Program Assessment Overview 

What is Academic Program Assessment?

Assessment is a scientific approach for adapting curriculum and instruction for better learning.

The SBU program assessment model will accumulate evidence of ongoing assessment as required by our accreditors (SUNY, NYSED, MSCHE, USDE).

The ongoing process of academic assessment has the following phases, which serve as the foundation for developing a program assessment plan (including program learning objectives and curriculum mapping) and the annual assessment reports.

Phases of Academic Program Assessment

Develop a plan	Define clear learning objectives for each degree and certificate program
	Align educational activities with those learning objectives
Collect Data	Collect evidence of student  achievement
Analyze Data	Analyze evidence to determine progress relative to the learning objectives
Interpret data and plan to adapt instruction	Modify learning objectives and educational activities as needed to ensure student success
Document your work	Periodic reports (annual, comprehensive)
Repeat!

Who does Assessment?

Assessment is an integral part of delivering curriculum and instruction, for which the faculty are responsible.  See Part 52.2 of the Standards for the Registration of Undergraduate and graduate Curricula.  The assessment process is collaborative and includes faculty, students, and administrators at all levels.  It is structured and “owned” in exactly the same way as curriculum and instruction.

All standalone degree and certificate programs conduct academic assessment on a continuous, ongoing basis. See “Program Assessment Plan” for more information.

For more information, see also: FAQs.  For example, “Why do we do program assessment?