[Template - Example Cover Page]
SELF STUDY REPORT
[Insert Department Name]
[Insert College Name]
[Insert Date Prepared]
[Insert Department Chair]
[Insert Contributors of Document]
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study
Self Study Template
The following document has been created as a template for you to record notes from your group
discussions. After key issues have been highlighted, this template can be used to create the final report.
Executive Summary (optional)
1. Unit Progress and Plans
The discussion of Unit Progress and Plans should focus on the following:

What changes have taken place in the unit as a result of recommendations made in the
past unit review report? [Refer to the “Most Recent Unit Review,” found on the INFO CD,
as part of your discussion.]

Specifically, what is the relationship between your unit’s mission and objectives and
BYU’s Mission and Aims? [Prepare and refer to Table 1 as part of your discussion.]
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study

What do you envision for your unit in five to seven years? Where do you want to be and
how do you plan to get there?

How is this vision shaped or influenced by national and global disciplinary trends, unit
faculty research groups, and scholarly contributions?

Discuss any other issues pertinent to your unit’s long-term direction and planned
achievements.
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study
2. Programs
The discussion of Programs and Students should focus on the following:
A. General Program Information
 Are there any new programs being planned within the unit? If so, what are the costs (real
or opportunity costs) of introducing and sustaining these programs? Are there any
internal resource reallocations (faculty, staff, equipment, space, etc.) that would be
required to support these program changes and/or additions?

What are your unit’s current programs and future plans for maintaining or increasing
faculty mentoring of students? Are there adequate opportunities for student access to
faculty and their research? What opportunities are available for undergraduate and
graduate students to publish or present their mentored research?

Do students have international experiences made available to them? Is this important in
your field?

Does your unit offer courses through the Division of Continuing Education (Evening
School, Independent Study, Salt Lake Center, and/or Bachelor of General Studies
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study
degree)? If so, how are faculty selected? What systems are in place to assess and assure
quality of these courses?

Discuss your unit’s service course offerings and other class enrollments. Are there any
trends that need attention? [Refer to Tables 6a and 6b as part of your discussion.]
B. Review of Each Program
For this part of the discussion, each undergraduate major and graduate program should be
discussed separately.

After reviewing the program’s Learning Outcomes and Assessment table, discuss any
issues that need to be updated. Include the updates in the final version of Table 2 for
each program. [Refer to Table 2 as part of your discussion, found on
learningoutcomes.byu.edu. After discussion, update any changes on
learningoutcomes.byu.edu.]
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study

Discuss your system for assessment of learning outcomes. What processes do you have in
place for regular program assessment? [Refer to Table 2 as part of your discussion,
found on learningoutcomes.byu.edu.]

Discuss your use of assessment data for improvement in this academic program. What are
some of the specific improvements that have been made as a result of your assessment of
student learning outcomes? [Refer to Table 2 as part of your discussion, found on
learningoutcomes.byu.edu.]

What are the present and future issues that might impact the continuation or adaptation of
the program and related courses? [Refer to Course Curriculum provided by your
department for the supplemental CD.]

How have your unit’s enrollment trends and program changed over the past five to seven
years? Do these reflect trends in the discipline? If these trends continue, what
adjustments will need to be made? [Refer to Tables 3 through 6 as part of your
discussion.]
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study

Does your unit have any connections with other degree programs on campus? If so,
discuss those relationships.

Discuss student satisfaction as measured by student and alumni surveys, exit interviews,
and external or internal program reviews. [Refer to Table 7 as part of your discussion.]

Taking into consideration demographic trends of the program’s students over the last five
years, what are your unit’s plans and processes for admission and recruitment? How
could they be improved? [Refer to Table 8 as part of your discussion.]

For graduate programs: What kind of depth of study and level of demand on student
intellectual and creative capacities is required? Do you have adequate faculty members
with graduate status to support this program?

Discuss any other issues pertinent to this program and students served therein.
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study
3. Faculty
The discussion of unit Faculty issues should focus on the following:

Discuss the make-up of your unit’s faculty, and the resources available for teaching.
What needs should be addressed moving forward? [Refer to Tables 9 through 11 as part
of your discussion.]

What are the strengths and challenges of the unit’s faculty (as a whole) in terms of the
following:
a. Citizenship
b. Teaching
c. Scholarship [Refer to Table12 and the Faculty CVs provided by your department for
the supplemental CD as part of your discussion.]

How helpful and pertinent is your unit’s documentation and mentoring regarding
performance expectations and criteria for faculty evaluation? [Refer to your
department/unit Rank and Status Document as part of your discussion.]
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study

Elaborate on the unit’s plans for faculty retirement and recruitment over the next five to
seven years. In this discussion, reflect on the following questions:
o How is the unit identifying, making and maintaining contact with, and increasing
the pool of potential faculty members?
o What are the salient professional and personal characteristics of potential faculty
members the unit is interested in recruiting?

How are decisions made in your unit regarding resource allocation, curricula, teaching
and committee assignments, rank and status, recruiting and hiring, etc.?

Discuss any other issues pertinent to the faculty of your unit.
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study
4. Facilities and Resources
The discussion of Facilities and Resources should focus on the following:

Are your unit’s facilities, department resources, and university resources adequate for
your needs? (Also consider any facilities that are available for joint use with other units.)
This evaluation should include items such as those listed below:
o Quality, level, breadth, quantity, and currency of library and information
resources.
o University support from or relationships with other relevant units across campus
such as Graduate Studies, Undergraduate Education, Center for Teaching and
Learning, David M. Kennedy Center, Maxwell Institute, Center for Language
Studies, or any other units on campus.
o Level of staff and technical support.
o Adequacy of space and furnishings (e.g., classrooms, labs, offices, TA offices).
o Condition of research, laboratory, and instructional equipment. Also consider the
replacement schedule for these resources.
o Other facilities and/or resources important to the accomplishment of the unit’s
mission.

Discuss any other pertinent facilities and resources issues.
**Insert data tables at the end of the self study**
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[Department/Unit Name] Self Study