Guide to Writing the Self-Study Report

The AHECB Existing Program Review Policy adopted in October 2008 requires the review of all academic programs every 7-10 years. A major component of the policy is an internal review (self-study) by institutions and an external review by consultants of programs that do not have program-specific accreditation/ licensure/certification. The institution’s self-study, consultants’ written evaluation, and the institution’s response to the consultants’ findings will be submitted to ADHE.

Submission Logistics 
The self-study report should be a PDF document with appendices, delivered via email or Dropbox to the external reviewers. It should include both quantitative and qualitative evidence, and reference existing documents such as strategic plans, assessment reports, and curriculum materials.

Required Sections

The program’s self-study to be reviewed by external consultants should contain the following information:

Introduction

1. Program history and mission
2. Summary of last program review
3. Progress on previous recommendations

Goals, Objectives, and Activities

1. Describe specific educational goals, objectives, learning outcomes, and activities of the program.
2. Explain how the program serves the general education program and other disciplinary programs on the campus, if applicable.
3. Document market demand and/or state/industry need for careers stemming from the program.
4. Document student demand for the program.

Data Presentation/Analysis

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Program goals/objectives Learning outcomes Co-curricular activities (high-impact activities) Enrollment trends: number of majors, percent changes Employment and graduate school opportunities	Program goals/objectives Learning outcomes Co-curricular activities (high-impact activities) Enrollment trends: number of majors, percent changes Enrollment trends: pipeline of applications, program acceptances, program enrollment Employment and graduate school opportunities

Curriculum

1. Describe how program content parallels current thinking/trends in the field/trade (best practices, advisory committee recommendations, etc.).
2. Provide an outline for each program curriculum, including the sequence of courses.
3. State the degree requirements, including general education requirements, institutional, college or school requirements, and major requirements.
4. Indicate the semester/year the major/program courses were last offered. Exclude general education courses.
5. Provide syllabi for discipline-specific courses and departmental objectives for each course.
6. Outline the process for the introduction of new courses, including all internal curriculum review processes and the findings.
7. List courses in the proposed degree program currently offered by distance delivery.
8. Describe the instructor-to-student and student-to-student interaction for distance courses (prerequisite courses, lab requirements, examination procedures-online/proctored, instructor response to student assignments).

Data Presentation/Analysis (Detailed data/documents such as syllabi could be assimilated into an appendix)

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Course rotations/schedule Identify courses not offered in the last three years Course prerequisites Additional graduation requirements Possible presentations: Bulletin pages; 8-semester degree plans	Course rotations Identify courses not offered in the last three years Course prerequisites Additional graduation requirements Possible presentations: Bulletin pages; degree plans

Program Faculty (full-time/adjunct/part-time)

1. Provide curriculum vitae or program faculty information form for all full-time program faculty. The vita or form should include the following: all degrees and institutions granting the degrees; field or specialty of degrees; number of years employed as program faculty at the institution; current academic rank, if applicable; professional certifications/licenses; evidence of quality and quantity of creative and scholarly/research activity; evidence of quality and quantity of service activities; evidence of professional activities and non-teaching work experiences related to courses taught; list of course numbers/course titles of credit courses taught over the past two academic years; and other evidence of quality teaching.
2. Indicate the academic credentials required for adjunct/part-time faculty teaching major/program courses.
3. Describe the orientation and evaluation processes for faculty, including adjunct and part-time faculty.
4. Provide average number of courses and number of credit hours taught for full-time program faculty for current academic year.

