Academic Program Review (APR)
Academic Program Review (APR) is required in accordance with regulations established by the Idaho State Board of Education Policy III.X. and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities standards.
As an essential component of Idaho State University's ongoing commitment to ensuring the fulfillment of our educational mission, APR plays a pivotal role. Its purpose is to guarantee the quality of programs in achieving their goals through relevant and up-to-date curricula. APR includes annual (APR-A) and 7-year (APR-7) review. APR-A not only facilitates ongoing improvement in student learning and program quality but also serves as a precursor to a comprehensive APR-7.
Guided by the requirements of the Idaho State Board of Education Policy III.X and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation standards Student Learning: 1.C.3, 1.C.5, 1.C,6, and 1.C.7, all academic and professional-technical certificate and degree programs are required to conduct an annual assessment and review of student learning outcomes.
Purpose of the Annual Academic Program Review
- Develop and Assess meaningful and measurable student learning outcomes
- Guide continuous quality improvement
- Scaffold annual reviews to support the 7-Year Self-Study Program Review
- Document and Reflect on program strengths and opportunities for improvement
- Provide recommendations for program improvement
Process to Complete the Annual Academic Program Review
- Annually, each academic and professional-technical certificate and degree program will submit an Annual Academic Program Review using the
APR-A Guidelines and Template (Word Document). - Upload and submit the completed annual academic program review to the Annual Academic Program Reporting Form.
- Reports are due annually on November 1st.
Past APR-A Reports
Academic programs that are not subject to specialized accreditation must complete an Academic Program Review (APR) every seven years (APR-7). APR-7 is a comprehensive evaluation process, which begins with a self-study conducted at the departmental level and encompasses all degree programs and certificates within the department. The purpose of an APR-7 is to:
- Document continuous improvement of programs and curriculum delivery
- Evaluate the effectiveness and quality of a program for continuous improvement and accountability
- Plan and implement action to enhance student learning
The APR-7 process consists of three phases:
- Self-study: Department evaluates its programs
- External review: Outside experts assess the programs
- Response and planning: Department responds to external reviews and plans for future improvements
The guidelines, templates, and process timeline with responsibilities are available below:
- APR-7 Guidelines (Word Document)
- APR-7 Template (Word Document)
- APR-7 Timeline with Responsibilities (Word Document)
- External Review/Site Visit Report Template (CoT's template for your reference)
- An example of program review response and action plan: UHP Action Plan
Schedule
The review schedule for APR-7 by college is listed below. If you have any questions, please contact your UARC representative.
- College of Arts and Letters CAL APR-7 Review Schedule Updated 2023 (PDF Version)
- College of Education COE APR-7 Review Schedule Updated 2023 (PDF Version)
- College of Science and Engineering (PDF Version) COSE APR-7 Review Schedule Updated 2023
- College of Technology COT APR-7 Review Schedule Updated 2023 (PDF Version)
- Kasiska Division of Health Sciences KDHS & COH APR-7 Review Schedule Updated 2023 (PDF Version)
Past APR-7 Reports
Faculty are engaged in assessment to ensure continuous improvement of student learning and to enhance the overall quality of programs.
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