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Evaluating Academic Programs: With Applications to U.S. Graduate Decision Science Programs

Author

Listed:
  • Ralph L. Keeney

    (Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Box 90120, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0120)

  • Kelly E. See

    (Stern School of Business, New York University, 44 West 4th Street, New York, New York 10012-1106)

  • Detlof von Winterfeldt

    (School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, Ronald Tutor Hall, Room 310, Los Angeles, California 90089-2902)

Abstract

This paper describes a decision analysis methodology to evaluate academic programs. It avoids the shortcomings of the well-known evaluations of universities and academic programs produced by the public media. In addition to evaluating traditional departments and schools, the methodology is designed to evaluate interdisciplinary programs or fields that typically span many areas of a university, such as operations research, risk analysis, and decision science. We first discuss general principles of using this methodology for the evaluation of disciplinary or interdisciplinary academic programs. Next, we apply this methodology to interdisciplinary graduate decision science programs in United States universities, focusing on both prescriptive decision analysis and descriptive decision research. Finally, we suggest how the methodology might be implemented to evaluate operations research programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralph L. Keeney & Kelly E. See & Detlof von Winterfeldt, 2006. "Evaluating Academic Programs: With Applications to U.S. Graduate Decision Science Programs," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 54(5), pages 813-828, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:54:y:2006:i:5:p:813-828
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.1060.0328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Ralph L. Keeney, 2002. "Common Mistakes in Making Value Trade-Offs," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 50(6), pages 935-945, December.
    3. Ralph L. Keeney & Robin S. Gregory, 2005. "Selecting Attributes to Measure the Achievement of Objectives," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 53(1), pages 1-11, February.
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    8. Laure Cabantous & Jean-Pascal Gond, 2011. "Rational Decision Making as Performative Praxis: Explaining Rationality's Éternel Retour," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 573-586, June.

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