Academic Program Review
Academic Program Review engages input from distinguished faculty with the relevant disciplinary expertise at other leading institutions to obtain an honest appraisal of an academic unit’s strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of its activities. The information gathered helps to foster academic excellence, identify methods to increase quality, and provides critical guidance for administrative decisions. Additionally, this assessment and the use of results to improve academic quality and effectiveness are requirements of the University’s institutional accreditation as outlined by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Goals
- Critical self-assessment and articulation of future directions by the faculty and leadership of an academic unit.
- Expert assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of an academic unit by specialists in the field from outside Boston University who can evaluate the program’s overall quality including its faculty, academic programs, students, curricula, resources, and future opportunities.
- Assessment of a unit’s future potential and identification of priorities for making improvements in quality and stature.
- Agreement at the levels of the faculty, dean, and provost on the priorities, action items, and a timeline for implementation necessary to build excellence in an academic unit.
Process
The Office of the Provost funds and manages the review process, working in close collaboration with the academic and administrative leadership of the units under review.
Guidelines
To learn more about the full process and guidelines for academic program review at Boston University, review the guidelines below.