Academic Program Assessment

We owe the relentless pursuit of pedagogical excellence to our students, who are our most enduring legacy and the most energizing force on our campuses.

Excerpt from President Julio Frenk's Inaugural Address, January 29, 2016

In order to achieve pedagogical excellence, we need to gather evidence that demonstrates the degree to which students are achieving the learning goals we set for our programs. Each academic program is required to assess student learning and submit an annual Program Assessment Report (PAR) to our office.

Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes focus on assessing how well students are learning. Student Learning Outcomes assess major knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors taught in the discipline and that are achieved upon completion of the program. These achievement outcomes inform faculty and program leaders for teaching effectiveness, curriculum design, and academic support services. The ultimate objective of student learning assessment is to use findings for the quality of programs and provide overall educational excellence. develop specific strategies to directly improve the quality of education the students receive. Examples of student learning outcomes include:

  • Advanced (specific) knowledge of the discipline
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Research skills
  • Effective use of technology
  • Written/oral communication skills
  • Practical hands-on skills

Assessment Resources

The following resources are available to program contacts to support the University's academic program assessment processes:

Resource
Description
Program Assessment Report (PAR) Template AY 2016-17 Use this template to complete your 2016-17 program assessment report
Assessment Plan Template AY 2017-18 Use this template to prepare your assessment plan for AY 2017-18
Presentation on Clear and Systematic Assessment Powerpoint presentation from April 2017 Assessment Workshops

For assistance with academic assessment, please contact Claudia Grigorescu.