Program Assessment
Delgado Community College has an established Office of Curriculum, Assessment, and Program
Development. A major function of this Office is the on-going review of all instructional
program offerings at the College, with the ultimate goal being the development of strategies to
improve opportunities for student success while enrolled in the instructional program, and after
completion and attainment of credential, either through immediate entry into the workforce, or
transfer to a senior college for the completion of additional studies.
Often, instructional programs at the Associate degree level are initially designed with two or
more options of the same overarching degree. This model provides separate distinct educational
paths designed to result in a focused sub-specialty within a career field. Programmatic options
share a core of courses common to each instructional area; however, provide different course
groupings for each distinct option. Reviewing enrollment, retention, and completion rates of
instructional programs by degree option, often identifies when a disconnect occurs, as student
interest and workforce needs change over time. Programmatic review and assessment may
demonstrate that the various options in a degree may have more common core knowledge
required than is evident by program structure, or that student interest spans courses comprising
various program options to reflect current trends and expectations in the workforce. Through
review, assessment, and evaluation, instructional program content may be revised to discontinue
separate program options, and to provide elective choices, or advising concentrations to students
for assistance in career exploration and preparation. Combining multiple options of degree
programs, as appropriate and as a result of review and evaluation, can remove unnecessary
barriers to student completion by strengthening instructional program offerings and providing a
clear path to an ultimate goal of credential attainment and/or immediate entry into the labor
market.
PROGRAM REVIEW
Program: ________________________________
Department Chair or Lead Instructor: ____________________________________
Dean of Division: _____________________________________
Academic Year: _____________________________
Program Review Team Members: _____________________________
Reviewed by Committee for Program Review:
(Date)
_____________________________
This review is to be completed by the program chair in consultation with the program faculty and
advisory committee members. This review will focus on five areas of the program:
I.
Program Goals and Rationale
II.
Program Outcomes Assessment
III.
Program Resources and Support
IV.
Program Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement
V.
Program Viability
I.
PROGRAM GOALS
A.
Goals
1.
Program Mission Statement
2.
Is the program mission aligned with the College’s mission, vision, and strategic
plan?
_______ Yes _______ No
If not, please explain
3.
Check which of the goals below apply to the program:
_______ Prepare students for employment
_______ Prepare graduates to transfer to related Baccalaureate program
_______ Continue workforce education/Improving workers’ skills
_______ Critical thinking
_______ Leadership Development
_______ Other (please explain)
II.
ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES
A.
Intended Program Outcomes
1.
List the intended student learning outcomes of the program
2.
Describe how these student learning outcomes are assessed. Examples of
assessment methods include but are not limited to certification exams/licensing
tests, observations, portfolios, presentations/performances, projects/assignments,
reports, rubrics, surveys. What is the target/criterion for success?
B.
Outcomes Assessment Results
1.
What are the findings of the assessment of student learning in the program?
2.
What actions/use of results have been taken in response to the assessment results
to improve student learning?
C.
Employer Satisfaction
1.
How is employer satisfaction of recent program graduates assessed?
2.
What are the assessment results?
3.
What actions were taken in response to the assessment results of employer
satisfaction of recent program graduates?
4.
What is the outlook for this program with regard to employment of program
graduates in five years?
5.
How well-aligned is the program’s curriculum with the area’s changing industry
demands? Information can be gathered through employer surveys, advisory
boards, and Department of Labor reports.
D.
Transfer Information –if applicable
1.
How is transfer success measured?
2.
What are students’ opinions of the transfer process, and foundational preparation
for success at the senior college?
3.
How well does the program’s curriculum prepare students for success?
III.
PROGRAM RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
A.
Student Enrollment Data (Please refer to data provided by Institutional Research)
1.
Indicate the number of majors in the program for the past five years.
Academic Year
Number of Declared Majors
Full-Time Part-Time
Number of Admitted
Majors in Program
(
if Limited Admission)
Number of
Graduates
2.
Have any barriers or obstacles to students’ progression through the program been
identified?
3.
What strategies are you taken regarding:
a.
Student Enrollment
b.
Student Persistence (Retention)
c.
Student Completion (Graduation)
B.
Faculty Data
1.
Indicate the number of full-time and part-time faculty and loads assigned to the
program during the past five years.
Academic Year
# of Full-Time
Faculty
# of Courses
Taught by Full-
time Faculty
# of Part-Time
Faculty
# of Courses
Taught by Part-
Time Faculty
2.
Is the student/faculty ratio appropriate to the program accreditation standards?
3.
What are the current faculty professional development needs and how are they
being met?
4.
What succession plans have been developed for faculty who are retiring or
intending to leave Delgado Community College?
C.
Facilities/Technology/Budget Data
1.
Is the equipment adequate/sufficient for the program? Are any needs not being
met?
2.
Are the facilities adequate for the program? If applicable, include computer and
science labs.
3.
Are the library/technology resources adequate for the program?
4.
Is the budget adequate for the program?
D.
Student Support Services
1. Are Advising/Counseling Services available to students (programmatic advising,
transfer/job placement advising)? How is student satisfaction with program and college
advising assessed?
What are the assessment results?
2. Are tutorial assistance services available to students?
If yes, how is student satisfaction with the tutorial assistance assessed?
What are the assessment results?
3. What internship/clinical/practicum opportunities are available to students?
How is student satisfaction with these internship/clinical/practicum opportunities
assessed?
What are the assessment results?
IV.
PROGRAM STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
IMPROVEMENT
Please use your responses to the items in sections I-III to respond to the questions below
concerning the program’s strengths and opportunities for improvement.
A.
Strengths
1.
What are the strengths of the program?
B.
Opportunities for Improvement
1.
What are the opportunities to improve the program?
2.
List Action Plan or Suggested initiative to strengthen the program.
3.
Any barriers to addressing the opportunities for improvement?
V.
PROGRAM VIABILITY
A.
Overall assessment of program viability, current and projected for five years. Is there a
need for program expansion, consolidation, or deletion? Please explain.
