The way people describe Slippery Rock University is changing to reflect the University’s elevated reputation and emphasis on career-focused education.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s institutional classification for SRU is now “Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium,” a classification that is reserved for 135 schools nationwide.
Classifications are updated every three years. Previously, SRU was classified as “Master’s Colleges and Universities –– Larger,” which includes institutional that offer at least 50 master’s degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral degrees.
SRU’s new classification is based on:
- Professions-focused: The majority of degrees are awarded in fields that are classified as preprofessional or career-aligned.
- Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate: Institutions that have both a graduate and undergraduate presence, with a sufficient focus on the doctorate. (SRU offers more than 150 programs, including over 40 master’s-level degree programs and four doctoral degree programs.)
- Medium: Between 4,000 and 20,000 students total. (SRU’s enrollment is 8,394.)
“Our new Carnegie Classification is yet another step toward further raising the profile of our University,” said Michael Zieg, SRU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The Carnegie Classification is a respected and authoritative source that provides language to describe the distinct qualities of colleges and universities. As we continue to strive to be a first-choice institution, this new classification is just another way to support decisions for faculty, staff and students to join us and for employers and community organizations to partner with us.”
Since 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education has been developing and maintaining its classification of colleges and universities to support its program of research and policy analysis. More information is available on the Carnegie Classification website.
