HLC & Federal Definition of an Educational Program

A legally authorized postsecondary program of organized instruction or study that: Leads to an academic, professional, or vocational degree, or certificate, or other recognized educational credential, or is a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program, as described in 34 CFR part 668, subpart O; and may, in lieu of credit hours or clock hours as a measure of student learning, utilize direct assessment of student learning, or recognize the direct assessment of student learning by others, if such assessment is consistent with the accreditation of the institution or program utilizing the results of the assessment and with the provisions of 34 CFR § 668.10.

From the Glossary of HLC Terminology 

The overarching goal is to improve student experience and learning. 

• Program Outcomes

  • PR informs the future direction of the program

  • Identifies needs of the program to support student success

  • Determines appropriate allocation of resources

  • Identifies opportunities for growth or areas for scaling

  • Prioritizes actions to be taken for continuous improvement

• Institutional Outcomes

  • Provides quality assurance to students, faculty, parents, alumni, and other stakeholders

  • Demonstrates the college’s compliance with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation standards

Program-Level Use of Results

• Refine learning outcomes

• Redesign courses/procedures to align better with outcomes

• Re-sequence courses for better scaffolding

• Refocus curricula to reflect changes in discipline

• Coordinate assignments between general education and major

• Integrate student support services into key courses

• Strengthen or streamline assessment practices

• Design professional development program to improve customer service, online teaching, assessment

• Develop applied learning initiatives with employers, community, clinicians, career center

Use of Results Beyond the Program

• Identify resources and respond to trends across programs

  • Classroom technology updates

  • Writing, research or information literacy across the curriculum

  • Clear flow-charts and paths to completion for degrees

  • Laboratory upgrades

  • Improvements in IT services for students

• Measure progress on strategic plan initiatives

• Enhance student success

  • Collaborate with student affairs to improve student retention and performance

  • Integration of co-curricular activities

  • Reallocate resources to academic support services

  • Use expertise across programs to expand high-impact practices

• Communicate good practices and outcomes