MBA Student Learning Plan

Action Project Worksheet

Describe one proposed or possible “vital few” Action Project

Institution: Augsburg College

September 14, 2004

 A.      Give a short identifying title (under 10 words) to this Action Project.
Master of Business Administration Assessment of Student Learning Plan

B.  Describe the goal(s) of this Action Project (in 100 words or fewer).
· To develop an assessment of student learning planning process in the MBA program that takes into account the guiding questions for AQIP Criterion One (Helping Students Learn)
· To develop and implement an assessment of student learning plan for the College’s MBA program
· To analyze data collected about student learning and utilize results to develop plans of action for making improvements in the MBA program
· To develop a system for the ongoing evaluation of the MBA program’s student learning objectives and assessment plan

C.      Please identify the single AQIP Criterion which this Action Project will primarily affect (check one box in the Primary column), and no more than four other Criteria to which it is strongly related (check boxes in the Related column):

D.      Please describe your institution’s rationale for addressing this Primary criterion at this time. Why is this project and its goal(s) one of your “vital few”?

The College launched a new MBA program in Fall 2004 that was approved by the Faculty during the last academic year.  All programs and departments in the Academic and Student Affairs Division of the College are required to develop and implement an assessment of student learning plan (this campus-wide effort is the subject of a separate AQIP Action Project).

Augsburg received approval from The Higher Learning Commission to expand graduate program offerings without prior Commission approval.  This opportunity for campus oversight of new and existing programs has led to the formation of a Graduate Studies Division with primary oversight responsibility for graduate curricula, academic policies, new program development, and program operations.  The Site Visit Team from The Higher Learning Commission recommended that Augsburg develop a separate Action Plan that would result in the creation of an assessment plan for the MBA program.

E.  List the organizational areas (or institutional departments and divisions)   most affected.

• MBA Program Committee
• Department of Business Administration
• Graduate Academic Affairs Committee
• Graduate Council
• Assessment Committee

F.      List and briefly describe the critical processes most affected.
·   Assessment planning and implementation processes:

• determining program student learning objectives
• identifying assessment methods
• gathering and evaluating assessment results
• evaluating the meaning of the results
• using results to develop plans of action for making improvements
• Assessment Committee’s oversight of assessment of student learning
• Curricular review processes in the MBA Program Committee and Graduate Academic Affairs Committee
• MBA Program Committee processes for oversight of the MBA program operation

G.  List some process measures that you might track as you work on this Action Project.

• Assessment Committee feedback on MBA assessment of student learning plan and annual reports
• Graduate Academic Affairs Committee meeting minutes and Curriculum Change Forms
• MBA Program Committee meeting minutes and reports

H.  List some outcomes measures you might track to see if you achieve your goal(s) in this Project.

• MBA Program Committee submits a report to the Graduate Council on how the mission and vision of the MBA program are aligned with the mission and vision of the College
• MBA Program Committee submits a report to the Assessment Committee outlining its assessment of student learning planning process and structure
• MBA Program Committee submits the program’s assessment of student learning plan to the Assessment Committee
• MBA Program receives feedback from the Assessment Committee on its assessment of student learning plan
• MBA Program implements its assessment of student learning plan
• MBA Program provides evidence of using the results of assessment to develop plans of action for improvement
• MBA Program Committee develops a proposal for the Graduate Academic Affairs Committee describing the program’s culminating experience in terms of how it embodies the knowledge, skills, and values students acquire by completing the MBA program
• MBA Program Committee reports on a system for the ongoing evaluation of the program’s student learning objectives and assessment plan in its first annual assessment of student learning report submitted to the Assessment Committee

I.            If you were to establish measurable “stretch” targets for this Project, what might they look like?

J.  Briefly describe some approaches you might use to keep your  
institution’s attention and energies focused on this Project and its goal(s).

• MBA Program Committee submits its assessment of student learning plan
• Assessment Committee posts the MBA assessment of student learning plan on the Assessment of Student Learning webpage
• MBA Program Committee submits annual assessment of student learning reports
• Assessment Committee provides the MBA program with feedback on its assessment plan and annual reports

K.      What do you see as the pros and cons of giving publicity (and therefore high visibility, inside and outside your institution) to this Project and its goal(s)?