Sample External Reviewer's Report Format

1. Summary of Major Findings.
   
   
2. Analysis of Undergraduate Program:

1. Curriculum. Is the curriculum appropriate, given the numbers and qualifications of the faculty? Are there too many required courses, or degree tracks, or too few? Does the curriculum provide the basis for a good core education in the discipline? Given the background of the faculty, are there opportunities for curricular development with other disciplines that might be pursued?
   
2. Student Learning Outcomes. Are the outcomes appropriate? Are the measurements measurable and specific? Are results stated clearly and analyzed? Have appropriate improvements been identified and implemented, and how?
   
3. Procedures. Do you see problems with departmental procedures such as advisement of undergraduates? What improvements might be made?
   
4. Student Body. Are the numbers of undergraduate students majoring in the department appropriate given the faculty size? Is the diversity of the undergraduate body appropriate?
   
5. Student Accomplishments. Are student accomplishments—such as papers presented, awards won, quality of graduate and professional programs in which students subsequently enroll, position of first employment, etc.—indicative of a quality undergraduate program?
   
6. Strategic Plan. Are the unit's plans for its undergraduate program appropriate? Are there some alternatives that should be considered?

3. Analysis of Graduate Program:

1. Curriculum: Is the curriculum appropriate, given the numbers and qualifications of the faculty? Are there too many required courses, or degree tracks, or too few? Does the curriculum provide the basis for a good core education in the discipline? Given the background of the faculty, are there opportunities for curricular development with other disciplines that might be pursued?
   
2. Procedures: Are the procedures for selection and support of graduate assistants appropriate? Are the general examination procedures appropriate? Does the department provide sufficient levels of advisement, mentoring, and professional development for its students? What improvements might be made?
   
3. Student Body. Is the mix of masters and doctoral students indicative of a quality graduate program? Is the program attracting quality graduate students? Are enrollment levels in the graduate program(s) sufficient? Is the graduation rate appropriate? Is the diversity of the student body appropriate?
   
4. Student Accomplishments. Do student accomplishments such as papers presented and published and positions obtained after degree completion indicate a quality program? Do the dissertation titles and topics indicate scholarship that addresses subjects considered important?
   
5. Strategic Plan. Are the unit's plans for the graduate program appropriate? Are there some alternatives that should be pursued?

4. Analysis of Faculty Accomplishments:

1. Scholarship/Creative Activity. Are each of the faculty member's publication record and/or other indicators of creative activity indicative of high quality? Please comment on the status of the journals and other outlets in which the faculty publish articles, the publishers of their books, and the prestige of their outlets for creative activity.
   
   
2. Grants/Contracts.

1. Are the external awards for faculty research and creative activity indicative of a quality unit?
2. Are there opportunities for external funding that should be pursued?

3. Reputation.

1. Is this a unit that is recognized within its professional community for the quality of its contributions? If there are some specific noteworthy scholarly contributions of faculty in the unit, please cite them.
2. Are the national and international professional service contributions of faculty significant? Please cite contributions you believe to be especially noteworthy.

5. Overall Analysis and Recommendations:

1. Analysis. What is your overall evaluation of the unit? Is it among the top 25 percent of similar units at comprehensive state research universities? In the middle 50 percent? In the bottom 25 percent? Are there areas of strength that should be promoted? Are there weak areas that should be phased out? Does the unit have a good strategic plan for the future? Do you have changes in direction to suggest? Are there funding opportunities that are not being pursued? Would you advise a high school student to major in this department? Would you advise an undergraduate to attend graduate school in the department?
   
2. Recommendations. With the recognition that there are likely to be, at most, very modest levels of new funds available in the near future for program improvement, please recommend steps that the University and unit might take to improve the unit's program.