Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2020-2021 Level: Undergraduate
Campus Department: Carroll School of Management [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Concentration [UG and Grad]
Program Name: Accounting BS (Link)
Description of Data Collection:
The Carroll School collects and uses both direct and indirect evidence in its assessment processes which, while faculty-led, are supported by the Carroll’s School’s Assurance of Learning committee (UAoL).
Direct Measures Assessment System
1. Each Accounting core course in the Carroll School curriculum is assigned a learning objective for assessment. These learning objectives were assigned based on the course’s goals and objectives as well existing artifacts that best facilitate the assessment of a specific learning objective. Note: This means that a learning objective may be assessed in a core course which does not, in fact, have the learning objectives’ learning outcome as one of its outcomes, it simply offers an assessment opportunity.
2. Each Accounting core course has a core course coordinator. The core course coordinator also serves as the core courses’ representative to the UAoL committee.
3. In addition to coordinating the core course faculty within their discipline, the core course coordinators meet at least twice an academic year to modify and improve Assurance of Learning across and within the Carroll School curriculum.
4. The core course coordinators identify a common artifact (an assessment tool/student work product used by all core courses taught each year), to utilize to assess their course’s learning objective.
5. The core course coordinator identifies the core course sections that will assess the learning objective every other year, rotating to include a cross section of faculty on an ongoing basis (with a minimum 20% sample), and work with the faculty teaching those sections to ensure the artifacts are captured and retained for assessment at the end of the semester.
6. The core course coordinator works with the faculty to prepare the rubric (the documented set of guidelines—usually in matrix form—used to evaluate student work and provide feedback) used to assess the artifact.
7. The core course coordinator also works with the faculty to identify the faculty who will conduct the assessment during each biannual cycle (and if additional faculty will be utilized).
8. The core course coordinator works with the faculty to ensure documentation of results and coordinates a meeting with all core course faculty to discuss and interpret the assessment outcomes.
a. Based on the assessment outcomes, the core course coordinator and teaching faculty determine what changes will be made to improve student outcomes. These improvements may be made:
• within the course and/or
• in a preceding course and/or
• within the Carroll School curriculum
b. The results and recommendations are presented to the UAoL committee by the core course coordinator at the next scheduled meeting (the semester after the assessment has been conducted), findings and recommendations for improvements are discussed. These findings are then shared with the Carroll School Dean and Council of Chairs.
9. A bi- or tri-annual assessment schedule is used ensure that each learning objective is assessed twice in a five-year period (AACSB review window).
a. In between each assessment, any required improvements within the course, in a preceding course and/or within the Carroll School curriculum is implemented prior to the second assessment to determine if the changes have been effective in improving student outcomes.
b. Ideally, each learning goal is assessed with a learning objective at both the formative (freshman and sophomore) and summative (junior and senior) stage of learning.
Indirect Measures Assessment System
In addition to direct measurement of learning outcomes and objectives, the Carroll School utilizes indirect assessment measures to evaluate competency outcomes as evidence of learning as well as to validate or challenge the findings of direct assessment measures. Currently, indirect measurements are used from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 2013, 2016 & 2020 and the Boston College Undergraduate Experience Questionnaire, 2015, 2018 & 2021.
Also used are:
• The Uniform Certified Public Accounting Exam Pass Rates and Rankings
• ETS MFT Management test results
• Departmental senior survey of majors’ satisfaction with program and placement and salary information in April
Review Process:
Department faculty review annually and are supported by the Assurance of Learning committee
Resulting Program Changes:
See attachment
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
See attachment
Attachments (if available)