As part of the Program Assessment Cycle, programs are to provide an annual update to the Provost’s office regarding their progress, successes, and challenges (programs not in the current 5-year review cycle). An email reminder will be sent in early spring to begin this process. The following template should be used to provide this update. Parts 1-5 should be submitted as a Word doc (suggested length approx. 3 pages). Portions of Part 5 are also submitted via the Educational Assessment Application. Please use the time frame of the past year (summer 2026, fall 2026, spring 2027) for the update. For guidance on how to use the MU Educational Assessment App, click here.
Updates for 2027 will be due June 1. Please submit Parts 1-5 in one Word doc to Associate Provost Shruti Rana. This will indicate that Part 5 has also been completed via the online app.
Part 1: Noteworthy Accomplishments
Identify any noteworthy accomplishments the program has achieved in the past year.
Part 2: Progress towards Goals
Review progress toward goals and strategies identified in the Program Assessment report, including unanticipated challenges toward achieving program goals. Also note any changes in program goals and strategies and, where appropriate, their impact on student learning.
Part 3: Doctoral (PhD) Graduates
Provide the names, contact information, and current positions of doctoral (PhD) graduates during the past year (summer, fall, current spring semester graduates).
Part 4: External Awards
Indicate any external awards that your faculty applied for or were nominated for. Please indicate which ones were awarded and, if not awarded, if they plan to apply again.
Part 5: Assessment of Student Learning
Institutional accreditation requires each degree program to establish a process for the direct assessment of student learning and to ensure clear curriculum alignment between Program Outcomes and Course Learning Objectives. For additional guidance, please visit the “Assessment of Student Learning” website.
Each program should use the MU Educational Assessment App to:
- Confirm/update Program Outcomes
- Confirm/update curricular mapping
- Confirm assessment plans
- Input data for at least one Program Outcome per degree program
- Analyze findings to inform curricular decisions
In the MU Educational Assessment App, complete the following for each degree program:
- Confirm/update Program Outcomes and Assessment Plans. Locate your department’s program outcomes for each degree program. These should define what students know and/or be able to do by the end of their program. Assessment plans for each outcome should include benchmarks, targets, and data collection timepoints.
- Input Direct Assessment of Student Learning Data for at least one program outcome. Based on your assessment plans, input data for at least one program outcome per degree program (Click “Student Learning Assessment” under Data Entry). Once inputted, click “Student Learning” under results to see the visuals.
For help with the app, see the Guide to the MU Educational Assessment App .
The annual update document should focus on the following (See example section here):
- Notable Findings from Direct Evidence of Student Learning. Report any key findings from assessments conducted for at least one program outcome per degree program. Analyze the findings using the visualizations for direct assessment of student learning data and curriculum mapping to identify potential areas of improvement.
- Provide Analysis of the Results. State whether or not the benchmark was met but go beyond that in the discussion. What do the results show in terms of student strengths, areas of improvement, and patterns?
- Data-Driven Action Plans. Describe how the program will use the student learning data. Action plans may include curriculum changes based on the direct assessment data of student learning such as altering course content, adjusting the frequency of specific topics, expanding content areas, or reevaluating teaching or assessment strategies. Connect the action plan to the analysis provided in question two.
- Student-Learning Driven Changes from the Previous Year. Did the program have specific changes to make based on the student learning data from the previous year? If so, what progress has been made on those changes?
Note: Plan to assess at least one program outcome per year to ensure all program outcomes are evaluated within a 5-year period. This annual rotation ensures continuous improvement and alignment of program outcomes with student learning needs. For additional guidance, visit the “Assessment of Student Learning.”
For a walkthrough of the MU Educational Assessment App, see here.
[Updated 8/25/26]