Assessment Resources

Self-study and program review involves faculty, students, administrative staff, and external reviewers in analyzing the past and present in order to develop an action plan for the future of the programs offered by a department. An external review is meant to provide the Institute with an unbiased review of the department’s self study, looking for recommendations regarding an action plan.

At Pratt, external program review is conducted for non-specially-accredited programs (see list of specially accredited programs) and should be conducted, at minimum, every 7 years. Ongoing assessment of student learning outcomes is an integral part of program review, which also addresses staffing, budget, space, enrollment, retention, and other factors that contribute to student success.

The purpose of program review is to assess and evaluate the effectiveness, quality, and relevance of academic programs. It provides the opportunity to critically examine how well programs are meeting their objectives. This systematic process helps to ensure that programs align with institutional goals; meet academic standards; adapt to the changing needs of students, employers, and the field of study; and appropriately determine resource allocation. The review process requires departments to document what is being done well, to identify areas where things need improvement, and maximize the use of data for future planning.

The following template has been developed with Pratt departments have have undergone external program review and is available for use by others. The template may be customized based on the needs of each department and any specific focus for the review.

External reviewers will engage in a 1–2 day site visit to meet with faculty, students, staff, administrators, and other relevant constituents. The visit will occur after the reviewer has received the self-study document.

• Each program review should have 3 external reviewers, selected by the dean in consultation with the department

• The department should provide suggestions for four potential external reviewers to the dean, including their

  • Name, title, department, and institution

  • Contact information including mailing address, email, and telephone

  • Current curriculum vitae

  • Summary of area of teaching, scholarship and contribution to the field

• Reviewers are compensated with honoraria of approximately $1,000, as well as travel and lodging expenses in accordance with the academic travel policy

• Reviewers are responsible for reading the self-study report provided by the program in advance, attending the on-site review visit, and contributing to a report following the visit summarizing their observations and recommendations for the program.

• Reviewers should be peers (e.g., department chairpersons, program directors, possibly deans or faculty) in the field
• Across the group as a whole, the reviewers should be familiar with all areas/concentrations of the program(s) under review
• Reviewers should not have any conflicts of interest, including being a former Pratt student, faculty/staff, or consultant, or have a personal relationship with anyone employed at Pratt
• Reviewers should come from a variety of institutional types, as relevant to the program. These may include AICAD institutions of comparable size or with comparable programs, perceived competitors, or local schools. For a preliminary list, see below (from the 2024 Middle States Self-Study Design)

External reviewers should be contacted by the dean’s office. A sample message is provided below.

Dear X,

We are planning to conduct an external review of our ______ program in the near future and are writing to see if you may be able to serve as an external reviewer. [ADD CHARACTERISTICS / QUALIFICATIONS THAT SUGGEST THEM AS A REVIEWER]

By way of background, Pratt is a private, special focus institution offering programs in art, design, architecture, liberal arts and sciences, and information studies. We have approximately 3,800 undergraduate students and 1,200 graduate students, with international students as one-third of our student body. [ADD DETAILS ABOUT PROGRAM]

Ideally, we would assemble a group of external reviewers for a one-day visit in _______, though we can be a bit flexible with the date if necessary, and would provide support for travel and lodging (if necessary), along with compensation for your preparation, campus visit, and work assembling the final report.

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the review, or meet with you to discuss this invitation further. If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, we can follow up with a brief background document and proposed details on the scope of the review, which can be refined in conversation with the reviewers. If you are unable to participate as a reviewer, perhaps you might be able to recommend a colleague who we could be in touch with.