Data Definitions

Acceptances (or Admits)

Admissions activity encompasses three milestones: Application, acceptance (or admits), and matriculation. All students who are offered admission into an undergraduate degree-granting program, including non-traditional students, part-time students, HEOP students, and students initially wait-listed are counted as acceptances.

Data Source: Fordham Enrollment Group

See also: Applicants, Matriculants, First-time Full-time Students

Scope of Fact Book report: All first-time students applying for admission into undergraduate degree-granting programs are counted in admissions activity reporting. Students transferring into Fordham from another institution or returning after withdrawing are not included in these statistics.

Applicants

Admissions activity encompasses three milestones: Application, acceptance (or admittance), and matriculation. Only students who complete an application in full and provide required supporting documentation are counted as applicants.

Data Source: Fordham Enrollment Group

See also: Acceptances, Matriculants, First-time Full-time Students

Class Level

Class level corresponds to an undergraduate class. First-time freshmen are undergraduate students who have not previously matriculated in a college program. Continuing and transfer students who have earned fewer than 30 course credits are classified as freshmen as well. Sophomores are students who have earned between 30-59 credits, juniors between 60-91 credits, and seniors at least 92 credits. Students who are enrolled in undergraduate courses for credit but who are not matriculated in a degree program are unclassified.

Values / Response Options: Freshmen (First-Time), Freshmen (Continuing/Transfer Students), Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, Unclassified.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

See also: Enrolled, Student Type, Matriculant

Scope of Fact Book report:Class Level is reported for all credit-bearing undergraduate students.

Country of Origin

For international students, country of origin is obtained from visa data. For U.S. students, country of origin is obtained from self-report.

Values / Response Options: Countries

Data Source: Common Application (Self-reported) and visa records

See also: Enrolled, International Student, Residence

Scope of Fact Book report: Country of origin is reported for all international students who meet the IPEDS definition of enrolled student.

Credit Bearing Students

A student is classified as credit-bearing based on course registration information. Any student, matriculated or not, attempting one or more course credits at the time of the enrollment census, or who is declared as full-time for administrative purposes-- is considered credit-bearing. Students enrolled only in non-credit courses are considered non-credit students.

Values / Response Options: Credit-bearing, non-credit students

Data Source: Student Information System

Credit Hours

A credit hour is the unit used to assign educational credit for a course, typically based on the number of weekly contact hours during a 16-week semester or the equivalent. Most courses carry 3 or 4 credits. All except the Law School base student time status on the number of credit hours a student attempts in the semester.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

See also: Full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment, time status

Degrees Conferred

Degrees conferred tables provide the numbers of students who graduated with a degree in the given academic year (July 1 to the following June 30). The date of the award is determined by the student’s graduation date. The number of degrees conferred exceeds the number of graduates whenever students earn more than one degree.

Values / Response Options: In addition to the degrees listed in Degree Programs, Fordham awards the M.Phil degree.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Degree Level

Students matriculated at Fordham may be enrolled in undergraduate, professional, or graduate-level programs of study. Students who are enrolled in courses or programs but are not matriculated in a degree or certificate program are classified according to the school in which they are enrolled.

Values / Response Options: Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Degree Program

Degree program refers to the specific degree pursued by a matriculated student. Fordham offers undergraduate (bachelors) degrees, graduate and professional degrees as well as advanced certificates. Students who enroll in Fordham courses without admission into a degree program are reported as non-matriculated.

Values / Response Options: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Laws (LL.M.), Master of Business Admin (M.B.A.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.), Master of Science in Teaching (M.S.T.), Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.), Doctor of Ministry (D.MIN.), Advanced Certificate (ADV. or ADVN.), non-matriculated.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Defining Body: New York State Rules of the Board of Regents and New York State Education Department (NYSED) Inventory of Registered Programs

Discipline

Discipline refers to an area of study corresponding to the CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) Code from the students’ first major of his/her primary curriculum. The Classification of Instructional Programs is a taxonomy of programs. CIP Codes indicate a broad disciplinary area in the first two digits and a specific area of study in the final four digits. Discipline and major information is obtained each term from the enrollment census.

