Learning Objective II
Graduates will be successful in their career, finding a job, and progressing in their field.
We developed a brief Qualtrics survey to ask 100 graduates from Fall 2021 – Fall 2024 how their graduate degree affected their career. This survey was sent on February 27th, 2025. We received 28 responses (28% response rate). Below is the summary of the responses for each of seven survey questions in bar graphs and tables.
Q1 - Upon receiving your graduate degree from USU, what were your job prospects?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| I was already employed outside of USU while completing my degree | 54% | 15 |
| I had accepted a job offer and began work immediately after graduating | 21% | 6 |
| I didn't have an employment offer, but had begun searching before graduation | 25% | 7 |
| I began actively searching for employment upon graduation | 4% | 1 |
The total number of responses was 29 and is greater than the number of respondents because alumni were allowed to give multiple responses to Question 1.
- One replied both “I was already employed outside of USU while completing my degree” and “I had accepted a job offer and began work immediately after graduating.”
Q2 - Did you continue on to a PhD or post-doctoral program?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 4% | 1 |
| No | 96% | 27 |
The total number of respondents was 28.
Q3 - If you took employment, in which sector did you take work?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty/University Position | 4% | 1 |
| Industry/Corporate | 68% | 19 |
| Federal Research Agencies | 7% | 2 |
| Military/Defense | 14% | 4 |
| Other | 11% | 3 |
| Not Applicable | 4% | 1 |
The total number of responses was 30** because of the ability to indicate multiple employment sectors.
* In a follow-up question, “Other sectors” where alumni took work included: Secondary Education, Many different jobs.
** Respondents could indicate multiple employment sectors.
- One replied both “Industry/Corporate” and “Military/Defense.”
- One replied both “Federal Research Agencies” and “Military/Defense.”
Q4 - Was your job after you graduated full- or part-time?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 92% | 24 |
| Part-time | 8% | 2 |
The total number of respondents was 26.
Q5 - Given your training to obtain a Graduate Degree, how would you describe your job?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Definitely beneath my level | 15% | 4 |
| Too advanced for my level | 31% | 8 |
| Somewhat beneath my level | 50% | 13 |
| Appropriate for my level | 4% | 1 |
The total number of respondents was 26.
Q6 - How well did the USU Graduate program prepare you for your career?
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Not well | 4% | 1 |
| Slightly well | 12% | 3 |
| Moderately well | 35% | 9 |
| Very well | 46% | 12 |
| Extremely well | 4% | 1 |
The total number of respondents was 26.
Q7 - If I had to make my graduate program choice over again, I would choose to attend USU.
| Answer | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly Disagree | 4% | 1 |
| Disagree | 12% | 3 |
| Indifferent | 12% | 3 |
| Agree | 42% | 11 |
| Strongly Agree | 31% | 8 |
The total number of respondents was 26.
Survey answers show
- 100% of the 28 respondents (see answers to Q1) started working or searching for work right after graduation. Among these,
- 53.57% were already employed outside USU while completing their degree, and
- 71.43% were already working or had received a job offer prior to graduation.
- 67.86% of the 28 respondents (see answers to Q3) worked in industry and corporate.
- 50% of the 26 respondents (see answers to Q5) described their jobs to be appropriate for their levels
- 50% of the 26 respondents (see answers to Q6) ranked our graduate program as a very well or extremely well at preparing them for their career.
- 73% of the 26 respondents (see answers to Q7) would choose to attend USU if given the graduate program choice over again.
The results of the survey clearly show that graduates were satisfied with their experience at USU and that their degree was a worthwhile pursuit.