Academic Program Review (APR)
Academic Program Review (APR) is required in accordance with regulations established by the and the .
As an essential component of Â鶹´«Ã½AV's ongoing commitment to ensuring the fulfillment of our educational mission, APR plays a pivotal role. Its purpose is to guarantee the quality of programs in achieving their goals through relevant and up-to-date curricula. APR includes annual (APR-A) and 7-year (APR-7) review. APR-A not only facilitates ongoing improvement in student learning and program quality but also serves as a precursor to a comprehensive APR-7.
Guided by the requirements of the Idaho State Board of Education and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation standards , all academic and professional-technical certificate and degree programs are required to conduct an annual assessment and review of student learning outcomes.
Purpose of the Annual Academic Program Review
- Develop and Assess meaningful and measurable student learning outcomes
- Guide continuous quality improvement
- Scaffold annual reviews to support the 7-Year Self-Study Program Review
- Document and Reflect on program strengths and opportunities for improvement
- Provide recommendations for program improvement
Annual Academic Program Review (APR-A)
Every academic and professional-technical certificate and degree program files an APR-A report each year.
Reports are due November 1. The portal stays open through December 1; after that, deans and chairs are notified of programs with no report on file.
Who files. The program's assessment coordinator completes the report. Where a program has no designated coordinator, the department chair is responsible; where a department has no chair, the college dean is.
What the report covers. The APR-A you file this fall reports on last academic year's assessment data. The year shown on the form is the year you are filing, not the year you are reporting on.
How to file
- Sign in to the with your ISU account (if you still have a 4x4 email address, sign in with that). Your programs appear automatically. Please consult the before you begin your submission.
- Open your program and choose Start New Annual Report (APR-A). (The first time, you will also be asked to enter your Program Learning Outcomes.)
- Answer the specialized accreditation question first — your answer determines the rest of the form. Programs whose specialized accreditor does not require a separate annual report complete a shorter version. Programs whose specialized accreditor does require an annual report may submit that in lieu of an APR-A.
- Complete the form and submit. You will receive a confirmation email and a PDF copy of your report.
Reminders. The portal emails a reminder on September 1, a follow-up in early November if no report has been started, and a notice to deans and chairs in early December for programs still outstanding.
Drafting offline. The narrative sections are easier to write in a word processor and paste in. The mirrors the portal's questions; it is a drafting aid only and is not submitted.
Questions, or don't see your program listed? Contact Douglas McGee, Director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (douglasmcgee@isu.edu).
Past APR-A Reports
Every seven years, academic departments conduct a comprehensive review of their degree programs and certificates. The APR-7 is a departmental self-study, followed by external review, that examines program quality and effectiveness across the full review cycle rather than a single year.
Purpose
- Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the department's programs
- Document how assessment findings have shaped curriculum and delivery over the review period
- Establish an action plan for strengthening student learning going forward
When your department is due
Every program has a scheduled next review year, visible in the . The portal emails a reminder each March to departments entering their review year.
Programs with specialized accreditation are included in the APR-7 process, but some follow a review cycle set by their accreditor rather than a seven-year one. If your program's accreditation cycle does not align with the year shown, contact the DTLA so the schedule can be corrected.
The process
- Self-study. The department prepares a single self-study covering all of its degree programs and certificates, using the template below.
- External review. Conducted according to the .
- Submission. The program coordinator uploads the completed self-study to the department's Box folder.
Resources
- APR-7 Self-Study Template (Word)
- APR-7 Guidelines (PDF)
Below are examples for your references:
- External Review/Site Visit Report Template (College of Technology)
- An example of program review response and action plan: UHP Action Plan
Schedule
The review schedule for APR-7 by college is listed below. If you have any questions, please contact your University Assessment Review Committee (UARC) representative.
Past APR-7 Reports
Questions? Contact Douglas McGee, Director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (douglasmcgee@isu.edu).