Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
Stephen Branz
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
and Director of General Education
San José State University
San Jose, CA
Stephen.Branz@sjsu.edu
Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
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Structure of GE at SJSU (CSU)
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Core (Lower Division) – 13 courses
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Basic Skills (Oral Comm, Written Comm IA,
Critical Thinking, Mathematical Concepts)
Knowledge
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Science – Physical, Life (and lab)
Arts & Letters – Arts, Letters, Written Comm IB
Social Sciences – Human Behavior, Comparative
Systems, Social Issues
Human Understanding & Development
Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
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Structure of GE at SJSU (CSU)
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SJSU Studies (Upper Division) – 4 courses
(must be taken in residence; SLOs support
Integrated Knowledge)
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Earth and Environment (~Science)
Self, Society & Equality in the U.S. (~Soc Sci)
Culture, Civilization & Global Understanding
(~Humanites & Arts)
Written Communication II
Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
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Assessment of GE at SJSU (since 1998)
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Initial Certification of a GE course is
based in part on an Assessment Plan
Continuing Certification is based on
assessment reports (previously every 4
years; now aligned with 5-yr program
review)
Board of General Studies (Academic Senate
committee) oversees the entire process
Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
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Assessment of GE at SJSU (since 1998)
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SLOs established & assessed for all 17 GE
Areas at course level (direct assessment)
9 GE Program Objectives (indirect
assessment only) – mapping of Area SLOs
to Program Level Objectives (PLOs)
Why should GE PLOs be directly assessed?
Your Turn!
Program Level GE
Assessment: Why is it needed?
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Why should PLOs be assessed directly?
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For both GE and degree programs, we
want to determine what students know
when they complete their degrees – Why?
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Measure (assess) relative to program objectives
Ideally in capstone or culminating experiences
Native vs. Transfer students, etc.
Accrediting agencies, governing boards,
etc.
Program Level GE
Assessment: Why me/us?
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SJSU faculty grudgingly accept
“assessment”….. HOWEVER…..
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Course level assessment of GE Area Student
Learning Objectives (SLOs) well established, but
no direct assessment of Program Learning
Objectives (PLOs) – Why is this needed?
Integrative learning is more than the sum of the
parts; culminating assessment – Really? Why?
Supports WASC accreditation, EO 1033
expectations, and SJSU Mission – Who cares?
Program Level GE
Assessment: How? (NIMBY)
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How should PLOs be assessed?
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Mapping of course objectives vs. program
objectives?
False starts & dead ends – useless?
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Have course instructors assess PLOs in their
upper division GE courses?
Have BOGS develop and implement (and
grade?) a final exam Q for upper division GE
courses
Refined ideas about what is NOT possible 
Program Level GE
Assessment: Strategy/Plan?
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How should PLOs be assessed?
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Common Exit Exam? (compare with SJSU WST)
Common Assessment Tools? (aka
“signature assignments”)
Common Assessment Rubrics?
Sampling?
Group Reading? If so, how to calibrate?
What to do with results???
Program Level GE
Assessment: What Worked!
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How should PLOs be assessed?
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Carrots, not sticks!
Results
Program Level GE
Assessment: A Pilot Project
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Discussion
Q&A