students to complete their degree by the appropriate benchmark based on the student’s plan of study, with a goal that 90% of master students will complete their degree by the appropriate benchmark based on the student’s plan of study. The benchmarks for plan of study are as follows:

For MS programs that do not require a thesis, our calculated time-to-degree expectation for the 25-26 Academic Year and the percentage of graduates meeting the expectation are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Time-to-degree expectations for dissertation and thesis students and programmatic success analysis

 Time-to-degree expectedAll Students
2022-2023
MS (5-term degrees)1.80 years97%
MS (4-term degrees)1.50 years80%
MS (3-term degrees)1.10 years76%
2023-2024
MS (5-term degrees)1.80 years95%
MS (4-term degrees)1.50 years100%
MS (3-term degrees)1.10 years86%
2024-2025
MS (5-term degrees)1.80 years95%
MS (4-term degrees)1.50 years45%
MS (3-term degrees)1.10 years97%
2025-2026
MS (5-term degrees)1.80 years94%
MS (4-term degrees)1.50 years71%
MS (3-term degrees)1.10 years93%

At the time of the publication of the 25-26 Annual Report for biomedical graduate programs, it was noted that on-time degree completion rates were meeting our goals for doctoral programs, and for most of our master programs with one exception: our 4-term degrees. Internal reviews were held with individual program directors overseeing 4-term MS degrees. With our 25-26 Annual Report update, we have found that we are meeting our threshold expectation and approaching our goals (Table 3). A review of all data is ongoing; in the case where an individual program is not meeting our threshold, the program director will be charged with reviewing their practices for monitoring academic progress for impacted students.

Table 3. On Time Degree Completion Across Academic Years for All Graduating Students

Class Graduation YearOn Time Degree Completion Rate (MS)On Time Degree Completion Rate (PhD)
2020-202188%92%
2021-202291%80%
2022-202392%91%
2023-202491%88%
2024-202589%88%
2025-202691%83%

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All programs are held to similar standards with regard to satisfactory academic progress, with common definitions for student progress that is deemed unsatisfactory, using the following classifications:

  1. At-risk for graduation: Any student with a cumulative GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 at the end of an academic term;
  2. Academic probation: Any student with a cumulative GPA below 2.5 at the end of an academic term, that receives an “Unsatisfactory” grade in Thesis/Dissertation Research, Capstone Project, or Internship, or is deemed to be failing to make satisfactory academic progress as further defined by the individual program’s student handbook.

Students that are in either status are ineligible for graduation, may become ineligible to access federal financial aid, and require more academic advising to re-establish satisfactory academic progress. Monitoring the rates of satisfactory academic progress in each program allows the Biomedical Graduate Program Office to identify and manage student advising issues within our programs.

For doctoral-level programs, our threshold is for 95% of all doctoral students to maintain satisfactory academic progress within a given academic year. Our goal is for 98% of our doctoral students to maintain satisfactory academic progress over the same time period. The 95% threshold was selected based on a review of data from prior year, with a recognition of the probability that the percentage goal will likely increase as graduate programs seek to drive towards the new goal. For master-level programs, our threshold is for 95% of all master students to maintain satisfactory academic progress within a given academic year. Our goal is for 98% of our master students to maintain satisfactory academic progress over the same time period. The 95% threshold was selected based on a review of data from prior year, with a recognition of the probability that the percentage goal will likely increase as graduate programs seek to drive towards the new goal.

Table 4. Percentage of Biomedical Students Achieving Satisfactory Academic Progress by Academic Year and Degree

All
2022-2023
PhD Students96%
MS Students95%
2023-2024
PhD Students96%
MS Students96%
2024-2025
PhD Students99%
MS Students95%
2025-2026
PhD Students97%
MS Students95%

At the time of the publication of the 25-26 Annual Report for biomedical graduate programs, it was noted that satisfactory academic progress rates for the aggregated programs (Table 4) are meeting our thresholds. Internal reviews are held with program directors during a standing program director’s meeting annually once the annual report is completed. In the case that an individual program’s satisfactory academic progress rates were not at the expected threshold, the Biomedical Graduate Programs office shares the program’s individual data with that program director for the program’s review and the program is charged with seeking to address the issue. That said, for the 25-26 academic year, with the exception of three programs, no program had more than one student placed on academic probation for the year.

Career Readiness

Embedded within the Exit Survey for Biomedical Graduate Programs, each graduated student rates, on a five-point scale, their preparedness for a career on two items:

1.     Start a Career in My Chosen Field

2.     Apply Graduate Training to My Next Environment

As there is a stated concern to assure that Wake Forest’s biomedical programs are producing graduates that are job ready on day one, there is an expectation that graduate students should report a high degree of preparedness. Monitoring these two career readiness ratings allows the Biomedical Graduate Program Office to identify and manage issues within our programs.

For all programs, our threshold is for the average rating for all graduating students to be:

a.     3.8 (out of 5) for “career readiness”

b.     4.2 (out of 5) for “apply graduate training in next environments”

For all programs, our goal is for the average rating for all graduating students to be:

a.     4.0 (out of 5) for “career readiness”

b.     4.4 (out of 5) for “apply graduate training in next environments”

Table 5. Average Ratings on Career Readiness Metrics by Academic Year 

Academic YearCareer ReadyApply in Next Environments
2022-2023 4.114.46
2023-2024 3.974.32
2024-2025 3.964.25
2025-20263.954.25

At the time of the publication of the 25-26 Annual Report for biomedical graduate programs, it was noted that graduates self-report scores that meet our thresholds (Table 5) for the career readiness item.

Publication Productivity

Each dissertation and thesis student is required to prepare a publication quality product in order to successfully complete a final defense. A count of peer-reviewed publications is a deemed a key success metric for research-based graduate programs and is considered an indicator of a graduate program’s productivity. Monitoring of peer-reviewed publications allows us to identify and manage issues within our dissertation and thesis programs.

For doctoral-level programs, our threshold is for 75% of all doctoral students to have at least one peer-reviewed publication in press or in print by the time of graduation AND have at least two additional publications projected within three years of graduation. Our goal is 90% for the same criteria. The 75% threshold was selected based on a review of data from prior year, with a recognition of the probability that the percentage goal will likely increase as graduate programs seek to drive towards the new goal.

