School of Business 

                  Curriculum Planning and Assessment Process   

Any curriculum, in order to remain relevant, must be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement. The business faculty has ultimate responsibility for the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of its curriculum. The School of Business Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee is the vehicle for approaching this process in a formal, systematic way.  

 Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee

The committee will consist of three tenured or tenure-track faculty, who will serve staggered terms of three years. The chair of the Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee is chosen by the Dean. The members of the committee are chosen by the Dean from nominations of the faculty. Assistance will be given by a student worker or graduate assistant. 

 For faculty evaluation purposes, committee members will earn 10 points per year. The committee is expected to: (1)  develop an action plan in September of each year; (2) have a basic understanding of the AACSB accreditation standards (first time members will be given the opportunity to attend the AACSB Continuous Improvement Symposium); (3) stay abreast of changes in the literature relating to curriculum planning/assessment and business education; (4) identify and track the curriculum of “benchmark” institutions; and (5) communicate, in writing, the committee’s efforts on a regular basis to the Dean and the business faculty (6) follow the Principles of Curricular Planning/Assessment.

 Principles of Curriculum Planning/Assessment

The following principles are designed to guide the Curriculum Planning/Assessment  process.

   Faculty responsibility: The principle that the faculty is responsible for the curriculum should be followed. This requires active consultation throughout the process.

   Faculty Development: The School has both an obligation to enable and the right to expect its faculty to develop a high level of competence in instructional, learning and evaluation methods.

   Student-Centered Learning: Students will be responsible for and actively involved in their own learning. This requires that the appreciation of discipline based information becomes more relevant when applied in the context of solving problems.

   Mission driven: The curriculum must be consistent with the School’s mission.

   AACSB Curricular Standards: The curriculum must be consistent with the AACSB curriculum standards.

   Continuous Improvement:  Planning and evaluation leads to creating and delivering high quality curricula on a regular, systematic basis that incorporates improvements based upon contemporary theory and practice.

   ducational Objectives: The educational objectives of the business programs will be reviewed periodically for relevance and linkage to courses and learning objectives.

   Assessment: Assessment of the effectiveness of the curriculum in achieving the school’s mission and educational objectives, and to demonstrate consistency with the AACSB curriculum standards, must be systematically   employed in the process of continuous improvement of the curriculum.

   Stakeholders: The Curriculum Planning/Assessment process will gather data from, and carefully consider the input of, various stakeholders – students, employers, alumni, and other stakeholders.

Curriculum Review and Planning – The Process  

The Faculty Manual describes the University curriculum revision process. The following procedures will be followed in the School of Business.

   Faculty makes recommendations for changes to the Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee.

   Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee recommends to the Dean.

   The Dean recommends to the business faculty.

   The business faculty recommend to the Academic Affairs Committee.

 The Curriculum Planning/Assessment Steering Committee will review all business programs and courses in 2000-01 for relevance and consistency with the Principles of  Curriculum Planning and Assessment. The following process should be u

   Review mission and educational objectives of programs in light of principles.

   Review course descriptions and syllabi (learning objectives) for alignment with mission and program objectives. The review should consider the competencies addressed and level of coverage. Curriculum mapping and an assignment matrix should be used.

   Are educational objectives (competencies) covered?

   Recommend program/course changes.

   Obtain stakeholder input concerning proposed program changes.

   Determine assessment method for each competency.

   Perform assessment.

   Analyze assessment results separately and combined.

   Recommend program/course changes.

 Curriculum Assessment – The Process

The purpose of  program assessment is to improve the effectiveness of each academic program and to make timely, well-informed decisions about priorities and resource support. The School of Business uses multiple methods of assessment of program effectiveness. The School gathers data from both internal and external stakeholders. The University also gathers a wide range of data relevant for program assessment.

External Input:

1.   Alumni Surveys

a.        The Office Student Relations administers a Career Services Survey to graduates six months after graduation on their post-graduate success and perceptions on how well prepared they were for their first jobs.

b.       The University administers the ACT Alumni Survey every other fall, alternating with the studen survey.

2.Business Advisory Council

 

The Business Advisory Council presently has eleven regular members plus two associate members who represent area employers and have a vested interest in the School. This group not only reviews the division’s curriculum and mission but also brings a variety of resources to the School.

 

 3.Benchmarking

 

Beginning 2000-01, peer group data will be gathered from comparable business schools concernin faculty and students.

 

Internal Input:

 

 1.    Senior Focus Groups

 

Focus groups are held in MGT 4340 and MGT 6331 to ascertain how students exiting the program view their experience in the division.

 

 2.   Course Evaluations

 

 Student course evaluations are conducted each semester in every course.The evaluations are designed both to aid in formal faculty evaluations and to help faculty to better design and execute their classes.

 

 3.    ETS Higher Education Major Field Test

 

Beginning in spring of 1997, all BBA/MBA graduates are required to take the major field test in Business administered by ETS. This exam provides assessment indicators in eight areas accounting, economics, management, quantitative business analysis, finance, marketing, legal and social environment, and international business.

 

 4.       CPA Exam Results

Information is regularly obtained regarding the success rate of the accounting majors who take the XPA Exam.

5.   Academic Program Review

Academic Affairs reviews all academic programs every 5 years.  Programs are selected for review by Academic Affairs, a Faculty Council committee composed of representatives from all three academic divisions. For example, Academic Affairs reviewed the management program in the spring of 1999.The committee examined student performance, program need, demand,and cost.