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Process Overview

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Academic Program Review Process

Program Review and Onsite Visit Preparation
Department chairs and program faculty are encouraged to review the information below and the links in the navigation menu for guidance and details on the entire review process. If you are in your review cycle or will be completing your program review in the near future, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness is available for consultation. Training and Department chairs may also schedule meetings. Spelman College's program review process unfolds across four distinct phases, each building on the previous phase to ensure comprehensive evaluation and improvement.

Phase 1: The Self-Study
Each program under review engages in a thorough self-evaluation process, culminating in a detailed study narrative that documents the program curriculum, student outcomes, faculty and faculty achievements, resources, and program effectiveness. The self-study is designed to allow programs to explore their areas of success and areas for growth.

Phase 2: The External Review and Onsite Visit
Phase 2 of the Program Review process consists of a two-to-three-day on-campus review completed by an external team of scholars and peers from other institutions. This campus review consists of group and individual meetings between the review team and campus constituents. These meetings serve as an opportunity for programs to dialogue with colleagues in their respective fields and discuss any strengths, challenges, or areas for growth. The external review and on-campus visit culminate with a close-out meeting and a subsequent written report from the external review team. Program chairs and faculty are encouraged to review the guidelines and supporting documents for this process. Select the link in the side menu for more details.

Phase 3: The Program Review Response
The department thoughtfully addressed the external review team's findings, including both commendations and recommendations. This response forms the foundation for strategic discussions with the Provost regarding program planning and development.

Phase 4: Strategic Planning, Implementation, and Ongoing Assessment
The program actively integrates insights from all previous phases — the self-study, external review, and program response — into its ongoing planning and improvement efforts.

Contact Info

Institutional Effectiveness

350 Spelman Lane, SW
Atlanta, GA. 30314

404-270-5025
mburnett@spelman.edu

Mon. - Fri. | 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. | For questions related to the Academic Program Review Process, email the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) account at oie@spelman.edu

Review Schedule

Please check back for an update to our schedule.

A Brief Overview of the Self-Study Process and the External Review and Onsite Visit

For more detailed guidelines, visit the appropriate link in the left navigation bar. Academic program review at Spelman College is a multi-semester process. Planning activities ideally begin 1-2 semesters before the external review and onsite visit, when the Office of Institutional Effectiveness notifies department chairs that their program is scheduled for review.

  • Once notified of their review, departments should begin reviewing the Academic Program Review Handbook and the guidelines available on this website. OIE provides training and support to department chairs and faculty as they begin the review process.
  • In conjuction with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE), departments will determine a general time frame for completion of the self-study and the timing of the onsite visit.
  • Department chairs and faculty are encouraged first to identify any key issues that will serve as the focus of the review. This is especially useful for those programs that have completed consistent and cyclical review processes.

These topics should address key questions or concerns that have the potential to significantly impact the program or program improvement within the immediate future or that speak to very specific and current needs of the program. (Please see the Academic Program Review Handbook for more details).

  • Department chairs, in consultation with program faculty, must submit a list of potential external reviewers to the Office of the Provost and to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE). These nominations should be submitted at least a full semester prior to the start of the onsite visit or sooner if possible. The Academic Program Review Handbook provides specific guidelines on the selection of the review team, including the nomination form.
  • Once the review team is selected, OIE will work to identify a time frame for the on-site visit that meets the team's schedules. OIE will assist with crafting an agenda for the visit meetings and manage any planning or logistics for the review team members and support department chairs in coordinating the on-site visit.
  • Simultaneously, the program initiates their internal review activities and begins drafting the self-study narrative. The self-study narrative must be submitted to the Office of the Provost and to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at least a month prior to the scheduled onsite visit. (Please see the Academic Program Review Handbook for more details).
  • The external review team will meet with the program chair, faculty, staff, students, alumni and university administrators over a 2-3 day period. The onsite visit concludes with a close-out meeting in which the review team provides a summary of their initial assessment.

For more detailed guidelines, visit the appropriate link in the right navigation bar. Academic program review at Spelman College is a multi-semester process. Planning activities ideally begin 1-2 semesters before the external review and onsite visit, when the Office of Institutional Effectiveness notifies department chairs that their program is scheduled for review.

Once notified of their review, departments should begin reviewing the Academic Program Review Handbook and the guidelines available on this website. See the self-study guide link below. OIE provides training and support to department chairs and faculty as they begin the review process.

Download the Self-Study Guide

 

Program Review Resources

Departmental Resources and Onsite Visit Guides
External Review Team (ERT) Resources
Program Review Timeline

Accreditation

Spelman College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia, 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Spelman College.

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