July 1, 2014
PROGRAM REVIEW GUIDELINES
(Transfer Programs)
In order to assure that every academic program at Piedmont Virginia Community College offers high-quality instruction and services to its students, the program faculty and division dean will conduct a thorough review of each program at least once every five years. The Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness will provide predetermined productivity data and requested (optional) supplemental data/research reports.
The program review will take place within one academic year. The culmination of the program review is the formulation of an action plan, which addresses maintaining program strengths and solving program weaknesses.
Activity / Time Frame / Person ResponsibleOffice of Institutional Research, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness provides required program review assessment data / By August 15 / Director of Institutional Research, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness
Program faculty and division dean review program goals, student learning outcomes, identify and request any additional data needs, determine procedure for using external measures to evaluate student outcomes, and write program review report / September 1 February 15 / Program Faculty and Division Dean
At the completion of the examination and analysis of a program(s), the division dean will submit the review report and action plan to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee for review and comment / By March C&I meeting of academic year / Division Dean
Once reviewed, the dean of the C&I Committee will submit the report, action plan, and any comments to the Vice president of Instruction and Student Services / By last work day of semester / Dean of C&I Committee
The vice president may accept, reject, or request revision of the report and/or action plan / By August 1 / Vice president of Instruction and Student Services
The program faculty and division dean are responsible for the implementation of the action plan / Ongoing / Program faculty and Division Dean
The division dean will present to the C&I Committee and Vice president of Instruction and Student Services a follow-up report on the success of the action plan and any new developments with the program(s) / By April of academic year / Division Dean
The culmination of the program review is the formulation of an action plan designed to maintain program strengths and address program weaknesses. The Vice President of Instruction and Student Services oversees the implementation of the action plan by the program faculty and dean.
Components of the Program Review
1. Program Goals and Student-learning Outcomes
What are the program goals and student-learning outcomes for this curriculum?
Program goals describe the overall purpose of the curriculum such as preparing students for entry-level employment in certain jobs or transfer to certain curricula. The program goals must be stated in terms that permit judgment about the extent to which they are realized; they must be stated in away that allows assessment of their accomplishment. Course objectives are not program goals. Do not use a collective list of objectives from all required courses for program goals.
Student-learning outcomes are the educational goals for graduates. They describe what gradates should know or will be able to do upon the completion of the curriculum. The student-learning outcomes must be stated in terms that permit judgment about the extent to which they are realized; they must be stated in a way that allows assessment of their accomplishment. Course objectives are not student-learning outcomes. Do not use a collective list of objectives from all required courses.
2. Program Data – Effectiveness Measures
The Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness will supply productivity data
Productivity data includes:
Variables (examples to use)
Number of GraduateEnrollment of Curricular Students
Total Enrollments for the last 5 years
Length of Program
Retention Rate
Graduates’ Satisfaction (educational support services and course availability)
Graduates’ Outcomes (employment in program-related work, further education)
3. Use of Assessment Findings to Improve Instruction
A. What changes have occurred since the last program review? What were the results?
o Describe how assessment findings were used to improve the quality of instruction and student services in the program.
B. Describe the extent to which students achieve current program goals.
o Describe at least one way in which an external measure is used to document student achievement of the program goals.
C. Describe the extent to which students achieve current student-learning outcomes.
o Describe at least one way in which an external measure is used to document student achievement of the student-learning outcomes.
4. Review of Curriculum: Transfer Programs
A. What formal (written) articulation agreements exist between PVCC and transfer colleges/universities?
· Describe the formal articulation agreements that exist between PVCC and transfer institutions for this program(s).
B. Do students successfully transfer to four-year schools?
· Using at least one external measure, document the success of students transferring to four-year institutions.
C. What problems, if any, do students encounter as they transfer to four-year colleges/universities?
· Describe the problems, if any, PVCC students encounter in transferring to four-year colleges/universities.
D. Describe the trends in transfer rates to the major four-year colleges/universities to which PVCC transfer.
E. Are there unmet transfer needs that this program(s) should/could meet?
F. Does the transfer information indicate that a need continues to exist for this program(s)?
G. If PVCC did not have this program(s), what would the impact be on our service region?
5. Program Strengths and Weaknesses
Based on the data collected, identify program strengths and weaknesses.
6. Action Plan
List specific actions that will be taken to maintain program strengths and address program weaknesses. Describe what steps will be taken in the next three years to advance the program. For each action, specify the expected outcome, the expected time line for completion, the person(s) who will be responsible, the resources needed, and the criterion/criteria that will be used to determine if the action was effective.
Issue/Concern:
Specific Action(s):
Expected Outcome(s):
Time Frame:
Person(s) Responsible:
Resources Needed:
Criterion/Criteria Measure(s):
7. Follow-up
By April of academic year, the division dean will present to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee and Vice president of Instruction and Student Services on the status and effectiveness of the action plan and any new developments with the program(s). Annual divisional goals should also reflect the program’s action plan.