Describes the components of an Assessment Plan for USC degree program assessment.

1. Assessment
Plan
Components
Lesson 2

2. Mission
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
Statement of purpose of the degree program
Should be aligned with university and college missions
Tells what students or other constituents will gain from the program
Example: The mission of the school psychology program is to educate the next generation of
school psychologists to be ethical, social-justice oriented practitioners who serve students in
the state of South Carolina.

3. Program Goals
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
the overarching values,
achievements, or learning
experiences that students
are expected to obtain as a
result of completing the
degree program
Knowledge: what students
will learn or know
Skills: what students can or
will do
Values: what students or
graduates will care about
May also specify expected
achievements of graduates
related to careers, lifestyles,
and community involvement
Example: “Students should
be prepared to face ethical
dilemmas and act with
integrity”.

4. Curriculum
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
Shows how students are exposed to the opportunities to acquire the
knowledge, skills, or values outlined in the goal statements
Can be classroom or experiential based
List course number and title of courses that tie to the specific goal
Consider using a curriculum matrix or map
It may also be beneficial to list relevant curriculum in conjunction with learning
outcomes. See this phrasing example: “Courses in the curriculum are
associated with specific learning outcomes and cited throughout the report”.

5. Curriculum Map: Examples
Learning
Outcomes
Course/
Activity 1
Course/
Activity 2
Course/
Activity 3
Course/
Activity 4
Course/
Activity 5
Course/
Activity 6
Outcome
1
X X
Outcome
2
X X
Outcome
3
X X
Outcome
4
X X
Outcome
5
X X X
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
Goals and
Learning
Outcomes
Course 1 Course 2 Course 3 Course 4 Course 5 Course 6
Outcome 1 introduced Reinforced reinforced Mastery/
assessed
Outcome 2 introduced Reinforced reinforced Mastery/
assessed
Outcome 3 introduced reinforced reinforced Mastery/
assessed
Outcome 4 Introduced reinforced reinforced Mastery/
assessed Pictured above: Basic curriculum map
Pictured above: Level of skill curriculum map

6. Learning
Outcomes
• Every undergraduate and
graduate program must have
these
• = actionable statements that will
detail what tasks students will be
able to perform in order to show
evidence of their proficiency and
knowledge of a particular program
goal
• USC uses the SMART model
• Example: Students will be able to
evaluate ethical dilemmas using
the NASP Principles for
Professional Ethics as a
framework.
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs
at the University of South Carolina
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

7. Measures and Criteria
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
Assessment measure =
product of student work
that has been selected to
evaluate students’
proficiency or mastery of a
learning outcome
Direct assessment
measure = tangible
student work product that
can be collected, gathered,
summarized, and analyzed
Indirect assessment
measure = can indicate
some level of student
learning but does not
utilize collection and
evaluation of student work
OIRAA recommends the
use of at least one direct
assessment measure; this
can be combined with
indirect meaures

8. Measures
and Criteria
(continued])
DIRECT MEASURES COULD
INCLUDE: PAPERS,
PRESENTATIONS, EXAM
RESULTS, PRACTICUM
EVALUATIONS, CRITIQUES,
CASE STUDIES
INDIRECT MEASURES COULD
INCLUDE: COURSE SURVEYS,
INTERVIEWS, REPORTS ON
RETENTION, GRADUATION,
AND PLACEMENT
CRITERIA: SPECIFIES THE
DEGREE TO WHICH AN
OUTCOME IS MET, SELECTING
A BENCHMARK NUMBER OF
STUDENTS (TARGET), AS WELL
AS SPECIFYING
DIRECT MEASURE EXAMPLE: IT
IS EXPECTED THAT 80% OF OUR
STUDENTS WILL SCORE
ADEQUATE OR BETTER ON THE
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
COMPONENT OF THE ETHICS IN
PRACTICE PRESENTATION.
INDIRECT MEASURE EXAMPLE:
IT IS EXPECTED THAT 75% OF
OUR STUDENTS WILL RATE
THEIR LEARNING OF ETHICS AS
ADEQUATE OR BETTER ON THE
PROGRAM EVALUATION
SURVEY.
**examples
within
this
PowerPoint
were
designed
for
this
training
and
are
not
tied
to
programs
at
the
University
of
South
Carolina

9. Methods (Oversight)
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina
Example: Instructors submit their results from the ethics in practice presentations to the program director at the end of each semester via a
shared one drive. The program director oversees the program survey and receives program survey reviews at the end of each academic year.
During the summer term, the program director analyzes the data and prepares a report to be shared at the beginning of the fall semester with
faculty. Discussions for revision or modification are made during this meeting depending on student needs.
Includes how assessment measurements are collected, how often they are collected, how they are analyzed, how they are shared, and how
they are evaluated
Describes how the program manages its data collection and review process

10. Example of Assessment Plan
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied
to programs at the University of South Carolina

11. Mission Statement
The mission of the school psychology program is to educate the next generation of school psychologists to be ethical, social-justice oriented
practitioners who serve students in the state of South Carolina.
Goal 1.
Students should be prepared to face ethical dilemmas and act with integrity
Curriculum
EDU511 Classroom Management, EDU612 Ethics in Psychology, EDU618 Making Ethical Decisions, PSY588 Psychological Assessment,
PSY601 Psychotherapy, PSY 524 Introduction to School Psychology, PSY710 Capstone
Courses in the curriculum are associated with specific learning outcomes and cited throughout the report
See attached curriculum map
Learning Outcome 1.
Students will be able to evaluate ethical dilemmas using the NASP Principles for Professional Ethics as a framework
CURRICULUM: EDU612 Ethics in Psychology, EDU618 Making Ethical Decisions, PSY 524 Introduction to School Psychology, PSY710
Capstone
Measures and Criteria
It is expected that 80% of our students will score adequate or better on the content knowledge component of the ethics in practice
presentation.
It is expected that 75% of our students will rate their learning of ethics as adequate or better on the program evaluation survey.
Methods
Instructors submit their results from the ethics in practice presentations to the program director at the end of each semester via a shared one
drive. The program director oversees the program survey and receives program survey reviews at the end of each academic year. During
the summer term, the program director analyzes the data and prepares a report to be shared at the beginning of the fall semester with
faculty. Discussions for revision or modification are made during this meeting depending on student needs.
**examples within this PowerPoint were designed for this training and are not tied to programs at the
University of South Carolina