Significant Jump Seen In Graduate Enrollment
This video is no longer available.
The University of Tennessee at Martin released its spring enrollment numbers, which showed their student numbers are down overall. But the University is seeing an interesting increase. More students are enrolling in UTM’s Graduate Program. In 2011, UT Martin enrolled nearly 7800 students, and that number dropped to nearly 7400 students for spring semester classes. The school’s graduate students numbers have increased 25 percent. Daniel Farmer of Camden is a graduate student at UT Martin. He is pursuing a career in education and works as a grad assistant for the school’s softball team. He said the choice to continue his education was easy. “Job opportunities are not really there any more, and so a lot of kids are going back to grad school,” said Farmer. Farmer is one of many UT Martin students choosing graduate school over joining the workforce. “With our education system and how it is now, I feel like the Tennessee state school systems is going in the direction of you need a masters. You need to further your education,” said Farmer. Enrollment numbers at the university show a 25 percent increase in the number of first-year graduate students. “There’s no doubt the option to go back to graduate school is strong for those in-between jobs or looking for employment or maybe wanting to improve skills, particularly in teaching profession,” said UTM Spokesman Bud Grimes. Officials also believe taking online classes through the Master’s of Education Leadership Program makes getting a degree a little easier. “They can pursue this education in grad school a little earlier in their career. That has opened the door for person who have graduated more recently,” said Grimes.