Data Presentation/Analysis (Detailed data/documents such as faculty CVs could be assimilated into an appendix)

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Faculty 180 CVs SSCH per faculty over time period of analysis Number of courses taught per faculty per semester and year Accounting of scholarly/research activities Other productivity as appropriate and involves students: grant production	Faculty 180 CVs SSCH per faculty over time period of analysis Number of courses taught per faculty per semester and year Accounting of scholarly/research activities Other productivity as appropriate and involves students: grant production

Faculty 180 holds grant productivity and can generate a report

Program Resources

1. Describe the institutional support available for faculty development in teaching, research, and service.
2. Describe the professional development of full-time program faculty over the past two years including the institutional financial support provided to faculty for the activities.
3. Provide the annual library budget for the program or describe how library resources are provided for the program.
4. Describe the availability, adequacy, and accessibility of campus resources (research, library, instructional support, instructional technology, etc.).
5. Provide a list of program equipment purchases for the past three years.

Suggested Data Presentation/Analysis

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Faculty Center services Research and Technology Transfer Assessment Office services Graduate and teaching assistants	Faculty Center services Research and Technology Transfer Assessment Office services Graduate and teaching assistants

Instruction via Distance Technology (if applicable)

This section should be completed if at least 50% of any program/major course is delivered
electronically.

1. Summarize institutional policies on the establishment, organization, funding, and management of distance courses/degrees.
2. Summarize the policies and procedures to keep the technology infrastructure current.
3. Summarize the procedures that assure the security of personal information.
4. Describe the support services that will be provided to students enrolled in distance technology courses/programs by the institution and/or other entities:
   • Advising
   • Course registration
   • Financial aid
   • Course withdrawal
   • E-mail account
   • Access to library resources
   • Help Desk
5. Describe technology support services that will be provided to students enrolled in distance technology courses/programs by the institution and/or other entities.
6. Describe the orientation for students enrolled in distance technology courses/programs.
7. Summarize the institutional policy for faculty course load and number of credit hours taught, compensation, and ownership of intellectual property.

Majors/Declared Students

1. State the number of undergraduate/graduate majors/declared students in each degree program under review for the past three years.
2. Describe strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate students.
3. Provide the number of program graduates over the past three years.

Data Presentation/Analysis

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Enrollment trends: number of majors, percent changes Program retention from year-to-year Graduation trends, number graduates, percent changes	Enrollment trends: pipeline of applications, program acceptances, program enrollment Program retention from year-to-year Graduation trends, number graduates, percent changes Time to degree

Program Assessment

1. Describe the program assessment process and provide outcomes data (standardized entrance/placement test results, exit test results, etc.).
2. Describe program/major exit or capstone requirements.
3. Provide information on how teaching is evaluated, the use of student evaluations, and how the results have affected the curriculum.
4. Provide transfer information for major/declared students including the receiving institutions for transfer and programs of study.
5. Provide information for program graduates continuing their education by entering graduate school or by performing volunteer service.
6. Provide aggregate results of student/alumni/employer satisfaction surveys.
7. Describe how the program is aligned with the current job market needs of the state or local communities.
8. Provide job placement information for program graduates including the number of graduates placed in jobs related to the field of study.
   
   For undergraduate career and technical education programs only, provide the following:
   • Names and location of companies hiring program graduates.
   • Average hourly rate for program graduates.
   • Names of companies requiring the certificate/degree for initial or continued employment.

Data Presentation/Analysis (Detailed data/documents such as survey results and Nuventive annual assessment reports could be assimilated into an appendix)

Undergraduate Programs	Graduate Programs
Overview of three or more years of assessment data for all learning outcomes DFW rates for courses over the last three years Faculty 180 CVs will have course evaluation data Surveys conducted by program faculty Surveys conducted by institution and disaggregated by the program	Overview of three or more years of assessment data for all learning outcomes FW rates for courses over the last three years Faculty 180 CVs will have course evaluation data Surveys conducted by program faculty Surveys conducted by institution and disaggregated by the program

Program Effectiveness (strengths, opportunities)

1. List the strengths of the program.
2. List the areas of the program most in need of improvement.
3. List program improvements accomplished over the past two years.
4. Describe planned program improvements, including a timetable and the estimated costs.
   Identify program improvement priorities.

Institutional Review Team

List the names/departments of the self-study committee chair and committee members.