For students in master-level programs that require a thesis, our threshold is for 60% of all master students to have at least one publication in press OR in print by the time of graduation, or one publication projected within three years of graduation. Our goal is 75% for the same criteria. The 60% threshold was selected based on a review of data from prior year, with a recognition of the probability that the percentage goal will likely increase as graduate programs seek to drive towards the new goal. 

Table 6. Percentage of Biomedical PhD Graduates Meeting Publication Productivity Expectations by Academic Year 

Academic YearAll
2022-2023 86%
2023-2024 92%
2024-2025 90%
2025-202669%

At the time of the publication of the 25-26 Annual Report for biomedical graduate programs, it was noted that our doctoral students (Table 6) that all students are not meeting our threshold. A deeper analysis of this self-reported data reveal two matters that have impacted this finding:

  1. A higher number of PhD graduates reported fewer than 2 projected publications within 3 years
  2. A higher number of PhD graduates reported no peer-reviewed publications

Both of these findings are outliers compared with historical findings. Individual program data was shared with program directors to review. As this data is self-reported via our exit survey, minor changes have been made to the questionnaire to ensure that future graduates fully understand the item.

Table 7. Percentage of Biomedical MS Graduates Meeting Publication Productivity Expectations by Academic Year 

Academic YearAll
2022-2023 73%
2023-2024 89%
2024-2025 69%
2025-202694%

At the time of the publication of the 25-26 Annual Report for biomedical graduate programs, it was noted that the percentage of those meeting or exceeding our publication productivity expectations in our master programs are exceeding our goals that we set for ourselves (Table 7) for all students. In the case where an individual program showed evidence of a higher incidence of falling short of publication productivity, that data was shared with the appropriate program director for review and comment.

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Law

The Law School confers four degrees: Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), Doctor of Judicial Science (SJD), and Master of Studies in Law (MSL). The most fundamental measure of student achievement in all four programs is the graduation rate. Each program also has indicators of achievement particular to the program.

Measures of Student Achievement in the Juris Doctor Degree

In the JD program, the Law School evaluates student achievement through four indicators: (1) student retention, as measured by attrition rates; (2) graduation rate; (3) bar examination passage rate; and (4) post-graduation employment outcomes.

Student Retention through Academic Eligibility

Some JD students leave the program to pursue other career opportunities, for personal reasons, or because they transfer to a different law school. In terms of measuring student success, the Law School is primarily concerned with JD students who leave the program because they become academically ineligible. Students in the JD program become academically ineligible to continue if they fail to achieve a weighted grade average of 2.33 at the end of the first year of the program and at the end of every academic semester thereafter. 

The Law School has several interventions designed to identify students who are struggling in the JD program early in their first year, and to support those students throughout their time at the law school. After the fall semester of the first year, lower performing students are enrolled in a required, one-credit spring semester course, Critical Academic Skills Enhancement (CASE). The course is designed to help students develop the skills to succeed in law school and lay the foundation for success on the bar exam. In addition, students who are identified as academically struggling are referred to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and the Director of Academic Excellence and Bar Support for individualized academic advising. Very few students in the JD program are declared academically ineligible to continue in the program. 

The Law School has adopted a student retention threshold, which is outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Juris Doctor Student Retention Threshold and Goal

The Law School has established a student retention threshold of less than 5% academic attrition per JD cohort (first year/upper level), with a goal academic attrition of less than 2% per cohort. These benchmarks were developed through historical analysis of attrition data, evaluation of the effectiveness of academic support programs, and alignment with peer institutional practices and ABA reporting expectations. The chosen threshold represents a level at which academic attrition is considered a potential indicator of systemic concern, prompting further review. The more aspirational goal of less than 2% reflects the Law School’s commitment to early intervention and individualized academic support aimed at promoting student success and persistence. The Law School has adopted the threshold and goal by cohort (first year students, upper level students) since the historical academic attrition is highest after the first year in the Juris Doctor program.

As demonstrated in Table 2 below, the Law School has met both the threshold and goal for both the first year cohort and upper level cohort of students each of the past five academic years.

Table 2. Juris Doctor Student Retention as Reported by Academic Attrition


The low levels of academic attrition historically observed at the Law School—combined with targeted programs such as the Critical Academic Skills Enhancement (CASE) course, individualized academic advising, and early identification of at-risk students—demonstrate the institution’s intentional strategy to minimize academic ineligibility while maintaining rigorous academic standards. These interventions reflect the Law School’s broader commitment to excellence, student support, and mission-driven outcomes, and serve as a key measure in the assessment of student achievement.

Graduation Rate

The JD program is designed as a full-time, day-program typically completed in three academic years. According to the Student Handbook, students must complete all graduation requirements within five academic years from the date of matriculation. In rare cases, students may apply to graduate in fewer than three years–specifically, after five semesters (fall and spring)–if they meet all academic and credit hour requirements.

To assess program effectiveness and student achievement, the Law School monitors time-to-degree completion rates and has established a threshold and goal for JD graduation rates, which can be found in Table 3.

Table 3. Juris Doctor Graduation Rate Threshold and Goal

These benchmarks were developed through a collaborative process involving faculty, academic affairs leadership, and a review of historical data. The 90% threshold reflects a conservative lower boundary based on historic performance and peer comparisons. The five-year time frame for the threshold mirrors the JD degree maximum degree length. The 95% graduation rate goal–completion within three years–represents our commitment to student achievement and institutional effectiveness. A three-year time frame for the goal was selected because it aligns with the normative path for full-time JD students and enables early detection of academic or support deficiencies. Both benchmarks are consistent with student expectations and accreditation principles that stress timely program completion as a meaningful indicator of student success.

The Law School proactively supports timely graduation through the following mechanisms:

  1. Course Access and Scheduling: The Senior Associate Dean, Associate Dean, and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs strategically plan course offerings to ensure availability of required and high-demand electives, enabling all students to meet graduation requirements in a timely manner.
  2. Faculty Advising: Each student is assigned a faculty academic advisor. Faculty are encouraged to initiate regular communication and to offer tailored academic planning prior to registration each semester.
  3. Degree Progress Tracking: The Workday Student platform provides students with a real-time academic progress audit, ensuring they can independently verify completion of graduation requirements.
  4. Academic Support and Early Intervention: Lower performing students after the first semester are required to enroll in Critical Academic Skills Enhancement (CASE), a one-credit course focused on study strategies and legal reasoning. Individualized academic support is also offered by the Assistant Dean of Academic Excellence and Bar Support.

