Developing Program Level Outcomes

A clearly articulated, relevant set of program level outcomes can guide the assessment of learning by providing feedback on the extent to which the program is reaching its publicly stated goals. In this process it’s valuable to know how, where, and when majors and prospective majors gain an overview of the goals of the undergraduate program and develop an understanding of what they will know or be able to do at the end of their course of study.

Faculty can follow a common process in the development of program outcomes.

• Developing a set of program level outcomes begins with the identification of values, goals, or the mission of an academic program, how these elements relate to students moving through the program, and what essential things they need to learn in the process.
• Program level outcomes set the higher level learning goals for all students in the program. At this level outcomes are broad in scope and tend to focus on a well-rounded student learning experience but should still be realistic and meaningful to faculty and students.
• Consider these questions while developing program level outcomes:

 

• What constitutes quality undergraduate education in your field?
• What is your academic program about?
• What do you want to have happen as a result of learning in the program and do the students have an opportunity to learn it in courses?
• What do faculty want to accomplish in the program and can the intended results be achieved?

 

• Draft program outcomes using action verbs to begin each statement (demonstrate, apply, practice, integrate, discriminate)
• Focus on the higher level learning or skills that you feel are essential (life long learning, provide leadership, practice ethical behavior, build community connections)
• Make the outcomes “real world” by connecting each outcome to what happens in your field and in your courses (practice ethical behavior while conducting research in science)

• Consider where students will learn the skills presented in the program outcomes (learning may be spread across various courses and may be brought together in an ending or capstone experience)
• Consider how student progress towards achieving program outcomes will be evaluated (in courses where the learning related to outcomes takes place, in capstone experiences, internships, research projects)
• Consider what will be done with the results of the assessment of program level outcomes. How will results of assessment be acted on to improve student learning?

 

 

Answer the question…	By doing the following…	Keeping in mind…
1. What would you like your majors to know or be able to do by the time they graduate?	List the goals that faculty in your program want all majors to achieve by the time they graduate.	Many of your goals will tend to be higher level learning or universal skills that may apply to any undergraduate, such as critical thinking, writing, or research competency, e.g. Understands the role of assumptions in arguments.  You may also have goals that are more discipline-specific and focus on the essential knowledge or abilities you would like each of your majors to achieve, e.g. Understand the First Amendment and its contemporary importance.
2. What is the relationship between the program level goals you have identified and your existing core curriculum?	Provide a curriculum map, table and/or narrative explanation of how your program goals intersect with courses in your major.  As appropriate, provide comments regarding any potential or desirable changes to improve the articulation between program-level goals and core curriculum.	Core courses in the major teach certain learning goals, and other goals are achieved through upper division electives.  How do the required courses and electives provide a “home” for learning to take place in relation to your program goals?  You may also want to discuss other requirements or opportunities that provide an important “home” for learning, e.g. honors thesis, service-learning experiences, study abroad.
3. How will you communicate information about your learning goals to your majors and potential majors?	Describe how you currently communicate information about your learning goals to majors and prospective majors, and provide a URL or written document if available.  If not, describe how you intend to communicate your goals (and the timeline).	Consider posting learning goals on your departmental website, in a hard copy brochure, and in your undergraduate student handbook.  Adapt the existing venues where your undergraduates currently go for information about your program wherever possible, using multiple strategies if appropriate.
4. How will you assess your majors’ attainment of these goals? What would it take to make the implementation of these goals fully successful?	Describe the approach your program uses to evaluate whether a specific learning goal is accomplished (e.g. through capstone experiences or other key course assignments). If appropriate, please describe any potential changes that would enhance the ability of your program to assess achievement of specific learning goals.	Consider what learning goals are easily obtained by almost all majors through core courses and upper division electives and what learning goals are obtained only by a subset of your majors. Look at existing courses that accomplish your most challenging learning goals. Do you currently have such courses for some of your majors?  What are some of the obstacles to having this learning experience available to most majors?  Consider ways you might better achieve your goals for students through a combination of restructuring existing resources and incorporating new resources.