Guidelines for Conducting
Feasibility Studies for New Programs
Abilene Christian University
The purpose of conducting a feasibility study for proposed programs is to assess the
reasonableness of investing University resources in new academic areas. A well-prepared
feasibility study demonstrates reliable, sustainable supports and resources (both input and output1
resources) and the practicality of operating a high quality academic program.
Prior to conducting a feasibility study, the proposed academic program should have a statement
of mission and a set of clearly articulated educational outcomes or objectives for the proposed
program. While complete development of curriculum is not necessary at this point, the
articulation of knowledge, skills and values inherent in the educational process of the academic
program are prerequisite to completion of an appropriate feasibility assessment.
The feasibility study should be organized around five major areas:
1. Evidence of the consistency of the proposed program with the purposes of the University.
This is done through an articulation of the mission, goals and objectives of the proposed degree,
and should include assessments of (a) their consistency with the mission of the University and of
(b) their evaluability, using accepted standards for program assessment.
2. Evidence of need or demand for the “service” which students who complete the proposed
degree will be able to provide (“community” or service area need). Ideally, the feasibility
assessment will document how the need will be reduced by the introduction of graduates into the
service area.
3. Evidence of the employability or employment demand of graduates of the proposed academic
program.
4. Evidence of current and potential student demand for, interest in, and/or support of the
program.
5. Evidence of continuing academic and financial support from the University for the proposed
program.
Additional discussion of each of these areas follows, below.
Input resources include such things as potential students and faculty; output resources include
placement/employment demand for the “product” of the degree program, as well as less tangible
reasons for providing the degree.
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Guidelines for Feasibility Studies
New Programs
Abilene Christian University
Page 2
Consistency with University Mission; Evaluability of the Proposed Program
The first task in conducting a feasibility assessment is what has been called “evaluability
assessment” (Chambers, Wedel & Rodwell, 1992). Evaluability assessment explores the
objectives and expectations of the proposed program, and the information needs of decisionmakers who are responsible for approving new programs; it allows an initial exploration of the
reality of the proposed program; and, it includes an assessment of the likelihood that
implementation of the program will lead to measurable achievement of program objectives.
Goals and Objectives: For any program to be considered by the University, it is essential that it
be consistent with the mission and the purposes of the University as articulated by the Board of
Trustees. This requires that the program be conceptualized with a statement of mission, goals,
and objectives. These statements define what the program is proposing to achieve, in terms of
the knowledge, skills and values which students will develop as a result of the program.
Program Reality: Moreover, the mission, goals and objectives should convey plausibility--that
the program has the potential to actually achieve the objectives that it proposes. The presentation
of curriculum options (design of the program delivery) may be helpful in documenting the
possibility of program delivery.
Goal Attainment: Goals and objectives should be stated in well-defined ways which introduce
measurable program performance indicators, and the feasibility study should include a
description of the assessment measures which will be used to determine goal/objective
attainment. Consultation with appropriate curriculum experts is recommended in the
construction of performance indicators.
Analysis of Societal Need for Outputs of the Proposed Program
Feasibility of new programs is enhanced by the demonstration of societal or community “need”
for the skills, knowledge and values produced in graduates of the degree program. This is best
done by formal “needs assessment” evaluation, utilizing appropriate research methodologies.
Sequentially, this component of the feasibility study should:
1. Identify the geographic region or area to be served by graduates of the program. In most
cases new programs can expect some of their graduates to serve anywhere in the United States
(or in some cases, around the world). However, graduates of Abilene Christian University more
typically establish themselves in the Southwestern United States. The feasibility study should
identify in what region or area most graduates are expected to work.
2. Identify the scope of the need which graduate performance will impact in quantitative terms
(that is, by using measures of rates, incidence, or prevalence of the need) in the identified service
area. The use of trend data (which allows projections of future need, as well as assessment of
Guidelines for Feasibility Studies
New Programs
Abilene Christian University
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current need) is strongly encouraged.
3. Discuss the adequacy of current educational and/or training programs in addressing the need
within the service area. This can include a description of comparable programs in institutions
which are comparable and/or competitive with Abilene Christian University, and should include
both qualitative and quantitative measures.
