All educational programs must be approved by the department or division faculty, the college or school curriculum committee, [1] the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, University Council for Graduate Studies and Research, and the administration. [2] Consideration of all curricular requests at the University of Memphis takes place annually so that requests may be reviewed in relation to each other and from the perspective of university programs as a whole. Program and learning outcomes are clearly stated for all UofM degree programs. [3]
Approval by Faculty and Administration
At the UofM, curricular proposals and program changes are initiated by faculty members. Each educational program is approved by the faculty through departmental or divisional faculty committees that oversee the educational aspects of each program, by the college or school faculty committees, and by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UUCC) [4] or the University Council for Graduate Studies and Research (UCGSR). [5] The UUCC is composed of faculty members from each college or school. The UCGSR, charged with graduate curriculum matters, includes elected and appointed faculty and directors of graduate studies and research from each college or school. Proposals approved by the UUCC or the UCGSR are submitted to the provost, who recommends approval of new and revised academic programs to the president. [6]
Establishing and Evaluating Program and Learning Outcomes
Each academic degree program has identified learning outcomes. Educational program outcomes for both the undergraduate and graduate programs are listed in the programs sections of the Undergraduate Bulletin and Graduate Bulletin, and on the website of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. [3]
Academic program outcomes are evaluated by several assessment instruments. The evaluation of general education (senior testing) and testing in the major [7] measures graduates’ grasp of subject matter. Program peer reviews and external accreditation reviews are further means of assessment. Surveys of alumni assess the success of graduates in their chosen fields. These program assessment processes are described in the UofM response to Comprehensive Standard 3.5.1. [8] Graduation and licensure rates are also used to evaluate programs; these are described in the UofM response to Federal Requirement 4.1. [9] In addition to program peer reviews and external accreditation reviews, graduate programs are evaluated by successful completion of theses and dissertations which are reflected in the licensure and graduation rates. Evaluation of the law school program includes licensure rates.
The university’s program review process in which academic departments respond to a set of questions focusing on the departments’ goals, objectives, student learning outcomes, and faculty productivity expectations for the coming academic year also is a form of program assessment. The program review process is detailed in the UofM response to Core Requirement 2.5. [10]
3.4.1
