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This practice report examines the results of inserting program-specific, contextualised modules and instructors into an online student success course in a two-year college environment. The results of multiple semesters of pre-contextualised instruction (Northern Hemisphere Spring and Fall 2015) and post-contextualisation instruction (Northern Hemisphere Fall 2016 and Spring 2017), showed an increase in next semester retention. Additionally, ten student success course instructors were interviewed to determine critical elements of the course. Instructors revealed that time management, stress management, and program-specific assignments were the most beneficial components of the course. Please cite this article as: McLeod, J.J. (2019). The effects on student retention by implementing contextualised, program-specific learning modules in an online student success course. A Practice Report. Student Success, 10(1), 141-146. doi: 10.5204/ssj.v10i1.1095 This practice report has been accepted for publication in Student Success. Please see the Editorial Policies under the ‘About’ section of the Journal website for further information. Student Success: A journal exploring the experiences of students in tertiary education This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. As an open access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution. ISSN: 2205-0795 The effects on student retention by implementing contextualised, program-specific learning modules in an online student success course. A Practice Report 142 | Student Success, 10(1) March 2019 Introduction Retention remains a problem at two-year institutions in the United States. One of the most important statistical figures reflecting this challenge is student completion rates. Completion rates at two-year institutions are a meager 27% six years after the student first enrolls at an institution (Shapiro et al., 2017). Zalaznick (2016) surveyed 100 campus officials and found 84% named student success initiatives as a top four priority at their institution. Over 90% of the educational administrators interviewed placed retention efforts as one of the most crucial initiatives (Zalaznick, 2016). There are many ways colleges retain students, but courses that focus on students in their first year of college are particularly effective. Student success courses offer an opportunity for institutions to help prepare students for the long road ahead through classroom instruction. One of the driving forces behind student success courses is retaining students (Barefoot, 2004). A foundational goal of retaining students makes these courses an excellent vehicle to help promote student academic completion. It is vital for educational institutions and instructors to assist students in understanding the meaning of their college courses. Individuals perform poorly when a task has no meaning to them (Dewey, 1916). Contextualised learning is one practice instructors can use to assist students in seeing value in a course (Tinto, 2017). This practice report observed the results of comparing an online student success course delivered using two separate instructional methods. Study participants included 511 students using the prior instructional method and 454 using the redesigned method. Each student was enrolled at Sandhills Community College which is a public, two-year college located in Pinehurst, North Carolina (United States). The first method taught 16 modules on basic skills and college orientation information utilising general instructors who did not teach courses in the students’ major. The second redesigned method reduced the amount of generalised basic college skills and information to 10 modules and added six modules specifically tailored to the students’ major. The redesigned method also replaced the instructor with a teacher in the students’ major of choice. Students then enrolled in specific course sections based on their chosen major. The purpose of the curriculum change was to increase student interest in the course and help promote better retention of students in future semesters.