The Law School closely monitors graduation outcomes by cohort. If the graduation rate falls below the threshold for any cohort, a formal review is conducted by the Academic Affairs team in consultation with the Curriculum Committee. This includes:

This approach ensures that our graduation outcomes remain not only compliant but also aligned with our institutional mission of fostering professional achievement and timely career entry for our students.

The following tables reflect JD graduation rates for the most recent three graduating classes. The graduation rates in the table are based on three years after matriculation, tracking goal performance. The graduation rate divisor is determined by the number of students who matriculated minus any students who withdrew from the program for reasons other than academic dismissal. 

Table 4. Juris Doctor Graduation Rates Three Years from Matriculation, Graduating Classes 2024 – 2026

Juris DoctorTotal MatriculantsTotal Grads
#%
Class of 202416715693%
Class of 202515815397%
Class of 202617616598%

Total Matriculants in the table represent the raw enrollment figures without adjustments for withdrawals from the program.

Bar Passage

The vast majority of students who enter the JD program at the Law School intend to practice law. To be admitted to the practice of law, they must first pass a state bar examination. Therefore, an important metric of student success in the JD program is the rate by which our students pass a state bar examination. 

In 2018, the American Bar Association (ABA) began requiring law schools to report bar examination passage rates for graduates over a two-year period (Ultimate Bar Pass). The ABA requires that all law schools maintain or exceed an Ultimate Bar Pass rate of ≥75%. The Law School has adopted this requirement as our threshold. Our goal for Bar Passage is that ≥85% of graduates who take a bar examination pass within two years of their graduation.

Table 5. Juris Doctor Bar Passage Threshold and Goal

The Law School consistently exceeds the threshold and has exceeded the goal in every reported year. The Law School’s Ultimate Bar Pass rate was 97% for the class of 2021, 98.9% for the class of 2022, and 96.7% for the class of 2023. Given that Ultimate Bar Pass rates are not yet available for the Classes of 2024 and 2025, First-Time Bar Passage has been reported.

Table 6. Juris Doctor Bar Passage Results, Ultimate Bar Pass (2021-2023), First Time Bar Passage (2024-2025)

*First-Time Bar Passage Rates: Rate reflects how Law School graduates performed across all jurisdictions where they took the bar examination for the first time (reported within one year of graduation).

Employment

The vast majority of students who matriculate into the JD program at the Law School do so with the intention of practicing law upon graduation. Accordingly, a key indicator of student success is the rate at which graduates obtain employment in the legal profession. To this end, the Law School utilizes post-graduation employment outcomes as a principal measure of student achievement.

The ABA requires law schools to disclose standardized and detailed employment statistics for its JD graduates. Specifically, the ABA requires law schools to report the percentage of graduates who are employed in full-time, long-term positions within ten months after graduation. Many legal employers will not hire a law school graduate until they have passed the bar exam. Therefore, the Law School has established an employment threshold in alignment with our bar passage threshold—that 75% or more of our graduates will be employed within ten months after graduation. Our goal is that 90% or more of our graduates will be employed within ten months after graduation.

The employment rate for JD graduates in full-time, long-term positions, measured at ten months following graduation, has remained consistently high over the past three years, exceeding both our threshold and goals.

Class of 2023: 99%

Class of 2024: 97%

Class of 2025: 99%

Measures of Student Achievement in the LLM Program

The Master of Laws (LLM) degree is designed for attorneys who hold a first degree in law from a country outside of the United States. The program is typically completed in two semesters.

The measures of student achievement for the LLM program are the graduation rate and students’ self-reported gains in legal analysis.

Graduation Rate

Given the duration of the program, the Law School has established the following threshold and goal for the graduation rates of our LLM program:

Table 7. LLM Graduation Rate Threshold and Goal

These benchmarks were developed through a collaborative process involving faculty, academic affairs leadership, and a review of historical data. The 75% threshold reflects a conservative lower boundary based on historic performance and peer comparisons where available. The two-year time frame for the threshold mirrors the end of a second academic year, which would align with the LLM degree maximum degree length of three semesters plus the allowance of a semester of voluntary leave if necessary. The 90% graduation rate goal–completion within one year–represents our commitment to student achievement and institutional effectiveness. A one-year time frame for the goal was selected because it aligns with the normative path for full-time LLM students and enables early detection of academic or support deficiencies. Both benchmarks are consistent with student expectations and accreditation principles that stress timely program completion as a meaningful indicator of student success.

The following table reflects LLM graduation rates for the most recent three graduating classes. The graduation rate divisor is determined by the number of students who matriculated minus any students who withdrew from the program for reasons other than academic dismissal. As shown, graduation rates for the LLM program consistently meet or exceed both the established threshold and goal.

Table 8. LLM Graduation Rates, Graduating Classes 2024 – 2026 (Matriculating Cohorts 2019-2021)

Master of Laws (LLM)Total MatriculantsTotal Grads
#%
Class of 202455100%
Class of 202544100%
Class of 202666100%

Self-Reported Progress

Another measure for our LLM students is their self-reported progress in (1) understanding the fundamental legal concepts and principles; (2) identifying and framing potential legal issues; (3) applying relevant legal principles to new fact patterns; (4) communicating legal analysis in a clear and organized manner; (5) sorting large amounts of information into a useful format; and (6) developing a deep understanding of legal topics or principles.

LLM students are already licensed attorneys and experienced professionals. This program is designed to build on the expertise they have developed through their education and careers. Therefore, we believe that their self-assessment of knowledge gained from their courses is essential for measuring and demonstrating their overall success.

Our threshold for these six indicators is a semester mean of 3.5 and a goal of 4.0 on a self-reported scale of 0 to 5: (0) Not Applicable, (1) No apparent progress/negligible gains, (2) Slight progress/small gains, (3) Moderate progress/some gains, (4) Substantial progress/large gains, and (5) Exceptional progress/outstanding gains. It is the expectation of the Law School that students will experience more than moderate progress, therefore the benchmark is set slightly higher than the middle of the self-reported scale.

The following table details an average of self-reported progress across all LLM-specific courses in the program for the current and past two years. As shown, the Self-Reported Progress as a measurement of student achievement exceeds the threshold in all cases and the goal in most cases for the three reporting years.

