Academic Program Review
APR Home | Types of APR | Instructions | Roles | Schedule | Narrative Outline
The Purpose of Academic Program Review
Academic program review (APR) within the Division of Academic Affairs is common practice in most colleges and universities and is an essential component of institutional and program accreditation processes. A national movement toward promoting outcome assessment has shaped how faculty members approach the review of their programs, particularly in relation to student learning outcomes assessment.
To improve the quality of teaching and learning, APR should increase faculty members' awareness of their educational goals and practices. It should encourage identification of successful areas of the program as well as those requiring change.
To be effective, an APR requires:
- a clear specification of desired educational outcomes
- evidence of achievement
- documentation of strategic planning and its implementation
James Madison University firmly believes that periodic structured reviews are necessary for thoughtful reflection on program outcomes and for possible external consultation on key program issues. The APR process should not be initiated or viewed solely as a response by administrators to external constituencies or a crisis situation, but to the ultimate goal of improving the program.
APR at JMU
James Madison University (JMU) recognizes the need for APR to demonstrate program effectiveness for students, to require data necessary for allocation of resources and to be responsive to constituents throughout the university community. Each area within the Division of Academic Affairs conducts an APR; the type of APR depends on the type of unit conducting the review. For descriptions of the types of APR, click more info below.
Degree Granting and Academic Support Area + more info
External Accreditation + more info
Academic Administrative Areas + more info
APR is a continuous process that recognizes the importance of faculty reflecting on the effectiveness of how they advise and teach, resulting in continual modifications to courses and programs. This continuous process is reinforced at JMU through:
- University mission and defining characteristics as documented in the planning database
- University six-year plan and Institutional Performance Standards (IPS)
- Planning emphasis themes
- Academic unit and college annual planning and reporting processes
- Student outcomes and Assessment Progress Template (APT)
