Curriculum-Based Assessment of Student Learning | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Curriculum-Based Assessment of Student Learning

MCAD has a number of opportunities embedded in its curricula devoted to the assessment of student learning.

At the undergraduate level, these include Junior-year and Senior-year Reviews. At the graduate level, we conduct Mid-Program Reviews. Although the focus of these reviews is on assessing individual students’ learning and progress, when aggregated the results of these reviews provide faculty with valuable information on student learning to inform curricular and co-curricular improvement.

Undergraduate Junior Reviews

The intention of the Junior Review process at MCAD is to provide students formative feedback according to the learning outcomes for the major from a committee of faculty. The review process provides both students and faculty a forum for presentation, discussion, and interim evaluation of the student’s work in and by their major department. When aggregated, the results of the Junior Reviews also provide faculty information on students’ learning in the major.

The Junior Review process involves a team of faculty who review a body of work presented by the student as per submission guidelines. In addition to their presentation, the student must also write an artists' statement and prepare an oral presentation.

The lead member of the review team aggregates the team members’ reviews and provides a summary to the student and the department chair.  The lead member of the review team also writes a summary overview of the all the student work assessed that semester. This summary is used by the chair in their annual report and used as an assessment document for changes in the curriculum.

Graduate Mid-Program Reviews

Our graduate programs (MA, MFA) conduct Mid-Program Reviews approximately half-way through a student’s progression through their academic program. These Mid-Program reviews evaluate not only the studio work, but the student's skills in written and verbal communication as well as the ability to reference influences and self-critique through a quantitative and qualitative approach.

In our Master of Arts (MA) programs, the purpose of the Mid-Program Review is to demonstrate the student’s progress in the MA programs, their potential career path, and indicate a student’s potential to produce solid thesis work in a timely and professional manner. The mid-program review provides the opportunity for faculty to evaluate individual student progress and degree candidacy status. Students who have completed 15 credits or more toward their MA degree are required to participate in a Mid-Program Review.

In our Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program, the Mid-Program Review demonstrates a student’s progress in the program and indicates a student’s potential to produce a cohesive, accomplished, and successful Thesis Paper and Exhibition. Student performance in Mid-Program Review is measured against professional standards as understood by the mentor and the Graduate Committee with guidance from the Graduate Program Director. Students who have accumulated 30 credits (including their current semester) toward the MFA degree are required to present work, deliver a verbal defense and provide a written statement of intent for review by the Graduate Committee.

How information gained from assessments are used to improve curricula and resources

Summaries of findings from annual assessments are developed by the department chair and any trends observed are discussed with area faculty and, if applicable, included in the annual assessment plan. When combined with indirect sources such as survey findings, student course evaluations, and enrollment data, the findings from assessments aid in justifying curricular changes and improvements.