Table 9. Master of Laws (LLM) Self-Reported Progress Summary

Relevant program administrators regularly review the Self-Reported Progress results. Should the resulting summary data for the program fall near or below the established threshold, the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs would review the results and refer identified concerns to the Curriculum Committee or another appropriate faculty committee for further analysis. This committee would engage directly with faculty members teaching in the LLM program, as well as with program administrators to determine underlying issues and develop targeted instructional, curricular, and administrative interventions aimed at improving student outcomes.

Measures of Student Achievement in the Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) Program

The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) program serves advanced legal scholars—primarily international professionals holding both a first law degree and an LLM—who pursue scholarly research culminating in a substantial dissertation completed under the direction of a tenured faculty advisor.

Graduation Rate

The SJD program’s graduation rate serves as an important indicator of student achievement and institutional effectiveness. Because the program is designed primarily for working professionals—many of whom are international scholars or legal practitioners—students may progress through the program on a flexible timeline. As noted in the Student Handbook, SJD students must complete the degree requirements within a maximum of five years from matriculation, unless approved for an extension. During this period, students may take approved leaves of absence for professional or personal reasons, and very few students become academically ineligible.

The Law School monitors and evaluates student achievement through graduation rates by cohort. Graduation is tracked for cohorts only after all students have either graduated or formally exited the program. This ensures that the data are complete, reliable, and appropriate for longitudinal and comparative analysis.

Table 10. SJD Graduation Rate Threshold and Goal

The 75% threshold represents a baseline level of acceptable program effectiveness, accounting for the reality that some SJD students may withdraw to pursue other personal, academic, or professional opportunities unrelated to program quality. This standard was established after longitudinal analysis of historic cohort performance and reflects the minimum level at which the program remains effective and mission-consistent. The 85% goal, by contrast, is an aspirational benchmark grounded in the Law School’s commitment to continuous improvement and academic excellence. It reflects the highly selective nature of SJD admissions, the intensive faculty engagement during the dissertation phase, and the institution’s proactive academic support strategies. The goal was set through internal faculty consultation and review of peer institution expectations for advanced law degrees.

Across the three recent graduating cohorts (Fall 2019, Fall 2020, and Fall 2021 matriculants), the program enrolled a total of 13 SJD students, all of whom graduated within the prescribed five-year period. This results in a combined graduation rate of 100%, which exceeds both the program’s threshold and goal.

This sustained level of achievement confirms the effectiveness of the Law School’s strategies in supporting SJD student progression and degree completion, and it underscores the value of the program’s rigorous admissions process, individualized mentorship, and commitment to scholarly excellence. 

Quality Dissertation

Another measure of student success in the SJD program is the successful completion of a high-quality dissertation that meets publishable standards and demonstrates an original contribution to legal scholarship. Each SJD candidate must defend the dissertation before a faculty committee and deliver a public presentation, in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Student Handbook.

Performance on this metric is measured by the number of students whose dissertations are approved by their tenured faculty advisor and dissertation committee, thereby qualifying them for graduation.

Across the three most recent cohorts (Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021 matriculants), 100% of SJD students completed the program within five years, successfully defended their dissertations, and received committee approval for graduation. This outcome reflects full attainment of both the dissertation threshold and the aspirational goal.

These results demonstrate that the SJD program not only supports timely degree completion but also ensures that all graduates meet the rigorous standards of scholarly excellence required for the SJD degree. The close faculty mentorship model, combined with individualized academic support and structured progress monitoring, contributes significantly to this consistent record of achievement. 

Measures of Student Achievement in the Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Program

The fully online Master of Studies in Law (MSL) program is designed specifically for working professionals who seek to deepen their understanding of legal principles to better manage risks and enhance decision-making in their professional environments. The program offers flexibility through a part-time schedule, enabling students to enroll in three to six credit hours per semester, thus balancing their academic endeavors with professional and personal responsibilities. Students transferring credit hours can complete the program in as few as 21 months (five terms), whereas those without transfer credits typically finish within 24 months (six terms). As outlined in the Student Handbook, students must complete their degree requirements within five years of matriculation. With three available entry points each academic year—Fall, Spring, and Summer—the program accommodates varied schedules. 

Graduation Rate

MSL graduation rates serve as a crucial measure of student achievement, demonstrating the Law School’s commitment to supporting the academic progress and professional advancement of working professionals. Given the professional and personal commitments of students enrolled in the MSL program, some students may temporarily pause their studies due to career shifts, personal circumstances, or enrollment in alternative graduate programs. Instances of academic ineligibility are infrequent, evidencing the rigor and supportive nature of the program’s academic environment. The established graduation rate threshold and goal were developed through analysis of historical completion data, benchmarking against peer institutions, and with input from program faculty and administration. These benchmarks reflect the Law School’s mission to deliver rigorous, practical, and accessible legal education to working professionals.

Table 11. MSL Program Graduation Rate Threshold and Goal

Graduation data, reported for the three most recent cohorts that have completed the five-year timeframe, reflect cohorts aggregated across all entry points within an academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Regular review and analysis of these data informs ongoing institutional strategies, including targeted advising to address and close any identified gaps.

Table 12. MSL Program Graduation Rates, Classes 2024-2026

Master of Studies in Law (MSL)Total MatriculantsTotal Grads
#%
Class of 2024554582%
Class of 2025484492%
Class of 2026494388%

Self-Reported Progress

Students in the MSL program provide self-reported assessments of their academic progress, focusing on their ability to: (1) understand core legal concepts and principles; (2) identify and structure potential legal issues; and (3) apply these concepts practically within their professional contexts. Given the professional orientation of students, self-assessment represents an essential indicator of their applied learning and professional growth.

A threshold of 3.85 and a goal of 4.0 on a 5-point Likert scale (1: Poor to 5: Excellent) have been established. These benchmarks, exceeding the midpoint of the scale, underscore the expectation that students achieve substantial professional and intellectual development.

The Self-Reported Progress Assessment is conducted each term. A vendor-related data access issue disrupted data collection for the Summer 2025 term; however, the issue has since been resolved, and data collection has resumed.

Historical data available indicate consistent achievement above the established threshold and often exceeding the goal.

Table 13. MSL Self-Reported Progress Summary, Spring 2023 – Fall 2025

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School of Medicine

Each degree program within the School of Medicine uses multiple measures to document student success, which is detailed below.

Academic Nursing

The Department of Academic Nursing (DAN) offers two tracks to achieve the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The  DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization and the DNP-Post Master’s tracks both result in the conferral of the DNP degree. The DNP degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the Council for Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) separately accredits the DNP nurse anesthesia specialization track. The DNP Post-Master’s track graduated its first DNP cohort in 2020, and the DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization graduated its first DNP cohort in 2024. Prior to 2024, the DAN offered the COA-accredited Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) degree.

