The Dauch College of Business and Economics recognizes that the learning outcomes of the education process are extremely important. Our approach to student learning outcomes assessment follows a continuous improvement model, with an evolving set of outcomes and assessments as we react to the needs of our stakeholders and refine our data collection and analysis procedures.

Our outcomes assessment program began in the mid-1990s, with the identification of key variables to be measured and tracked as part of a competency framework adopted by the College. The competencies were selected based on input and feedback collected from various stakeholders, including current and potential employers of our graduates and members of our Business Advisory Council. The seven student learning outcome content areas to be assessed at the College level include:

1. Communication Skills: Graduates of business programs communicate correctly and purposefully, integrating technology into writing and presentation.
2. Critical Thinking: Graduates of business programs identify problems, analyze information and form conclusions within the business context.
3. Business Knowledge and Technical Skills: Graduates of business programs demonstrate knowledge from a variety of sub-disciplines and apply the knowledge and skills to reach solutions to business needs.
4. Leadership / Team Skills: Graduates of business programs inspire a shared vision, foster a realization of that vision and facilitate a culture to realize goals of the vision.
5. Ethics: Graduates of business programs understand the ethical behaviors and issues relevant to the business community.
6. Analytical / Quantitative Skills: Graduates of business programs possess analytical/quantitative skills appropriate to the business community.
7. International and Global Perspective: Graduates of business programs have an international and global perspective appropriate to a progressive business community that engages in international business activities.

Student learning outcomes for all seven competencies are assessed through course-embedded assessments administered and evaluated by faculty members and monitored for program assessment purposes. External and authentic outcome assessments also are performed using a variety of methods. The remainder of this summary provides more details on several key assessments. The first of these is the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Major Field Test, administered to all graduating seniors during a required Senior Assessment class. The second is an assessment of specific outcomes evaluated by supervisors (employers) of undergraduate student interns. The third is a program-specific assessment: the performance of student members of the Eagle Investment Group as they actively manage more than $2 million of the University’s endowment. The fourth also is a program-specific assessment: using the VITA tax program exams along with the percentage of rejected/errored tax returns prepared by a student in the undergraduate Accounting program.

In addition to the student learning outcome assessment data provided here, we also show program effectiveness data, including the tracking of enrollment data for first-time, full-time students by department and five-year graduation rates by department. These charts can be found at the end of this document.

Many institutions use the ETS Major Field Test for students receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Business as an end-of-program student learning outcomes assessment instrument. The test itself is a multiple-choice test “designed to measure a student’s subject knowledge and the ability to apply facts, concepts, theories and analytical methods.” [ETS website] The Dauch College of Business and Economics has administered this test as a key summative assessment for undergraduate COBE programs. The test is given to students taking the BUS499 Senior Assessment class. In addition to an overall score, the mean percent correct for all students taking the exam is calculated for each of nine specific assessment indicators. Comparative data tables provided by the ETS enable comparisons with other institutions using the test. The following chart shows the relationship between the Dauch College of Business and Economics (COBE) overall mean score for all students taking the exam and the mean score for students with senior status at all domestic institutions for one or more years prior to the test semester.

Image

ETS Major Field Test Mean Scores, COBE vs. National Average

ETS Major Field Test Mean COBE Scores and Corresponding Percentile

Although COBE performance was above the national average for the three semesters between fall 2015 and fall 2016, it fell below the national average for the spring 2017 group. From fall 2017 to spring 2020, we have remained at or above the national average. During the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, although our scores were consistent, they were below the national average. While our international student population has declined within the most recent four years, we continue to work with both domestic and international student populations to improve learning outcomes and experiences. Overall COBE performance has been consistent at or above the 50th percentile fifteen of the last twenty semesters. Though we can’t say for sure, performance also may have declined because of the disruptions and distractions caused by COVID-19.

Action taken: Performance outcomes are discussed at our COBE leadership team meetings and department meetings, and faculty are being encouraged by their department chairs to find ways to better engage international students and domestic students in class, to improve the students’ learning of specialized business knowledge. In summary, we conclude that our students have performed at or above the national average for the past twelve years, including above the national average in nine of the past twelve semesters.

We rated this level of performance as exceeding expectations. Faculty members in each functional area review the results and discuss whether curriculum changes are warranted, “closing the loop” and completing our assessment process. Overall, we are satisfied with the performance of our students on this external assessment of their business knowledge and technical skills, and we would rate our students as meeting or exceeding expectations.

The ETS MFT also reports student performance for each of nine content areas. As shown in the following chart, some improvement was seen during 2019-2020, with the spring 2020 semester outperforming fall 2019. Seven of the nine areas were at the 59th percentile or higher, with Information Systems (39th percentile), Legal and Social Environment (35th percentile) and Marketing (44th percentile) remaining areas of concern. Overall, in spring 2020 our students performed at the 59th percentile which was an improvement over fall 2019 (53rd percentile).

During 2020/2021, the spring 2021 semester outperformed fall 2020. Five of the nine areas showed improvement: Quantitative Business Analysis (63rd percentile), Finance (46th percentile), Marketing (50th percentile), Legal and Social Environment (42nd percentile) and Information Systems (79th percentile). We were pleased to see the improvements made with Information Systems, Legal and Social Environment and Marketing outcomes, in comparison to 2019-2020. However, Finance, Legal and Social Environment, Accounting, Economics and International Issues are areas of concern. Overall, students scored at the 46th percentile in both fall 2020 and spring 2021.

While we can’t say for certain, the scores generated during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters may have been influenced by disruptions and distractions caused by COVID-19. Although we remain satisfied with the overall performance of our students on this external assessment of their business knowledge and technical skills during the past eleven-year period, we will continue to explore ways in which to improve performance.

Action to be taken: as noted above, we will continue to discuss ways of engaging international students in order to improve their performance as a group. The accounting faculty will discuss ways to improve student learning. We will continue to offer the Social Responsibility and Business Ethics elective to enhance coverage of social responsibility and business ethics. In twelve of the past twenty semesters, scores were well above the national average (65th percentile or better). The economics faculty will discuss ways to improve student learning to improve performance and knowledge retention. Finally, we will explore ways to increase coverage of international issues within existing courses, as well as to consider adding a new requirement to provide coverage of this important area.