Outline for the Academic Program Review Internal Self ... - Winthrop

Outline for the Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study ReportWhile the Internal Self-Study should basically conform to the following outline, it is understoodthat the relative emphasis given to each of the items will vary depending on the major goals andobjectives of a particular APR. The following outline may be supplemented with additionalsections to focus on issues that are most relevant to the program.The self-study document should be subdivided by section using the headings in the outlinebelow. Each major section should be tabbed, making it easier for external reviewers to referencethe self-study. Supporting documentation, identified at the end of this outline, should be in theself-study so that the External Review Team (ERT) may see it before their visit. APR visits andmeetings may be conducted on-site, or may involve conference calls and internet-basedtechnology like SKYPE. Extensive documentation should be provided to the ERT on CD’s. TheInternal Self-Study and CD’s should be sent to the Associate Vice President of AcademicAffairs at least six weeks before the scheduled visit. The CD’s and self-study will be copiedand sent to the ERT at least one month prior to their arrival on campus.I. Executive Summary for the Internal Self-StudyAn executive summary of the self-study including an overview of the majorrecommendations for future action should be provided. This summary should be two tothree pages in length.II. Narrative SectionA. History and Mission1. Give a brief history of the program.2. What is the program mission statement? Data sources: OARS, programURL3. How was the current mission statement developed and who participated inits development?4. How does the program mission statement support the college anduniversity mission statements?B. Discuss program structure and reputation:1. Evaluate the program in the following areas:a. Viability of the program in terms of state, regional and national needs.b. Coherence and integrity of the curriculum when compared to standards ofbest practice as determined by regional and national learned societies.WU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 1

c. Timeliness of the curriculum for current and future students.d. Compare the program to other programs in the State of South Carolinaand/or comparable programs offered elsewhere. What is unique about theWinthrop program?e. Discuss the national accreditation status of the program, if applicable.2. Assess the size of the program regarding need for expansion or contraction.Use regional and national sources of data regarding demand for the programand placement of majors in the employment market.3. Discuss the service that the program provides to non-majors, if, applicable.4. Discuss the reputation of the program among current students, graduates,employers and other faculty throughout the University.C. Evaluate the program’s role in the college and the university:1. Discuss the relationship of the program to college-wide efforts (e.g. minorofferings and interdisciplinary programs, and WU’s strategic values(articulated in the Vision of Distinction).2. Discuss cooperative or joint efforts with other programs.3. Discuss the process whereby program faculty work collectively to developcurricula and do long-range planning for the program.4. Identify the degree of participation and involvement of individual faculty incarrying out program objectives.5. Discuss the relationship of the program to general education, if applicable.6. Discuss the commitment of the program to diversity both among programfaculty and students within the program.7. Discuss faculty involvement in governance and curricular activities in thedepartment, college and the university.D. Strategic Goals and Objectives (as documented in OARS, Annual Reports,Action Plans and the University Planning Database)1. State the program’s current major annual and strategic goals and objectives.Describe how they relate to the university and college missions, and WU’sstrategic values. Cross-reference the program goals you address in thisnarrative with the program goals/outcomes you report in WU’s OARS.2. Explain how program goals and objectives were developed, who participatesin the process of articulating program goals, and how program goals areWU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 2

communicated to faculty, students and the public.3. Document how, if at all, program goals changed in the past five years.Provide evidence linking articulation of and changes in program goals withassessment results.4. Describe the methods used to assess and evaluate achievement of the programgoals and objectives.5. Identify and briefly describe major activities that supported efforts inachieving these goals and objectives.6. As a result of your current program self-study, how would you define thegoals of the program for the next five years? What will be the major prioritiesfor the program?7. What specific recommendations do you have for improvement of the quality ofthe program? Explain how assessment results were utilized to frame theserecommendations?8. Plans for Implementation:a. Specify steps the program can initiate to re-marshal existing resources toachieve the changes you advocate (e.g., substantive areas you plan toconcentrate on; areas in which you could seek faculty replacements,changes in faculty workload, specific efforts to cooperate and collaboratewith cognate and other units of the university).b. If you had additional resources, to what priorities would you allocate themand why? Explain how your prioritization of additional resources links tothe program’s assessment results or evidenced-based emerging trends inthe discipline).E. Evaluate the role and achievement of students in the program.1. Describe the academic and pre-career advising system and the student’sperception of it.2. Describe the involvement of the students in program affairs.3. Provide information on:a. The academic standard, pass rate or proficiency level of variouscompetencies contained within the program. Relate to level ofperformance associated with program and learning outcomesdocumented in OARSWU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 3