Values / Response Options: Fordham’s programs correspond to nearly 100 different CIP codes. For the CIP code associated with a specific program, contact the Office of Institutional Research.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Defining Body: National Center for Educational Statistics

Enrolled

A student’s enrollment status is determined each term by the student’s matriculation and registration decisions.

Figure 1. Hierarchy of Enrollment Classifications

Figure 1 illustrates the most common enrollment arrangements. For statistical reporting, a student’s status is determined on the official enrollment census date. OIR’s Fact Book tables reflect only those students described in the area on the right side of Figure 1. Enrollment status can change subsequent to the official census, resulting in differences between OIR’s Fact Book statistics and reports generated at other times.

Fordham reports the numbers of enrolled students annually to the U.S. Department of Education in compliance with Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) standards and guidelines. A student who attempted credits toward a degree or program of study is considered to be enrolled according to IPEDS (Burgundy rectangles in Figure 1). Several exclusions apply: students enrolled exclusively in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes or continuing education (Purple rectangle in Figure 1), or study abroad programs not sponsored by the institution are not considered enrolled by IPEDS definitions.

Values / Response Options: Enrolled Credit-Bearing, Enrolled Non Credit-Bearing, Not enrolled

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Defining Body: In part, Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Faculty

See Instructional Staff.

First Destinations

First Destinations describe the postgraduate outcomes for each graduating senior class of undergraduates. In 2014, Fordham adopted the first destination reporting standards of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). In accordance with those standards, this report includes only graduates who "landed" in their first destination before December 31 of each year. We have reports of more than one post-baccalaureate activity for some graduates. In such cases, either the graduate indicates a primary activity or we designate a primary activity, giving primacy to activities as follows (in descending order): Employed (Full-Time), Military Service, Service Organization, Education (Full-Time), Employed (Part-Time), Education (Part-Time), Still Seeking Employment, Still Seeking Education, Not Seeking (for 4 or more months). Students who choose to postpone the activities above, including seeking employment, for 4 or more months are classified as "not seeking". For example, these students may be traveling, preparing for an exam, or building an artistic portfolio. In keeping with NACE practices, full-time and part-time employment include job-related fellowships and entrepreneurial ventures as well as post-graduation internships, and contract and freelance work. Education-based fellowships are included in the "Continuing Education" category.

Data Source: First Destination Survey from Handshake Career Services Management Platform

Defining Body: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

Values / Response Options: Employed (Full-Time), Military Service, Service Organization, Education (Full-Time), Employed (Part-Time), Education (Part-Time), Still Seeking Employment, Still Seeking Education, Not Seeking (for 4 or more months)

First-time Full-time Students

First-time and First-time Full-time students play a special role in institutional reporting. An undergraduate student is said to be a first-time student if the student is matriculating at Fordham and is not transferring from another institution. Students who earned college credits elsewhere but who were never matriculated at another institution are counted as first-time students as well. Admissions activity reporting considers only first-time students. Retention and graduation rates consider only first-time students who enroll full-time during their first semester, and hence are referred to as First-time Full-time students. Students retain their place in the first-time, full-time cohort of their incoming class even if they reduce their registration to part-time after the first semester. Students who begin their studies in spring or summer, begin as part-time students, or transfer to Fordham are not included, by convention.

Data Source: Derived within the Student Information System

Defining Body: U.S. Department of Education

See also: Applicants, Acceptances, Retention Rate, Graduation Rate

FTE (Full-time Equivalent) Enrollment

FTE enrollment is an alternative to headcount for describing the number of enrolled students. Specifically, for all schools except Law, in FTE enrollment computations, a student enrolled full-time is counted as one FTE while a student who is enrolled part-time is counted as a fraction of an FTE based on the student’s credit hours (for a select term):

FTE for part-time students = Number of credit hours enrolled / Average credit hours for full-time load.

Full-time credit hours from ten consecutive fall terms are used to determine an average full-time load. Law School FTE equals the full-time headcount plus 2/3 of the part-time headcount.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

See also: Enrolled, Credit Hours, Headcount

Scope of Fact Book report: FTE enrollments are reported for full-time and part-time credit-bearing students.

