admission requirements, which are well communicated. appropriate for its mission? graduation rates. Support for Students Standard 4.3 The program clearly communicates graduation standards, provides advising in support of graduation, as well as ensures support for internships and careers, including tracking employment. Does the program provide advising and career services appropriate to its student body? Is the preponderance of students graduating? Internship and job placements, graduation and persistence rates, advising policies, transcripts, internship policies and forms (including completed), student surveys Faculty, students, career services (program or university) Different types of students require different support services – consider how pre- v. in-person v. online, and other groups of students interact in a graduate degree. Student Diversity Standard 4.4 Recruitment activities should reflect a consideration of diversity. The program should provide a supportive educational climate for a diverse student population. How does the program recruit and retain a diverse student body, as well as promote a climate of inclusiveness? Do students feel supported and included? Diversity plan, recruitment/hiring plan, curriculum, extra-curricular opportunities, Faculty, students, alumni, diversity office Diversity looks different in different contexts – including across countries. How is the program intentional about modeling inclusivity? Universal Required Competencies Standard 5.1 Programs will define and measure the skills that students develop, related to each of the required competency domains. How does the program define and assess student learning? Has the program identified and made changes to improve student performance? 2016-17 cohort is expected to provide evidence of 1 complete cycle of assessment on each of 3 competency domains. Assessment plan, sample of measures of student learning (i.e. assignments, capstones, etc.), faculty meeting minutes, analysis of student learning measures, any indirect tools used to measure learning, Faculty, students, committee(s), advisory board While tools are useful in student learning assessment, class grades are measures of how well one student performed in one class – not of overall student competency. Standard 5.2 Some programs will have mission-specific How does the program define and assess student Mission, Assessment plan, samples of Faculty, students, Developed similarly to Standard 5.1,
required competencies required competencies, as well. learning? Has the program identified and made changes to improve student performance? measures of student learning (i.e. assignments, capstones, etc.), faculty meeting minutes, analysis of student learning measures committee(s), advisory board although not a consideration for most programs. elective competencies Standard 5.3 The program should articulate how elective offerings contribute to the program mission and goals. What is the program’s approach to concentrations, and how does the program ensure quality in these offerings? Website, CVs, course coverage, course catalog, student enrollment, mission Faculty, students, administrators Capacity to deliver concentrations is key: can students take the courses they need to graduate on time? Professional Competencies Standard 5.4 Students will have at least one experiential learning exercise/interaction with practitioners. How does the program promote engagement with the professional community? What are its internship requirements? Course schedule, internship policies, internship placement, guest speaker roster, capstone clients, Faculty, students, career services, advisory board, adjunct faculty Professional degrees should expose students to practitioners across a broad range of professions. Resources Standard 6.1 The program’s resources should be appropriate to pursue the program’s mission, in all aspects of program delivery. Does the program have sufficient resources to deliver the program and pursue continuous improvement? Budget, administrative infrastructure, faculty travel policies, scholarships, IT (especially for online programs), physical space Faculty, administrators Emphasis is not on the dollar amount of the budget, but the program’s overall capacity (or limitations) in pursuit of its mission. Often cited with another Standard because evidence is showing a lack of capacity or poor outcomes. Com munications Standard 7.1 The program should communicate with its stakeholders, Does the program make the required information and data publicly available? Is it Website, brochures Faculty, IT staff Programs should inform stakeholders to support
Documents Interviews Program Eligibility 1 Explored through Eligibility Process: is the program capable of being evaluated? Eligible programs should be accredited (or similarly approved) and focused on professional education. University documents, Mission Faculty, administrators For international programs, mostly. Public Service Values 2 Explored through Eligibility Process: the program should define the boundaries of its public service values and how they are reflected through the mission, governance, and curriculum of the program. The mission, governance, and curriculum should emphasize public service values. Mission, curriculum Faculty, administrators, students Are stakeholders involved in the mission review process? Primary Focus 3 Explored through Eligibility Process: the program’s primary focus should be preparing public servants, as demonstrated by their public service values and competencies. The primary focus of the program should be to prepare students for careers in public service. Mission, curriculum Faculty, administrators, students Explored through the program’s articulation of public service values, competencies, and employment outcomes. Course of Study 4 Explored through Eligibility Process: programs should provide evidence of significant interaction among students, faculty, experiential learning, the profession, including across special conditions and cohorts. The normal expectation is the program course of study be the equivalent to 36-48 semester hours. Course catalog, Website Faculty, administrators Non-US programs may count credit hours in different, but comparable, methods (i.e. the thesis may not be credit bearing, but required).