4. Next, describe the ways in which graduates of the proposed program will impact the
identified need, and to what extent they will impact the identified need(s).
5. Finally, discuss how the proposed program overlaps or duplicates similar programs within the service area where
graduates are expected to work or serve. It is very helpful to quantitatively assess how many graduates these
existing programs are producing, and note trends in their enrollments, graduation rates, and employment histories.
Assessment of Employment Demand for Graduates of the Proposed Degree
In this section the proposed program should (1) provide quantitative analysis of the numbers of
positions for graduates of the proposed degree plan (that is, evidence that jobs in the content area
exist, and exist in sufficient quantity to assure employability of the graduates), and (2) provide
qualitative and, if possible, quantitative indications that institutions or organizations will actually
offer employment to graduates of the proposed program, based on completion of the degree.
Sources of data might include numbers of positions at various levels of employment in the
discipline area, turnover and promotion rates of persons in these positions, employment
projections developed by governmental organizations, and so forth.
Prospective Student Interest in the Proposed Degree Program
The prospective degree program must demonstrate that it will generate a “critical mass” of
students to make it cost-effective. This section of the needs assessment is used to document the
existence of sufficient numbers of students to justify the development of the degree program.
Analysis may be based on surveys of prospective or potential students which evaluate the nature
and depth of their interest in the program. It may also be based on qualitative and/or nonprobability samples of persons who express interest in such a program through letters of interest,
support, or intention to enroll if and when the program is approved.
It is also helpful to identify potential sources of students (“feeder streams”) such as community
colleges and (in the case of graduate programs) other colleges and universities which would be
likely to “refer” or encourage students to enroll in the proposed degree program. In the case of
undergraduate degree proposals, school counselors might also be a source of potential students,
and might be analyzed as well.
Guidelines for Feasibility Studies
New Programs
Abilene Christian University
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Institutional Supports for the Proposed Degree
Finally, the feasibility study should include an analysis of the strength and stability of the
supports it expects to receive from the University. This section should include a full budget
analysis of the proposed program, indicating how much funding is currently promised by the
institution and how much additional funding will be required, and an analysis of the impact on
existing programs within the department of adding the new offerings. Specific attention should
be given to shifts in faculty assignments, including justifications of reductions of resources in
existing programs, if shifts are made.
In addition, particular detail should be given to the following areas in this section of the study:
Program Staffing: This section should identify the number of FTE faculty required for the
delivery of the program. Describe any needs for additional staffing, including educational and
experience requirements for new staff which will be required. Describe how current faculty are
qualified to staff the proposed program, and whether reassignment of faculty will create deficits
in existing programs. Describe the availability of potential faculty for any new positions which
might be required, including an analysis of the cost involved in hiring qualified persons. In
addition, identify the level of additional non-faculty staff support necessary for implementing the
program, including student and graduate assistant personnel. Finally, assess the level of
commitment of the University which has been made to date regarding financial support for staff.
Administration and Governance: Describe the qualifications of existing faculty to provide
leadership for the proposed program, or the availability of potential administrators if the faculty
does not currently contain a viable candidate for the program’s chief administrator. Identify all
costs associated with the governance of the proposed degree program, including release time.
Library Resources: Document the existence of adequate library resources for the proposed
degree program, the cost for bringing the library resources to a level sufficient to support the
program, and on-going costs associated with maintaining the library resources at a level which
will adequately support the proposed degree.
Equipment: Identify existing and needed equipment necessary for the implementation and
delivery of the degree program.
Other Institutional Issues: Estimate, as accurately as possible, the scholarship requirements
needed for the effective delivery of the program, including graduate assistantships if appropriate.
Discuss how the proposed program will interface with existing programs, and any impacts which
it might have on existing programs. Note how the program will complement and/or support
existing programs through shared courses, cooperative agreements, or other complementary
arrangements.
Guidelines for Feasibility Studies
New Programs
Abilene Christian University
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Report Preparation
It is expected that new program proposals will be accompanied by a formal feasibility study
report. The report should be prepared in narrative form, using the headings of these guidelines
for their preparation. Appendices should be included, as appropriate.
Guidelines developed January 1997
Tom Winter