Assessment Process

All active degree-granting programs are expected to assess at least one component of their programs’ learning outcomes annually. These assessments feed into the academic program reviews, typically completed every seven years or, if relevant, are included in the systematic evaluations of the curriculum that is a part of the program’s professional accreditation self-study. Completed annual program assessments should be sent to [email protected].

Six Components of Assessment

For your convenience you can use the assessment template or submit a word document that addresses the six components of assessment.

The assessment should include the following information:

• The student learning outcomes you are assessing: Programs should have at least 3-5 outcomes that are assessed over a five-year period.
• The assessment plan includes the assignments, projects, exam questions, or performances used to assess student learning, including the courses in which the assessments will be completed. It should include a detailed description about the tool(s) that are used to assess student learning and information about how these measures relate to the learning outcome.
• A detailed summary of the assessment findings includes the number of students assessed, their scores, and a copy of the rubric, which may include questions and answer keys used.
• Analysis and interpretation of the assessment findings comprises what the data tells you about what and how well students are achieving the learning outcome(s). It should include information about the areas students are excelling or having difficulty.
• An action plan describes what, if any, changes in the curriculum or in specific courses you will make to improve student learning, based on the assessment.
• Implementation of and reflection on the action plan refers to taking the assessment a step further by examining or assessing whether these changes were effective.