By the end of the second year of the Department's establishment, there were about 100 students taking journalism as a major (Grocott's Mail, 2004: 1). 

Then, in 1979, enrolment of first year students in journalism leaps up by 30%. Why? 

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"Possibly because the Information scandal has made journalism seem like a glamorous profession." At least this is the opinion of Journalism staff who compare the jump in numbers with a similar phenomenon at journalism schools in the United States after Watergate.

Of course, the increase may also be linked to the growing reputation of the Rhodes department, the only one of its kind at an English-language university in South Africa (Bulletin, 1979 (2): 3). 

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In 1995 a record number of 540 students registered with the department; 238 in Journ1, 112 in Journ 2, 113 in Journ3, 36 in Journ4, six Honours and Combined Honours, two full-time MA students, 23 Higher Diploma students and 10 trainees from ECNA. Numbers last peaked in 1991 with a total of 510 students. 

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