Graduates from the DNP specializing in nurse anesthesia are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE). To practice as a nurse anesthetist, a graduate is required to pass the NCE to use the credential “certified registered nurse anesthetist” or CRNA.  Student success and achievement within the DAN  DNP degree programs are measured by 1) overall and expected, on-time graduation rates, 2) employment rates post-degree completion in the area of study within six months; 3) employer satisfaction rates with program graduates, and 4), specific to the DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization, NCE overall and first-time pass rates.

Graduation rates

The DNP with Nurse Anesthesia specialization track has set a minimum overall graduation threshold rate of 80% consistent with the national standard of 80% set by the COA. A target graduation rate of 90% has also been set by the DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization track, which well-exceeds the COA national standard. 

The DNP Post Master’s track  has set a minimum overall graduation threshold rate of 70% consistent with the national standard of 70% set by the CCNE.  A target graduation rate of 80% has also been set by the DNP Post Master’s track, which well-exceeds the CCNE national standard.

Table 1. Department of Academic Nursing Overall Graduation Rate By DNP Track

Graduation YearDNP Post-Master’s Graduation Rate DNP w/ nurse anesthesia specialization Graduation Rate (2020-2023 reflect MSNA graduates)
202091%96%
2021100%100%
2022100%100%
2023100%100%
202482% 100%
202591%100

Employment Rates

DAN captures employment rates from its graduates to reflect employment status within six months of degree completion, or graduation (Table 2). Data for years prior  to the class of 2024 for the DNP Post-Masters cohort are not available for Table 2.

Per CCNE accreditation standard requirements, an 80% employment rate within 12 months of program completion is a requirement to meet this CCNE accreditation standard. Additionally, the COA accreditation standard requirements state an 80% employment rate within six (6) months of program completion for nurse anesthesia graduates. Consistent with the COA, the DAN has selected an 80% employment rate within six (6) months of program completion as the DNP program threshold goal. Dan consistently exceeds the 80% employment rate benchmark, with employment rates ranging from 87% to 100% within six months of degree completion, demonstrating strong workforce placement for both DNP post-Master’s and DNP nurse anesthesia graduates.

Table 2. Department of Academic Nursing Overall Employment Rates within six (6) months of graduation

Graduation YearDNP post-Master’sDNP w/ nurse anesthesia specialization
2020N/A100%
2021N/A100%
2022N/A100%
2023N/A100%
2024100%87%
2025100%100%

Employer Satisfaction Rates

Student success and achievement within the DAN educational programs are measured by employer satisfaction rates with program graduates (see Table 3). This metric is meaningful as it represents didactic and clinical program excellence.  There are no nursing-specific data sets that describe employer satisfaction rates of DNP-prepared nurses. To remain consistent with other graduate performance-related metrics (e.g., employment and graduation rates), the DAN uses a threshold employer satisfaction rate of 80%. The DAN target goal for employer satisfaction is 90%. Employer satisfaction rates for graduates of the DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization consistently exceeded both the DAN benchmark of 80% and the target goal of 90%, ranging from 93% to 100% between 2021 and 2025, reflecting strong employer confidence in graduate preparation and performance.

Table 3. Department of Academic Nursing Employer Satisfaction Rates

Graduation YearPost-Master’s to DNPBSN to DNP w/ nurse anesthesia specialization
2020N/AN/A
2021N/A95%
2022N/A98%
2023N/A100%
2024N/A100%
2025N/A93%

NBCRNA NCE First Time Pass Rates (Only DNP w/Nurse Anesthesia Specialization)

To begin a career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) requires that graduates pass the National Certification Examination (NCE). The DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization sets its threshold goal at 80%, which is consistent with the COA specialty accreditor standards. The following describes the options available to nurse anesthesia educational programs to determine the first time NCE pass rate for a graduating cohort in compliance with the COA policy:

Method 1: the number of graduates in the most recent graduation cohort who passed the NCE on their first attempt.

Method 2: the number of graduates in the three most recent graduation cohorts who passed the NCE on their first attempt.

Method 3: the number of graduates in the most recent graduation cohort who passed the NCE on their first attempt plus the number of graduates who passed the NCE on their second attempt within 60 days of the program completion.

The DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization track also sets a target goal of 90% for first time NCE pass rates for each graduating cohort using one of the three COA methods used for calculating the pass rate. The average NCE first-time and overall pass rates for a graduating DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization cohort is published annually on the WFU website. The past five years of NCE first-time and overall pass rates appears in Table 4. The DNP with nurse anesthesia specialization track has consistently met the threshold goal and has achieved the target goal in four of the five past years.

Table 4. NBCRNA NCE Performance Scores

ClassFirst Time Pass RateOverall Pass RateCOA method by which first time pass rate was calculated
202195%100%Method 1
202288%100%Method 1
202395%100%Method 1
202487%             96%Method 1
202592%100%Method 1

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

The Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee (UMECC), with support from its four subcommittees, oversees the MD assessment program and curriculum through a continuous quality improvement process. Students must successfully complete high-stakes assessments to progress through the curriculum. Course and clerkship directors, in collaboration with assessment teams, recommend performance criteria and achievement thresholds; UMECC provides faculty oversight and final approval of these standards. The Office of Undergraduate Medical Education monitors student achievement against program learning outcomes, with improvement demonstrated in part through student performance on national examinations. UMECC’s comprehensive curricular assessment program has effectively prepared students for patient care responsibilities and residency training.

Educational Program Objectives

The MD program educational program objectives (EPO) are reviewed and approved annually by the Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee (UMECC). They were last reviewed at the UMECC meeting on  July 2, 2026. Each of the eight EPOs has specific thresholds and goals, which are evaluated annually by UMECC through the EPO dashboard. Every EPO maintains its own dashboard featuring national and institutional performance indicators, each with distinct metrics being monitored. Students are made aware of the EPO’s via the MD Student Handbook.

