Competency Assessment
Competency Assessment
The University's competency assessment program is part of a statewide effort in Virginia, administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), to gather data and issue reports on the effectiveness of the Commonwealth's educational institutions. These competency assessments also serve to demonstrate compliance with the SACSCOC General Education Competency Standard. SCHEV's Policy on Student Learning Assessment and Quality in Undergraduate Education stipulates institutional requirements for the 2018-2024 assessment cycle.
The purpose of the competency assessment program is to determine undergraduate students' level of knowledge and skills in the six areas listed below. The first four areas were prescribed by the State; the other two were selected by the University:
- Critical Thinking
- Written Communication
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Civic Engagement
- Global Competence
- Information Literacy
Institutional Research and Analytics administers the assessments and works with faculty committees per area to consider the findings and make recommendations. Results of the assessments are provided to deans and faculty to be used, as necessary, to improve the curriculum and teaching, and reported to SCHEV.
These competency assessments have been conducted since 2001-2002. Examples of assessment reports completed since 2010 are available upon request.