West Virginia University Graduate Certificate Program Review
Self Study Report Form
Graduate programs must comply with the Board of Governors’ requirement to produce a self-study report
and to have that self-study report examined by the Graduate Council every five years. These reports are
designed to encourage programs to consider carefully what they do and how they do it.
Instructions. Complete the form below as well as all required supporting documents. Responses to the
items below should be succinct but complete. The text boxes will expand as you type.
Please submit all materials electronically by December 15th of the review year. Upload all
items/documents when finished with entire completion of the self-study. Please click here to go to the
WVU Program Review Portal.
Please contact Tammy Smith at tasmith@mail.wvu.edu with questions or concerns during the review
process.
Name of Certificate Program
(See the curriculum matrix at
http://registrar.wvu.edu/curriculummatrix)
College or School
Date program began
Complete Cover Sheet located
here
Upload into WVU Program Review Portal
Name of person completing self
study
Email
Mission


Discuss how the degree program is consistent with WVU’s mission
(http://about.wvu.edu/wvu-facts) and strategic plan (http://strategicplan.wvu.edu/).
Provide a brief description of this certificate program, its nature, unique characteristics,
goals, etc. Identify the program’s relationship to other programs at WVU, especially in
terms of mutual support, shared faculty, shared course requirements, and shared
facilities.
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Curriculum, Enrollment, and Students

Certificate program requirements
o Provide a brief narrative description of certificate program requirements, and a
web link to both the catalog description of the program and any other website that
describes program requirements.

Enrollment history and projection

o
Report the number of students who were admitted to the certificate program, and
also the number of students who have completed the certificate program in the
past five academic years, upload an enrollment data form.
o
List courses that meet certificate requirements that have been offered during the
past five academic years.
o
Describe possible reasons for enrollment changes in the past five academic years.
o
Identify trends that may influence enrollment over the next five academic years.
Student profile
o Describe admission requirements for students wishing to complete this certificate.
Faculty

Upload a single file containing 2-page faculty information form located here.
Resources

Provide a description of physical space, funding, and other resources available to
support this program.
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Assessment Information

Previous Reviews
o Report a summary of your previous BOG program review comments, including
the committee’s recommendation. Indicate what corrective actions, if any, have
been implemented since the last review.
o Attach any interim reports submitted to the Graduate Council in response to your
previous BOG review.
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes and Program Outcomes
This section has two parts. In the first part, you are asked to list, describe, and assess your
Student Learning Outcomes. Some programs use the terms “Key Student Performance
Indicators” or “Student Competencies.” This guide uses “SLOs.” Whatever term your program
uses, these are statements specifying what you expect your students to know and be able to
demonstrate upon completion of their degree.
In the second part of this section, you are asked to list, describe, and assess your Program
Outcomes. Program outcomes are goals or objectives that are at a level above any given
Student Learning Outcome. That is, program outcomes are aggregate expectations about
students’ experiences and achievements during the program and students’ achievements upon
completion of the program. Program outcomes may include, but are not necessarily limited to,
the following:




Graduates’ overall satisfaction with specific experiences during the program (e.g.,
capstone projects, internships, undergraduate research)
Graduates’ placement (e.g., the percentage of graduates employed in positions related
to the field of study or pursuing advanced degrees)
Employer satisfaction with graduates’ job performance
Please contact Dr. Bernadette Jungblut, University Assessment Officer,
Bernadette.Jungblut@mail.wvu.edu, if any assistance is needed with completing this
section.
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Student Learning Outcomes

List and number all Student Learning Outcomes (use these numbers when addressing the
items below). Indicate which of these SLOs were assessed during this program review
cycle and during which academic year they were assessed.

For each SLO assessed during this cycle, specify where or how students are provided the
opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of that SLO and where or how
assessment of your students’ achievement is conducted. This could be a culminating
course or program experience (such as a capstone course or research project). This could
take place across courses (e.g., comparing your students’ performance in a first or
second year course to a course during the junior or senior year). This could be a required
program activity such as an internship, practicum, clinical, etc.

Describe how each SLO is measured. List the criteria by which you document that a
student has:
o Not demonstrated achievement of that SLO;
o Demonstrated achievement of that SLO; and, if you choose,
o Exceeded your specified criteria for achievement of that SLO.

Provide a summary statement about your students’ achievement of each SLO assessed
during this program review cycle. To what extent are your students meeting the criteria
and demonstrating their achievement of each SLO? Be candid about any SLOs where
students are not fully meeting expectations and where there is room for improvement.

For SLOs where there is room for improvement, describe the changes you will make
during the upcoming program review cycle to increase the likelihood of your students
achieving those SLOs. Also describe your plan for assessing the impact of these changes
on students’ achievement of those SLOs.
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
Include a timeline that specifies when these changes will be made and when the impact
of these changes will be assessed.

Describe your plan for assessing SLOs (including those not assessed during the current
program review cycle) during the next 5 years.
Program Outcomes

List and number all Program Outcomes (use these numbers when addressing the items
below). Indicate which of these Program Outcomes were assessed during this program
review cycle and during which academic year they were assessed.

For each Program Outcome assessed this cycle, describe the method(s) by which that
outcome is measured.

Summarize your Program Outcomes during this program review cycle. To what extent is
your program meeting its desired outcomes? Be candid about Program Outcomes with
which you are not completely satisfied.

For all Program Outcomes with which you are not completely satisfied, describe the
changes you will make during the upcoming program review cycle to increase the
likelihood of improved performance. Also describe your plan for assessing the impact of
these changes on your program.
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
Include a timeline that specifies when these changes will be made and when the impact
of these changes will be assessed.

Describe your plan for assessing Program Outcomes (including those not assessed during
the current program review cycle) during the next 5 years.
Program Viability and Necessity

Provide a statement of program viability and necessity based on enrollment trends,
graduate placement, and other available data. Address the program’s past ability and
future prospects to attract students and sustain a viable, cost-effective program.

Additional comments (optional).
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