Graduation Rate

Our Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee (UMECC) has set a minimum threshold of 80% with a goal of 85% for our overall graduation rate. Using the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data snapshot of graduation and attrition rates of U.S. medical students, the UMECC believed that this is a meaningful metric given that the national medical school graduation rates for non-combination degree MD students ranged from 82% to 84%. Six years after matriculation, the national average graduation rate was 96% of non-combination degree MD students. Our program’s curriculum and student support processes allow most of our students to successfully complete our MD program curriculum within four years of matriculation. As evidenced below in Table 5, the overall graduation rates for the last four cohorts met or exceeded our goal of 80%.

Table 5. Doctor of Medicine (MD) Overall Graduation Rate

Class Graduation YearOn-Time Graduation Rate*Overall Graduation Rate
202287%92%
202388%88%
202488%88%
202590%             91% 

* On-time graduation rate shows the students who completed the program in the four years that are required. Overall graduation rate shows the students who completed the program.

National Board Examinations

An important signal showing the success of curricular assessment is student performance on high-stakes national board examinations. These benchmarked examinations provide excellent information regarding relative performance of our students compared to all LCME accredited MD/DO programs in the US and Canada.

The UMECC has established a minimum performance standard of 70% correct as the passing threshold for board-style examinations in preclinical foundational science courses with an overall goal of 80% passing rate.  Students who do not meet this standard must complete a structured remediation process. For learning objectives that cannot be effectively assessed through multiple-choice questions (e.g., Personal and Professional Development), our assessment methods remain rigorous and appropriate. Passing criteria vary based on the curricular content. For example, for clinical skills training in preclinical courses, students are required to perform physical examination skills with patient actors in a simulation suite. These sessions are fully observed and graded by faculty using a detailed rubric; and the passing score is predetermined and clearly shared with students in advance. Another example is the personal and professional development is assessed through direct observation of student performance by practicing clinicians in patient-facing settings. UMECC oversees all grading practices and the determination of passing thresholds, which are reviewed regularly as part of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) process.

Our students consistently perform extremely well on these examinations, and their individual performance on these national exams correlates extremely well with their performance on our Wake Curricular assessments. Performance standards for national exams have been set by UMECC for at or above the national average. The percent pass rate for WFUSM first-time takers of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 (Table 6) has consistently been above the national mean over the past five years; the mean has been within three points of the national average (Step 1 Exam connects to the Knowledge for Practice and Patient Care program objectives). The percent pass rate for WFUSM first-time takers of USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (Table 7) has been at or above the national mean over the past three years (Step 2 Exam connects to the Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Patient Care, and System Based Practice program objectives).

Table 6. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1

Year# of ExamineesSchool Pass RateNational Pass Rate
202214797%93%
202314396%92%
202414294%91%
202514196%92%

Table 7. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 CK

Year# of ExamineesSchool Pass RateNational Pass Rate
202213699%98%
202313799%98%
202415399%98%
2025*1090%96%

*2025 data are preliminary and reflect students tested between July 1, 2025 and February 13, 2026. Scores continue to be released on a rolling basis.

Placement for Residency

The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP; The Match) is a private, non-profit organization that implements the process by which the preferences of MD student applicants for U.S. residency positions are matched with the preferences of residency program directors.  While WFUSM seeks to match 100% of its students with residencies, our Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee (UMECC) chose a performance metric (goal and threshold) of 95% of the 5-year average national match rate for allopathic US seniors into PGY-1 positions. The UMECC determined this approach to evaluating our Match Rate is meaningful because it highlights the excellent training provided by WFUSM that makes our students and graduates highly competitive for residency training positions. All students who have entered the match have been very successful in obtaining residency positions (connects to Knowledge for Practice, Patient Care, and Personal and Professional Development program objectives). The national residency match is an important practical outcome for MD program students, determining placement for their next stage of training. To achieve that goal we provide extensive career advising support for the match process, in addition to an outstanding curriculum and assessment program. The success of graduating students in placement for residency training is monitored and published annually.

Table 8. 5-year Match Rate 

Match YearMatch Rate
202198%
202296%
202399%
202497%
202599%
202696%

Physician Assistant Program

The Physician Assistant Master of Medical Science (PA-MMS) Program evaluates success with respect to student achievement consistent with its mission to produce highly capable, compassionate PAs who make significant contributions to the health care community.

PANCE Pass Rates (first time takers)

Goal

Prepare graduates who are proficient in medical knowledge for entry into the PA profession.

Rationale

The PA Program documents successful student achievement in relation to its mission by monitoring and reporting the percentage of each cohort of graduates that pass the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) on the first attempt. Because all 50 states, the military and federal health services mandate that PAs pass the PANCE in order to obtain licensure and/or full practice authority, the Wake Forest PA Program prioritizes the importance of demonstrating PA graduates’ ability to actually enter the profession.

Benchmark

The program goal for first-time test taker pass performance on PANCE is a 90% or higher.  This expectation exceeds the ARC-PA’s and our threshold of 85% alert value, which requires mandatory action if the pass rate falls below this.  The program also uses the national mean for first time test takers as a surrogate marker of our competitiveness.  Thus, our cohorts’ surpassing the national mean each year serves as an additional measure of success.

Outcomes measures

The percent pass rate for Wake Forest PA Program first-time takers of the PANCE has exceeded our goal of 90% and has been at or above the national first-time pass rate every year. The compiled five-year average for the first-time pass rate for WFUSM PA Program is 96%, and the national average is 93%. (See Table 9)

Table 9. PANCE Pass Rates – First Time Examinee

Class Graduating YearNumber of 1st Time WFUPA TakersWFUPA Program 1st Time Take Pass RateNational 1st Time Taker Pass Rate for the Class Graduation Year
20198498%93%
20208698%95%
20218595%93%
20228892%92%
20238596%92%
20248694%92%
20257896%91%

Graduation rate

Goal

Support enrolled students through graduation from the program with a Master of Medical Science degree.

Rationale

To meet the aim of successful graduation for each enrollee, the faculty and staff within the Wake Forest PA Program facilitates the education of students in program competencies and learning outcomes and provides the necessary support to complete all requirements for graduation.

Benchmark

On-time graduation rates threshold and goal will meet or exceed 94% and total cohort graduation rates threshold and goal will meet or exceed 97%. In addition, graduation rates for Wake Forest PA will exceed the national average for all PA programs.

Outcomes measures

The PA Program evaluates student success through both on-time graduation rates and total cohort graduation rates.

Graduation benchmarks are established for each cohort by comparing cohort performance to the five preceding cohorts. The benchmark requires each cohort’s graduation rate to fall within one standard deviation of the mean graduation rate of the previous five cohorts. This benchmark has been achieved by every cohort except CO2025.

