Augusta University 2023

Institutional Mission and Student Body Profile

Augusta University (AU) is Georgia’s designated health-sciences University and a dynamic, comprehensive research university offering more than 150 areas of study, across ten colleges through undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. AU provides a rich intellectual environment for students to become leaders, scholars, researchers, educators and clinicians as they seek to advance their field and impact their community.  Among five strategic and three interwoven priorities, the new AU Strategic Plan is anchored by strategic priorities for Learning and Student Success.  This commitment reflects AU’s efforts to be a student’s destination of choice for education, health care, discovery and innovation.  Of course, the strategic goals developed through the new strategic plan will directly influence key priorities in our Momentum planning.

In 2021, more than 6,132 faculty and staff members served a student body of 5,496 undergraduate, 2,126 graduate, and 1,984 professional/post professional students enrolled in 10 schools or colleges. AU delivers 47 undergraduate majors, 51 undergraduate and graduate certificates, and 57 graduate and professional programs and is home to the state’s only public medical school and only dental school. Enrollment across all colleges within AU increased from Fall 2020 to Fall 2021, with Allied Health seeing the biggest gain at 3.8%.

Similar to fall 2020, the five most popular majors remained the same in fall 2021.   In fall 2020,

the five most popular undergraduate majors (in order) were Business Administration, Biology, Nursing, Psychology, and Kinesiology. However, in fall 2021 AU observed changes in the order of major popularity.  For fall 2021, the five most popular majors (in order) were Biology, Business Administration, Nursing, Kinesiology, Psychology.  In fall 2022, the same majors remain the most popular with a slight shift in the order.  Presently, the most popular majors (in order) are Biology, Business Administration, Psychology, Nursing, and Kinesiology.

Over the past several semesters we have seen enrollment growth in several programs.  Between Fall 2020 and Fall 2021, AU experienced a 13% growth in Biology majors.  Over the past two years, students enrolled in Cybersecurity continues to increase. In fall 2019 83 students were enrolled compared to 243 in fall 2021. From fall 2020 to fall 2021 Cybersecurity increased by 11.98%.  Three of AU’s Allied Health programs experienced notable growth from fall 2020 to fall 2021 as well.  Clinical and Laboratory Science increased from 20 students to 31 students (55%); Health, Society, and Policy increased from 16 students to 20 (25%); and Nuclear Medicine Technology increased from 21 to 24 students (14.29%).

(Source: AU Facts and Data Portal)  

Last year’s undergraduate first-year fall to fall retention rate had decreased from the previous year. The full time fall 2020 to fall 2021 rate had fallen from 73.5% to 70.2%. Like many other institutions, this drop was likely associated with external factors from the pandemic such as financial strain on students and shifts in employment opportunities.  However, this year’s retention rate has increased.  The fall 2021 to fall 2022 rate has now increased to 72.8% (see table one).  AU’s six-year graduation rate continues to increase as well (see table two).

Table 1 – Percent of First Time, Full Time Freshman Cohort Retained from Fall 1 to Fall 2

Table 2 – First Year, Full Time Freshman Six Year Undergraduate Degree Graduation Rates

(Source: AU Facts and Data Portal)  

Importantly, the fall 2021 undergraduate student population at Augusta University continues to be a highly diverse group of students, both demographically and academically. Most students were from the state of Georgia (89%) and were attending AU full time (79%).

AU student body is growing in diversity. Since 2020, AU has experienced a decline in the number of White students while the number of Black students has increased from 1,373 to 1,486. The number of Hispanic/Latino students has continued to increase from 451 in 2020 to 486 in 2021. (Source: AU Facts and Data Portal).

For peer institution comparative data, please visit https://www.augusta.edu/ie/facts/peers/php.