Procedures and Guidelines
Academic Program Reviews are designed to analyze, on a periodic basis, the extent to which academic programs provide students with high quality education and preparation for success in the global economy.
Introduction
Academic program review processes emphasize evaluation of the curricula and programs of study, the assessment of student learning outcomes, workforce needs and job opportunities, and continuous program improvement within the context of the University’s mission. Program reviews also offer departments opportunities to review goals and objectives related to scholarly and creative activities and to institutional, professional, and community service.
Best practices across higher education require the cyclic review of all academic degree programs for continuous improvement. Program reviews must document how individual academic programs are achieving stated student learning outcomes and program objectives within the context of the university’s mission. The results of the program reviews are expected to inform strategic planning, curriculum revision, program development, and budgeting decisions at the university level.
Authority: University policy AC-07.01 Academic Program Review
The schedule of program reviews is maintained by the Office of the Provost. Programs scheduled to undergo review are notified in the summer term prior to the academic year of their review. Program review policies, timelines, deadlines, report templates, and related forms are posted on the Academic Program Review web page.
Programs that undergo specialized or programmatic accreditation will not be required to use the Academic Program Review Self Study template. These departments will submit their programmatic accreditation self-study document and the final report from the accreditor. However all programs, whether accredited or not, will complete a brief Action Plan that identifies the findings and
recommendations of the Program Review Team to be implemented by the department along with a timeline. A template for this Action Plan is provided through the Program Review folder for each department. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is available as a resource to departments on completing the Action Plan.
| July/August Prior Year | Confirmation and notification of upcoming academic program review to department chair and college dean. |
|---|---|
| Sept. Review Year | Conduct program review fall orientation/question session for deans and program chairs/directors. Departments receive access to the Academic Program Review Self-Study template. |
| Early Fall Review Year | Department submits Program Review Contact Information form found on the Provost’s Office website. |
| Submit Late October | Department initiates ‘Academic Program Review Planning Form’ in DocuSign to identify program review team members: 1. External member 2. Within college, external to program member 3. Within university, external to college member 4. Questions to be answered by the program review team |
| Late January | Department submits Academic Program Review Self-Study - sent to college dean and the Vice Provost. |
| 4 Weeks Prior to Visit | Department submits proposed Academic Program Review Team site visit schedule (dates and times) to the college dean and Vice Provost. |
| 2 Weeks Prior to Visit | Department sends Self-Study to Academic Program Review Team members and Vice Provost. |
| February/March | Academic Program Review Team site visit. |
| 2 Weeks After Visit | Academic Program Review Team submits its reports to program chair/director. Department submits the Expense Request Worksheet to pay the external reviewer. This form should not be submitted unless the department has received the Program Review Team Report from the external reviewer. |
| Early April | Department submits its response to the Program Review Team report to the college dean with a copy to the Vice Provost. |
| Mid April | Dean provides response to the Program Review Team Report to the department, with a copy to the Vice Provost. |
| Late April | Department submits electronic version of Program Review Final Report 1. Academic Program Review Self Study 2. Program Review Team Report 3. Department Response 4. Dean’s Response |
| Early May | Department submits Action Plan to Vice Provost and Institutional Effectiveness. |
Prior to Visit
- Receive program review key questions and self-study at least 2 weeks prior to the visit
- Review materials sent by the program
- Develop questions to be asked during visit
- Develop list of additional data to be reviewed
- Develop list of additional documents to be reviewed
- Visit program website
During the Visit
- Meet with University, College, and Department program personnel
- Meet with current students and alumni
- Meet with program advisory council and/or local business/industry/government agency
personnel involved with the program - Meet with other individuals or groups as suggested by the program chair