Gender

Fordham collects and reports demographic information about its students and faculty in accordance with standards developed by the US Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education and other government agencies rely on these data to resolve issues such as discrimination complaints. Some grant proposals require demographic data as well, depending on the research project or program development proposal. Though individual students may choose not to provide such personal information, Fordham must comply with the U.S. Department of Education regulations by requesting information regarding gender and reporting it as either male or female. Missing data are imputed based on other existing information.

Values / Response Options: Male, Female

Data Source: Common Application (Self-reported); Missing values are imputed

Defining Body: U.S. Department of Education

Scope of Fact Book report: Gender is reported for all students who meet the IPEDS definition of enrolled student.

Geographic Origin

Geographic origin indicates whether the student’s permanent/ legal address is from New York City, New York state, out-of-state within the United States and territories. The residence of students who are not US citizens or permanent, legal residents is classified as international regardless of their permanent address.

Values / Response Options: Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, other New York State Counties, Out-of-State, International.

Data Source: Common Application (Self-reported)

Graduation Rate

Graduation rates are school-wide estimates of program completion. The U.S. Department of Education and other external agencies have developed procedures and requirements for the definition of graduation rate and its reporting. According to those procedures, the graduation rate is the percentage of first-time, full-time freshmen students who complete their undergraduate degree in 4, 6, or 8 years, using the original cohort as the denominator for each year. The U.S. Department of Education permits exclusions from the count of the cohort, which serves as the denominator in the computation of graduation rate.

Data Source: Derived from Student Information System Fall enrollment census data.

Defining Body: U.S. Department of Education

Headcount (Unit)

Unless otherwise specified, students, faculty and staff statistics represent headcounts, the number of individuals in a group. Headcounts treat full-time and part-time members identically.

See also: Enrolled, FTE (Full-time Equivalent) Enrollment

Instructional Staff

Any employee whose role at the University involves teaching, full-time or part-time, is considered a member of the instructional staff, though the designation of “faculty” status varies with by defining body (e.g., Faculty Statutes, AAUP). In the Fordham Fact Book and related materials, the full-time faculty includes all tenured, tenure-track and visiting faculty as well as lecturers of all levels, artists- and writers- in residence, clinical faculty, and post-doctoral teaching fellows. Administrators with some teaching responsibility are considered part-time instructional staff. Graduate students teaching as part of their training are not included in the instructional staff.

Data Source: Fordham Information System and the Office of Faculty Personnel

International Student

All students who are not US citizens or permanent, legal residents are considered international students. Determination of student citizenship is based on student self-report and visa information.

Data Source: Derived from citizenship and visa information. Common Application (Self-reported); Fordham Student Information System

Major

Students at Fordham are required to declare at least one major field of study in a particular subject area or discipline to be awarded a degree after completing all required coursework. Majors must be approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) which are listed in NYSED’s Inventory of Registered Programs. Undergraduate students are permitted to delay declaring a major until the end of their sophomore year, or the equivalent.

Values / Response Options: Major fields of study available at Fordham

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Defining Body: New York State Education Department (NYSED) Inventory of Registered Programs

Scope of Fact Book report: Major is reported for all students who meet the IPEDS definition of enrolled student.

Matriculants

Admissions activity encompasses three milestones: Application, acceptance (or admittance), and matriculation. Accepted students who enroll in degree-granting programs at Fordham by the date of the enrollment census are counted as matriculants. Note that matriculants form a subset of all students enrolled.

Data Source: Fordham Enrollment Group

See also: Acceptances, Applicants, First-time Full-time Students

Scope of Fact Book report: Matriculated students are reported in degree program tables, major, minor and discipline tables, and degrees conferred tables.

Race/Ethnicity

Fordham collects and reports demographic information about its students and faculty in accordance with standards developed by the US Department of Education. In 2007, after 10 years of development, the U.S. Department of Education moved from identifying each individual as a member of a single racial or ethnic group to recognizing that individuals often identify with more than one such group.

When the Office of Institutional Research reports these demographics to the U.S. Department of Education, the information is condensed. Hispanic or Latino students are reported as such, regardless of their race. International students are reported as such, regardless of their race. All other students are reported by race. If a student identifies more than one category of racial heritage, that student is reported as “two or more races.”

Values / Response Options: Currently, one question asks students whether they are of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and a second question allows students to identify their racial backgrounds by selecting as many of the following categories as apply: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, White. Non-response is allowed.