. Provide information regarding the percentage of students that havemet or exceeded the academic standards set by the program. Explainhow the percentage of student meeting or exceeding the program’sacademic standards relates to level of performance associated withprogram and learning outcomes documented in OARSc. Provide an interpretation of assessment findings about the quality ofthe program, including strengths and weaknesses regarding variousprogram components (e.g., courses, field experiences, internships).May reference comments posted in analysis of assessment findings,and actions taken as documented in OARS, curriculum actions,changes in course learning activities linked to assessment findingsF. Provide assessment data on student learning outcomes (SLOs) using theOnline Assessment Plan and Reporting System (OARS).Academic program reviews address program goals (also called outcomes) andstudent learning outcomes.1. Document assessment and achievement of student learning outcomes forstudents earning degrees in the program being reviewed.2. Using information in the program’s online assessment reports, documentevidence-based improvements made to student learning.3. Summarize the learning outcomes, improvements and achievements ofstudents enrolled in the academic program since the last APR, and as reportedin the online assessment report. Contact the Office of the Department ofAccreditation, Accountability and Academic Services if you need assistancewith access to the academic program’s OARS site.4. WU’s OARS accommodates external reporting requirements academicprograms with specialized reporting requirements, non-accredited academicprograms, educational support and administrative units. WU’s InstitutionalAssessment Plan and Guide (IAP&G) provides detailed information aboutdeveloping assessment plans and reports. For additional assistance, contactthe Office of Assessment (extension 3191).G. Assess the faculty in the following areas:1. qualifications of faculty members to teach assigned courses,2. adequacy of qualified full time program faculty3. commitment of program faculty to teaching, advising, scholarship, and serviceactivities,4. students’ perception of the effectiveness and quality of teaching in theWU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 4

program,5. level of research/scholarship, and service activity of program faculty,4. The quality of faculty credentials relative to comparable institutionsthroughout the country. (Complete curriculum vitae may be included inDigital Measures, the appendix of the review or, if extensive, on a CD.)H. Evaluate the quality and quantity of academic support:1. Assess library resources, indicating the levels and quality of access toinformation, and the extent to which students can locate and use relevantmaterials.2. Evaluate the adequacy of non-salary based support (e.g. operating budget,grants, foundation money).3. Evaluate the level of technological support necessary to carry out the programmission.4. Evaluate the adequacy of facilities utilized in the program includingclassrooms, labs, studios, other instructional facilities, and office space.5. Where appropriate, provide specific recommendations, supported byassessment results, for future modifications in facilities for the program.III.Documentation: The following documents are information resources for theInternal Self-Study. Store extensive data on CD’s and reference within the selfstudy.A. Program requirements and Curriculum Design – including course descriptionsB. The program’s current and archived OARS, current strategic plan, record ofcurricular actions, and annual reports should provide a history of program changesC. A collection of 20-30 representative course syllabi, including courses that aremandatory to the programD. A summary of assessment data collected annually with brief explanation noting howresults are usedE. All reports related to external accreditation or approvalF. Number of declared majors and minors – a five-year retrospective summary(provided by the Office of Academic Affairs or departmental records)G. Departmental Budget Information – salary and non-salary as a five-year retrospectivefrom departmental records or you can request from the Office of Academic AffairsH. Faculty Vitae data sources – Annual Reports, and Digital Measures as it isimplemented campus-wideWU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 5

I. The service role of the department – a five-year retrospective of overall enrollmentsincluding changes in student-faculty ratio as well as race/gender information provided bythe Office of Academic Affairs and from department recordsJ. Equipment and facilities – description and evaluation of facilities and equipmentavailable as neededK. External support and sponsored research – a five-year retrospective (provided bySponsored Programs and Research)L. Alumni Surveys: copies of the alumni survey instrument, evidence ofreturned/completed surveys, summaries of alumni survey results, evidence that alumnisurvey results were reviewed and discussed by program faculty.M. University Planning Database provides information on program objectivesN. University undergraduate or graduate catalog.WU Academic Program Review Internal Self-Study Outline rev_20121025 Page 6