The program also compares its outcomes to national data reported in the most recent Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Program Survey. The 2024 PAEA report identified a national average on-time graduation rate of 94% for PA programs. All cohorts presented in Table 10 met or exceeded this national benchmark, with the exception of CO2025.

A review of attrition within the CO2025 cohort did not identify any modifiable programmatic factors that contributed to the lower graduation rate. Individual student circumstances accounted for the observed attrition, and no trends suggesting deficiencies in curriculum, student support services, advising, or program operations were identified. Consistent with this analysis, the subsequent CO2026 cohort returned to graduation rates that exceeded both the program’s internal benchmark and the national average.

Table 10: Full Cohort PA Graduation Rates

Class Graduation YearTotal Cohort Graduation RateOn Time Graduation Rate
201998%94%
202099%96%
202198%94%
202299%98%
202398%96%
202499%97%
202593%86%
202698%*98%*

*Anticipated

In addition to evaluating full cohort graduation rates, the PA Program reviews the outcomes of sub-groups that are important to the mission and goals for the program. These include Innovation Quarter OCIS and Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS campus rates and disparity to non-disparity student rates.

Two-campus graduation rate comparison

Goal

Support all enrolled students through graduation from the program with a Master of Medical Science degree. The PA Program’s expansion campus graduation rates will compare favorably to the main campus graduation rates.

Rationale

The Wake Forest School of Medicine PA Program is accredited for two campuses, the main campus located at Innovation Quarter OCIS in Winston-Salem, NC and the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS in Boone, NC. As required by the accrediting body, Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the PA Program must demonstrate equivalency of student outcomes between those two campuses. Thus, graduation rates for both cohorts in each class year are compared, particularly to ensure that the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS provides a parallel educational experience to the main campus.

Benchmark/Threshold

There will be no difference in graduation rates for the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS students. Minor variations will not be statistically significant.

Outcomes

For the five posted years, results of both total cohort and on-time graduation rates for the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS (Boone) campus demonstrate favorable comparability. Any differences between cohorts are not statistically significant (see Table 11.)

Table 11. Differentiation by Innovation Quarter OCIS (Winston-Salem) and Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences OCIS (Boone) 

Class Graduation Year/ CampusOn-time Graduation RateTotal Cohort Graduation Rate
2019 Leon Levine Hall96%100%
2019 Innovation Quarter97%*100%
2020 Leon Levine Hall96%100%
2020 Innovation Quarter97%98%
2021 Leon Levine Hall96%100%
2021 Innovation Quarter95%*97%
2022 Leon Levine Hall100%100%
2022 Innovation Quarter97%*98%
2023 Leon Levine Hall96%100%
2023 Innovation Quarter95%97%
2024 Leon Levine Hall91% 96%
2024 Innovation Quarter98%100%
2025 Leon Levine Hall74%91%*
2025 Innovation Quarter91%94%*
2026 Leon Levine Hall100%100%
2026 Innovation Quarter96%96%

*Reflects that several students in these cohorts exited the program prior to student placement on the different campuses and were therefore not included in the campus-to-campus data.

Physician Assistant Doctor of Medical Science (PA-DMSc)

The Physician Assistant Doctor of Medical Science (PA-DMSc) Program enrolled its first cohort of students in summer 2024. The following are program level outcomes that will be tracked moving forward. 

The PA-DMSc Program evaluates its success with respect to student achievement consistent with its mission to develop advanced leaders in healthcare. As the program enrolled its inaugural cohort in Summer 2024, the following outcomes and metrics will be tracked to measure student success and program impact:

Graduation and On-Time Completion Rates

Goal: Support students to successfully graduate within the expected program timeline.

Benchmark: At least 90% of enrolled students will complete the program on time, with a total graduation rate of 90% or higher for each cohort.

Rationale: High graduation and on-time completion rates reflect the program’s ability to support students’ progress toward degree attainment while maintaining academic rigor.

Table 12. Graduation and On-Time Completion Rate for PA-DMSc

Class Graduation Year/ CampusOn-time Graduation RateTotal Cohort Graduation Rate
2026100%100%

Capstone Project Completion and Dissemination

Program Goal: Strengthen PA’s capacity to design, conduct, and disseminate meaningful scholarly work that advances healthcare leadership, education, or research. Ensure students complete a capstone project that demonstrates original research, culminating in peer-reviewed dissemination

Benchmark: Direct measure: 100% of graduates complete a capstone project and submit their project manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for publication and dissemination of their findings.

Indirect measure: Mean ≥4.0 on a 5.0 Likert scale on Exit Survey item: “The program prepared me to conduct and disseminate meaningful original research that advances medical knowledge and best practices.”

Rationale:  A core outcome of the Wake Forest DMSc program is to prepare PAs to produce research and drive improvements in healthcare. Through the capstone project experience and structured research coursework, students deepen their ability to critically evaluate evidence, apply scientific rigor, and translate findings into practice. This goal reflects the program’s commitment to developing clinician-scholars who can generate, apply, and communicate evidence that impacts systems, medical education, and patient care.

Table 13. PA-DMSc Scholarship Goal: Direct and Indirect Measures

Class Graduation Year/ CampusCapstone Project Completion RatePeer-reviewed Journal Submission RateExit Survey Item Mean Score (5.0 Likert scale)
2026100%100%4.80

Student Leadership Development

Program Goal: Cultivate the development of advanced leadership capacity among PAs.

Benchmark: Indirect measure. Mean ≥4.0 on a 5.0 Likert scale on Exit Survey item: “The program prepared me to evaluate and apply strategic leadership principles within my track of study (healthcare leadership, medical education, or research).”

Rationale: The Wake Forest DMSc program mission is to prepare PAs to engage in expanded leadership roles in healthcare delivery, education, and research. Through multidisciplinary coursework, scholarly inquiry, and mentorship, the program supports students’ leadership development that aligns with the evolving needs of the PA profession. 

Table 14. PA-DMSc Leadership Development Indirect Measure

Class Graduation Year/ CampusExit Survey Item Mean Score (5.0 Likert scale)
20265.0

These benchmarks are tracked and reviewed systematically by the Program Director to identify individual and cohort performance trends.  While the program will compare cohort-to-cohort data to identify trends in the future, we are currently working with our inaugural cohort, so trend analysis will be developed as more cohorts complete the program.

