Public Disclosure Statement
The specific requirement is stated as follows: Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure.
The institution publishes statements of its goals for student achievement and the success of students in achieving those goals. In compliance with this SACSCOC policy, Bennett College provides information about student achievement and success. The College uses several measures to evaluate student achievement and success in accordance with its mission and strategic plan. Specific institutional measures for student achievement include: student enrollment, retention, course completion and graduation rates; licensing exam success rates. Information presented will be regularly updated. Benchmarks are under review for revision.
Bennett College Mission Statement
Bennett College prepares women of color through a transformative liberal arts education to lead with purpose, integrity, and a strong sense of self-worth. Bennett provides educational access to students while promoting inquiry, civic engagement, social justice, lifelong learning, and equity for all.
Goals
2017-22 Strategic Plan goals related to student achievement:
Goal 1: Strengthen the quality and rigor of the educational experience to promote student success.
Goal 4: Promote and expand strategic partnerships to create a premier learning experience.
Source: Strategic Plan 2017-2022
Degrees Offered
Bennett College confers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, Bachelor of Social Work, and the Bachelor of Fine Arts. These degrees represent the satisfactory completion of at least 120 credit hours, an overall average of at least C, and a grade of at least C in each course that the student has taken to satisfy the requirements for graduation in her major field. The College currently offers 15 major programs. Bennett College participates in a dual degree engineering program with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), which allows Bennett College students to earn a second degree in engineering from NC A&T State University.
Click here to view the Academic Catalog.
Enrollment, Progression, Retention and Graduation Rates
Metrics used to monitor students’ success are: ongoing enrollment as expressed by retention rates from first to second year, course completion rates, six year graduation rates, pass rates for appropriate professional licensure. These measures are assessed regularly and the most current findings are published below. In monitoring these indices, Bennett College strives to conform to and exceed national standards (based on the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics where applicable). Please browse through this site to find summaries of current data and historical trends. Should you require a report that is not listed, please complete a Data Request Form.
Enrollment Rates
The fall cohort for a given year consists of the first-time full-time bachelor’s degree students. The retention rate is calculated by determining the number of students returning in the following fall.
Fall Enrollment of New Students (Source: IPEDS)
| Fall 2018 | Fall 2017 | Fall 2016 | Fall 2015 | Fall 2014 | |
| Enrolled first-time students |
237 | 174 | 118 | 158 | 166 |
| Enrolled new transfers |
8 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 18 |
| Total | 245 | 178 | 126 | 166 | 184 |
Fall Enrollment History (Source: NCICU and Bennett College Student Information System)
| Fall 2018 | Fall 2017 | Fall 2016 | Fall 2015 | Fall 2014 | |
| Freshwomen | 284* | 197 | 148 | 203 | 214 |
| Sophomores | 81 | 71 | 98 | 110 | 124 |
| Juniors | 54 | 70 | 84 | 95 | 112 |
| Seniors | 51 | 71 | 70 | 100 | 103 |
| Non-degree seeking undergraduates |
64 | 84 | 74 | 75 | 80 |
| Total | 534 | 493 | 474 | 583 | 633 |
*The freshwomen count includes students who are first time, degree-seeking college students, some of whom have enough credits for sophomore or junior status.
Retention rates, for first-time full-time students. (Source: IPEDS)
Retention Rate: A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program, expressed as a percentage. This is the percentage of first-time, full-time degree seeking students from the previous fall who either re-enrolled or successfully completed their program by the current fall.
The retention rate is calculated by determining the number of students returning in the following fall.
| Fall Cohort Entering Year | Following Fall | Retention Rate |
| 2017 | 2018 | 53% |
| 2016 | 2017 | 44% |
| 2015 | 2016 | 45% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 54% |
| 2013 | 2014 | 52% |
Course Progression Rates
College-Wide Course Completion Rates (Source: Jenzabar Student Information System)
Course completion rates are calculated from the ratio of the sum of course hours earned to the sum of course hours attempted by students.
| Academic Year | |
| 2018-2019 | 86% |
| 2017-2018 | 83% |
| 2016-2017 | 87% |
| 2015-2016 | 87% |
| 2014-2015 | 85% |
Graduation Rates
Graduation Rate: A measure of the percentage of first-time, full-time degree, degree-seeking students in an IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey (GRS) cohort who graduate within 150% of the normal program completion time.
Graduation rates (Last five years)
| Entering Cohort | Six-year Graduation Rate |
| 2012 | 32% |
| 2011 | 37% |
| 2010 | 42% |
| 2009 | 44% |
| 2008 | 45% |
Degrees granted by program and academic year (Source: IPEDS)
| Program | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 |
| Biology | 10 | 19 | 17 | 8 | 14 |
| Psychology | 12 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 15 |
| Business Administration | 15 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 13 |
| Social Work | 6 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 9 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies/Special Studies | 6 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 22 |
| Journalism and Media Studies | 11 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 11 |
| Political Science | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| English | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Elementary Education | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Theatre Arts/Visual and Performing Arts | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Computer Science | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Special Education | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chemistry | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Mathematics | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| English Education | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arts Management | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mathematics Education | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Music | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 72 | 73 | 78 | 77 | 105 |
Social Work Competency Assessment (CSWE)
All Council on Social Work Education programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Bennett College social work majors are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work program for each competency. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency. The link to this information is here.
Licensure Pass-Rates
Teacher Education
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers majors in Elementary Education and Special Education. The Curriculum and Instruction program is committed to the preparation of teachers as facilitators of learning through the development and understanding of learning theory and teaching practices that address the interrelatedness of the cognitive, emotional, social, psychomotor, and affective domains. The Teacher Education Program’s organizing theme of “Preparing Teachers as Facilitators of Learning in the Contemporary Global Community” unites all education programs.
Licensure Areas
- Elementary Education (K–6)
- Special Education (K–12)
In the past three (3) academic years, starting with 2015-2016, no students have applied for a license from the State of North Carolina.
Senior Exit Survey Results
Fifty-three graduating seniors who participated in the 2018-19 Senior Exit Survey provided answers to the following survey item: To what extent do you think your college education contributed to your knowledge, skills, and personal development in each of the following areas? The students were asked to respond with a rating that was converted to the numerical response noted in parentheses following the four survey answer options.
The table below contains student ratings about Bennett College’s contribution on their development in the following academic skill areas and on overall personal growth:
| Very much (4) | Somewhat (3) | Very Little (2) | Not at all (1) | Respondents | Average | |
| Writing skills | 29 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 3.5 |
| Speaking skills | 33 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 3.6 |
| Comprehension skills (written information) | 33 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 53 | 3.6 |
| Using mathematics skills | 31 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 53 | 3.4 |
| Applying scientific methods of inquiry | 30 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 53 | 3.5 |
| Enhancing analytic skills | 33 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 53 | 3.6 |
| Enhancing critical thinking skills | 30 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 53 | 3.5 |
| Developing computer skills | 33 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 3.6 |
| Personal growth | 36 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 3.6 |
Source: Bennett College Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Consumer Information
Useful data on Bennett College is available from College Navigator and The Education Trust’s College Results Online.