history


     Academic Program Review (APR) was first undertaken at James Madison University (JMU) in the 1993-94 academic year. Three programs were reviewed on an experimental basis in that year and six additional programs in 1994-1995. In 1995-96 the University formalized the APR process and began to review programs on a six-year cycle. Since that time, almost all of the programs at JMU have completed academic review. The guidelines for conducting APR were first developed in the Office of the Provost. An Ad Hoc Committee chosen by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Office of Academic Enhancement revised the current guidelines in the summer of 1999. The Academic Council approved substantive changes to the guidelines in April 2005. Additional changes to this revision have been made to delineate between goals and objectives related to program activities in contrast to those focused on student learning objectives. An excellent monograph entitled, Program Review and Educational Quality in the Major, published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities was used extensively in the development of these guidelines. Copies of the monograph are available in the Office of Academic Enhancement. It describes the conceptual framework underlying APR and should prove helpful as faculty undertake discussions of various areas critical to the success of their program(s).