Data Source: Common Application (Self-reported)

Defining Body: U.S. Department of Education

Rank

Members of the faculty are accorded rank in addition to status. Rank is determined by evaluation of the faculty at hire or at promotion.

Values / Response Options: Full professor, associate professor, assistant professor,

Data Source: Human Resources and the Office of Faculty Personnel

Defining Body: Fordham University Faculty Statutes

Religious Affiliation

Students’ religious affiliation, if any, is collected during the application process and reported in the Fact Book. The Fact Book presents a consolidated list of the more than two dozen different faiths reported by Fordham students.

Data Source: Admissions Application (Self-reported)

Defining Body: Fordham University

Scope of Fact Book report: Religious Affiliation is reported for all credit-bearing students.

Residence Hall Status

Fordham provides on-campus housing for students, as well as the option to live off-campus. The housing data in the Fordham Student Information System indicates whether a student is a resident or non-resident of University-sponsored housing.

Values / Response Options: Resident, Non-Resident (Commuter)

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Scope of Fact Book report: Residence hall status is reported for all students.

Retention Rate

Retention rates are school-wide estimates of the persistence of students. The U.S. Department of Education and other external agencies have developed procedures and requirements for the definition of retention rate and its reporting. According to those procedures, the retention rate is the percentage of first-time, full-time freshmen students who continue in their sophomore year. The Office of Institutional Research extends this analysis each year to the fourth year, using the original cohort as the denominator for each year. The U.S. Department of Education permits exclusions from the count of the cohort, which serves as the denominator in the computation of retention rate. For example, students who are deceased or who leave Fordham to enter active military service are excluded. Students who stop out and then return to Fordham may contribute to the graduation rate even when they are not retained in a particular year by standard definitions.

Data Source: Derived from Student Information System Fall enrollment census data.

Defining Body: U.S. Department of Education

School

The primary school affiliation of a faculty member or student. All affiliations are determined by the school of the students’ primary curriculum, even if the student is taking courses or pursuing additional programs of study at another school. Non-matriculated students’ affiliations are determined at admissions or course registration, as appropriate. Faculty affiliations are determined by contracts between the individual and the school.

Values / Response Options: Undergraduate Schools include: Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH), Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), Gabelli School of Business Undergraduate Division (Gabelli), and the School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS). Graduate schools include: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), Gabelli School of Business Graduate Division (Gabelli), Graduate School of Education (GSE), Graduate School of Social Service (GSS), Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GRE), and the School of Law (LAW). Students may also be affiliated with Fordham’s non-credit programs: College at 60, the Institute of American Language and Culture, the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, continuing education programs in GSS, or Fordham sponsored study abroad programs.

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Site

Fordham offers instruction on its main campuses as well as several other sites. The site field captures the location of a student’s primary curriculum, even when the student takes coursework at other sites. Students enrolled in online programs attend at “virtual” sites.

Values / Response Options: Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, Westchester, online/virtual/hybrid programs, Off-Site, London Centre-Heythrop College, Tarrytown (discontinued), Marymount (discontinued)

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Status

Members of the faculty are accorded status relative to tenure. Tenure is awarded to eligible faculty by evaluation of the faculty and approval of the Board of Trustees.

Values / Response Options: Tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure track

Data Source: Human Resources and the Office of Faculty Personnel

Defining Body: Fordham University Faculty Statutes

Student Type

Student Type is updated each term to reflect a student’s most recent history.

Values / Response Options: First-Time Admit Student, Continuing Student, Undergrad Transfer: 4-Year College, Undergrad Transfer: 2-Year College, Internal Undergrad Transfer, Readmitted, Non-Matriculated/Special, Non-Credit Students

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Scope of Fact Book report: Student Type is reported for all credit-bearing students.

Time Status

A student’s time status indicates whether they are enrolled as a full-time or part-time student, as defined by their school. Schools base time status on factors such as credit hours currently attempted, degree program or major, and exam, thesis or dissertation preparation.

Values / Response Options: Full-Time, Part-Time

Data Source: Fordham Student Information System

Defining Body: Time status definitions vary by school and program

Scope of Fact Book report: Time status is reported only for enrolled, credit-bearing students.