Academic Program Review

Trinity Western University Seeks to Prepare Students for Lives of Significance and Meaning

Through integrating faith and learning within a supportive Christian community, Trinity Western University (TWU) is advancing innovative ways to deliver education that prepares graduates with the knowledge, character, and creativity to make a lasting impact in the world.

It is in this spirit that TWU continually reviews its curricular, co-curricular, and non-curricular programs and offerings. We regularly assess the academic quality, student demand, and financial health of all our programs.

TWU Fact Book

Institutional assessment at Trinity Western relies on data and statistics about the university’s historic and current admissions, enrolment, graduation trends, and overall financial health. Accordingly, TWU produces an essential collection of data that will be made available to everyone on an annual basis.

Here is the first edition of TWU’s Fact Book:

TWU Fact Book

Striving for Excellence

Institutional assessment is key to improving the overall quality of our education. Assessment provides the opportunity to identify programs that demand greater investment and support. Analysis may also uncover the need for substantial revision, re-evaluation, or the closure of programs.

Healthy universities maintain an ability to improve programs that are essential to their mission while building the capacity to meet the changing needs of their students and the demands of the market. Like other higher educational institutions, Trinity Western engages in program review as a normal part of our university’s assurance of continued institutional excellence, responsible stewardship, and sustainable growth.

Process for Program Review

On behalf of the Provost’s Office of Teaching + Learning, the Program Development and Review Coordinator facilitates Program Review of all academic programs, in the faculty or school within which they exist, in order to:

  • ensure periodic in-depth reflection and review of the quality and effectiveness of academic programs;
  • foster ongoing collection and analysis of relevant data to guide continuous improvement of academic quality and student learning;
  • assess the relevance of academic programs in supporting the university’s mission and strategic plan; and
  • provide internal and external accountability of Academic Program quality.

The procedures for program review are standardized as follows, with some variations as requested due to program and associational, accreditation, or other external review requirements.

  1. The Program Development and Review Coordinator prepares the assessment data appendices in collaboration with the academic unit, Institutional Research Analyst, and other offices as needed. Collection of the data includes the administration of applicable surveys, e.g., students and alumni. The Program Development and Review Coordinator may request assistance in the preparation of survey mailing lists. Professional and accreditation requirements are coordinated with data preparation as closely as possible.
  2. Program administrators and faculty use the assessment data to complete the program self-study, collaboratively identifying strengths and weaknesses, desired improvements, and recommendations for future directions.
  3. Once the self-study is completed and approved by the dean of the school or faculty, it is reviewed by the Office of Teaching + Learning and the Provost.
  4. At least two external reviewers then review the academic program. External reviewers conduct a virtual site visit with the opportunity to meet with faculty and administrators, facilitate student and alumni focus groups, assess resources and available space, and carry out other relevant activities. External reviewers review the program self-study, data appendices, and additional material by considering the following areas:
    1. Quality of curriculum;
    2. Student learning and success;
    3. Quality of faculty;
    4. Program viability and sustainability;
    5. The academic unit’s own analysis of program strengths, areas for growth, and action plan.
  5. A committee of Senate also reviews the program’s self-study and assessment data appendices, submitting a report that addresses the five areas above.
  6. The academic unit and dean of the faculty or school prepare written responses to the reports from the external reviewers and senate committee. The Associate Provost, Research and Graduate Studies may also submit written comments.
  7. The complete report is then prepared by the Program Development and Review Coordinator and retained by the Provost’s Office.
  8. An Action Plan is developed by the Dean in consultation with the Provost’s Office. Action Plans are managed by the faculty or school Dean in concert with institutional, faculty/school, and departmental budgeting and strategic planning processes.

Within three years of completing their program review, the program submits a mid-cycle progress report outlining and commenting on their progress in implementing the action plan. This report also includes comments from the dean of the faculty or school.

The Associate Provost, Teaching + Learning provides a report annually to a committee of Senate on the status of the Academic Program Reviews, recommendations, and Action Plans.

See detailed Academic Program Review procedures.

Academic Program Review Templates:

Program Development and Review Coordinator: Tyler Chamberlain (Tyler.Chamberlain@twu.ca)

Fostering High-Quality Education

At Trinity Western, the drive to prioritize student learning has led us to foster a culture of continuous improvement, exercise financial discipline, and adjust and develop programs to meet the changing needs of current and future students.

In addition to program reviews and closures, recommended changes to many of our programs will be implemented in order to strengthen our degree offerings. Efforts will be taken to monitor class sizes and, in some cases, changes may require a shift in curricular offerings within a discipline.

Strategic Planning at TWU

Trinity Western launched a university-wide strategic planning process in January 2022. TWU has an extraordinary mission and a new vision. As a university community, we embrace the opportunity to build a plan that helps us accomplish all that our vision calls us to be and to serve students for generations to come.

See TWU's Strategic Plan