- Tour program facilities
Recommended Content for Report
The Program Review Team Report should provide findings and recommendations related to
program offerings with respect to status, strengths/opportunities and weaknesses/threats for each of the following sections:
- Departmental Purpose and Mission Alignment
- Program Inventory (degree programs, certificates, minors)
- Enrollment data and trends
- Graduation, completions, and program retention and trends
- Program Market Demand and ROI
- Media Presence & Social Media Impressions
- Departmental Faculty and Staff Resources
- Curriculum (program learning outcomes, program of study)
- Assessment findings
- Common Prerequisites (undergraduate programs)
- Specialized Admissions Status (undergraduate programs)
- Program Admissions Requirements (graduate programs)
- Review of technology needs for academic programs and departmental resources
- Departmental Conclusions
- Recommendations for strengthening program offerings
- Additional Comments
- Appendices
- Individuals and Groups interviewed
- Documents reviewed
- Site Visit Schedule
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 - 8:30 am | Program Review Team meets on campus with the Department Chair. |
| 8:30 - 9:00 am | Initial Interview--Program Review Team meets with the Department Chair, Dean, and Vice Provost (Building 10, President’s Conference Room, if available. Advance notice is required for scheduling with Vice Provost and Dean). |
| 9:00 - 9:30 am | Dean, Associate Dean, and Program Review Team |
| 9:30 - 9:45 am | Break |
| 9:45 -10:15 am | Department Chair and Program Review Team |
| 10:15 -11:15 am | Department/Program faculty and Program Review Team |
| 11:15 -12:15 noon | Program Review Team, Dean, and other administrators as appropriate (e.g., Associate Vice President for Research Administration, Graduate Studies Director, Director of the Emerald Coast Campus, Dean of University Libraries, other college deans, other department chairs) |
| 12:15- 1:30 pm | Lunch—Program Review Team and Department faculty |
| 1:30 - 2:30 pm | Program Review Team and program students, and other students as appropriate |
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm | Program Review Team with alumni and employers |
| 3:30 - 4:30 pm | Program Review Team visit to department’s physical facilities (e.g., offices, dedicated classrooms, laboratories) |
| Day 2 | |
| 8:00 - 9:00 am | Program Review Team conference |
| 9:00 - 10:00 am | Exit Interview – Program Review Team with the Department Chair, Dean, and Vice Provost |
| Notes: | *The Program Review Team includes the external consultant, a UWF faculty member from outside the review department’s college, and a UWF faculty member from inside the review department’s college. |
- Following receipt of the report of the Program Review Team, the program review
department is to prepare a Departmental Response to the Program Review Team’s
recommendations. Approximate time frame for submission is early April following the Team
Site Visit. - The Program Review Team Report and the Departmental Response is then forwarded to the
dean for review and preparation of the Dean’s Response to the department chair.
Approximate time frame for this submission is mid April following the Team Site Visit. - Both responses should be assembled into the final Program Review Report.
Once all responses have been received, the following elements should be assembled into a single PDF and to be routed through DocuSign.
Order of Sections:
I. Executive Summary
II. Academic Program Review Self-Study
III. Program Review Team Report
IV. Response to Program Review Team Report Recommendations
A. Program/Department Faculty and Chair
B. College Dean
DocuSign Routing:
1. Department Chair
2. College Dean
3. Vice Provost Dallas Snider
Cc: Eileen Saunders (Asst. to Vice Provost) esaunders@uwf.edu
Sandra Taylor (IE Coordinator II) staylor4@uwf.edu
Angela Bryan (Assistant Vice President, Planning and Institutional Performance ) abryan@uwf.edu
The Action Plan is a brief summary of findings and recommendations of the Program Review Team with a timeline for implementation of these recommendations. It should be expected that some recommendations can be easily implemented within the department such as updates to curriculum which can be initiated with CCRs. Other recommendations, such as bringing on new faculty or staff will require approvals and funding that may be beyond the immediate resources of the department. For recommendations such as these, departments should provide a timeline of the approval steps they will need to complete if recommendations such as these are pursued.
A template is provided for the Action Plan, which should be submitted to vice provost and Institutional Effectiveness by early May.
Department chairs/program directors are encouraged to schedule a brief meeting with Institutional Effectiveness staff (Dr. Angela Bryan abryan@uwf.edu or Sandra Taylor staylor4@uwf.edu ) to complete the Action Plan.