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Professional Studies

The School of Professional Studies (SPS) has identified goals for student achievement appropriate to its mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered. SPS uses multiple measures to document student success. Student achievement measures are evaluated on a consistent basis.

SPS launched its first two online master’s degree programs, Digital Marketing and Project Management, in Spring 2022. Since then, SPS has continued to expand its academic portfolio in the areas of business/technology, health care, education and public service.

Identification of goals and outcomes for student achievement

The mission of SPS is to provide accessible, flexible, and academically strong programs designed for working professionals. Accordingly, the SPS uses several measures to document student achievement:

  1. Student retention rates – A degree student is defined as retained if they successfully transition from their first year to the second year of their program and attempt the second year requirements of their program.  
  2. Student graduation rates – Graduation rate is calculated as a percentage of students who graduate or complete their program within eight semesters (approximately 150% of the program length). 
  3. Employment outcomes – Employment outcomes is calculated as the percentage of graduates who report that they received a raise, promotion, or new job responsibilities assessed through an annual alumni survey administered each spring. 

Each measure is in alignment with the SPS mission statement to accelerate the professional growth of adult learners across their careers through accessible, flexible, and cutting-edge educational experiences. Both the retention and completion rate measures provide comprehensive evidence of student achievement at SPS. In addition, employment outcomes is a measure of graduates’ preparation to succeed in their chosen professional role. Since these programs are designed to enhance the skills of working professionals, it is anticipated that graduates will be better prepared for enhanced employment outcomes, such as promotions, raises, and new job opportunities.

In order to evaluate student achievement utilizing the identified measures, actual performance is compared to both a threshold of acceptability and a goal. The threshold of acceptability is the minimum level at which a measure should be maintained. The goal is the target performance level to meet or exceed. SPS programs are offered fully online to provide flexibility for working student populations. With this in mind, while noting a relative paucity of published data related to achievement outcomes for professional graduate programs that align with those currently offered by SPS, the following thresholds of acceptability and goals have been established based on comparisons to the range of outcomes available from other schools of professional study.

  1. Student retention rates – Threshold of acceptability = 70%; Goal = 85%
  2. Student graduation rates – Threshold of acceptability = 60%; Goal = 75%
  3. Employment outcomes – Threshold of acceptability = 50%; Goal = 75%

Student achievement analysis will eventually incorporate historical SPS performance on each measure to determine the utility of identified measures and goals in informing continuous improvement efforts. 

Evaluation of goals and outcomes for student achievement

SPS follows an ongoing outcomes analysis process to ensure achievement data are evaluated and improvements are made based on those data. Available student achievement data are analyzed and compared against established thresholds and goals to identify whether any outcomes require improvement each year. If change interventions are implemented, the impact of those changes are reviewed as a part of the ongoing process. 

SPS currently offers 12 master’s degree programs. As programs are first launched, courses are created gradually with the program development being fully completed as the final capstone course is offered for the first time. Since the current programs offered through the SPS only began in January 2022, student achievement data are not yet available for all programs. Table 1 below lists each online master’s degree program with its date of launch and actual, planned semester for the capstone course to be offered for the first time, and earliest date of availability for student achievement measures. 

Table 1. SPS Academic Portfolio Launch Timeline

Master’s
Degree		Launch DateFirst
Offering Capstone Course		Student Retention
Rate Availability		Graduation Rate AvailabilityEmployment Outcomes Availability
Project ManagementSpring 2022Summer 2023Spring 2023Fall 2024Spring 2024
Digital MarketingSpring 2022Summer 2023Spring 2023Fall 2024Spring 2024
Financial Technology & AnalyticsFall 2022Spring 2024Fall 2023Summer 2025Spring 2025
Health InformaticsFall 2022Spring 2024Fall 2023Summer 2025Spring 2025
CommunicationsSpring 2023Summer 2024Spring 2024Fall 2025Spring 2025
Curriculum & InstructionSpring 2023Summer 2024Spring 2024Fall 2025Spring 2025
Educational LeadershipFall 2023Spring 2025Fall 2024Summer 2026Spring 2026
Health AdministrationFall 2023Summer 2025Fall 2024Fall2026Spring 2026
Public AdministrationFall 2024Spring 2026Fall 2025Summer 2027Spring 2027
Enterprise Risk ManagementFall 2024Spring 2026Fall 2025Summer 2027Spring 2027
Artificial IntelligenceFall 2025Spring 2027Fall 2026Summer 2028Spring 2028
Cybersecurity LeadershipFall 2025Spring 2027Fall 2026Summer 2028Spring 2028

Table 2 shows that student retention rates meet the established threshold of acceptability. In relation to the established goal, however, overall retention rates exceeded the goal in 2023 but fell slightly below in the last several years. 

Table 2. Overall student retention rates

ThresholdGoal   2023202420252026
Overall  70%85%87%80%84%84%

These fluctuations highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and evaluation to identify persistent trends and inform targeted improvement efforts. Even though additional multi-year data will deepen our understanding of retention patterns, SPS has already enacted proactive measures. Near the end of the 2025–2026 academic year, SPS implemented an early alert system to capture real-time learner analytics and identify at-risk students earlier in their academic journey, as well as enhance communications across the full student support network. This platform will help identify actionable insights to directly inform our academic advising strategies, course design adjustments, and holistic student support services.

Table 3 shows overall student graduation rates for those programs who have graduated students within approximately 150% of the program length. 

Table 3. Student graduation rates 

ThresholdGoal202420252026
Overall60%75%63%72%72%

Overall graduation rates have exceeded both the threshold of acceptability as well as the goal with the exception of 2026. Ongoing monitoring will continue to evaluate data and determine if specific strategies for improvement are needed in the future.

Table 4 shows employment outcomes, measured by the percentage of alumni who report that they received a raise, promotion, or new job responsibilities assessed through an annual alumni survey administered each spring. 

Table 4. Employment outcomes  

ThresholdGoal202420252026
50%66%60%60%64%

While our student employment outcomes consistently exceed our established threshold of acceptability (50%), they currently sit just below our aspirational goal of 66% though an increase occurred in 2026.

To close this gap and provide in-demand support for our adult and graduate learners, SPS recently appointed a dedicated Director of Career and Professional Development. Under this new strategic leadership, SPS is actively expanding its market-responsive career ecosystem. We offer a robust suite of tailored resources designed to help students navigate career pivots, secure promotions, and achieve long-term professional advancement:

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