Best Practices in Academic Program Review (2012)

This report by Hanover Research provides an extensive overview of methodologies and case studies related to the evaluation and management of academic programs at colleges and universities. It focuses on balancing resource efficiency while maintaining program strengths and adhering to institutional missions.

Main Takeaways:

• Definition and Components of Program Review: Academic program review aims to evaluate the performance of curricula, departments, faculty, and students. Common elements include an internal self-study, an external evaluation by appointed committees, and a comprehensive evaluation leading to targeted recommendations or an action plan.

• Methodologies and Approaches:

  • Internal Self-Study: Institutions vary in their self-study approaches, but most include historical, current, and projected data related to program purpose, required resources, and student performance. This process often incorporates evaluations of unit performance and specific program goals.
  • External Evaluation: Typically conducted by a committee of academic peers and specialists, external evaluations complement the internal self-study by providing an objective assessment of program quality and effectiveness.

• Frequency and Integration with Accreditation: Most institutions conduct comprehensive program reviews regularly, often every five to seven years, aligning them with institutional reaccreditation processes to ensure efficient use of resources and reduce duplication of efforts.

• Resource Allocation and Fiscal Efficiency: In an era of tight fiscal resources, many institutions find strategic resource reallocation effective. Examples include reducing course sections, merging programs, and reallocating resources to support high-performing areas rather than cutting programs outright.

• Popular Models:

  • Dickeson’s Prioritization Model: Emphasizes reallocating resources to achieve strategic balance and is used by many institutions. This model includes criteria such as program demand, quality, costs, and alignment with institutional missions.
  • Collins’ “Good to Great” Approach: Adapted from the business sector, this approach focuses on disciplined people, thought, and action to build lasting institutional greatness.
  • Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Learning Evaluation: Evaluates programs based on participant reactions, learning outcomes, behavior changes, and overall results.
  • Massy’s Seven Quality Principles: Centers on defining quality in terms of outcomes, focusing on processes, collaborative work, evidence-based decisions, coherence, learning from best practices, and continuous improvement.
  • QPC (Quality, Potential, Cost) Model: This model assesses programs based on their quality, potential, and costs, aiming to balance these factors for strategic resource allocation.