Assessment of Undergraduate Risk Management and Insurance Programs

Assessment of academic programs is most often viewed by the academic community as a burden on faculty and administrators. It's something you must do for accreditation or to satisfy funding agencies. However, whether done at the college or departmental level, assessment can be a value‐added process in striving for academic excellence. First, assessment requires the faculty to clearly define its program mission and objectives, along with learning outcomes that are consistent with its chosen mission and objectives. Second, assessment can be used to improve relations with students, alumni, employers, and other constituents. Finally, assessment as an ongoing process will result in a continuous improvement in curriculum and pedagogy. Assessment is at the very heart of the learning process, and all faculty have a duty to the scholarship of learning as an essential element of academic life.