All academic programs at Cleveland State University (CSU) undergo a comprehensive review process every five to ten years, depending on external accreditation schedules. Program reviews are necessary to ensure that CSU maintains accreditation and authorization with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). Periodic reviews also contribute to internal decision-making, by allowing departments, colleges, and the university to assess program strengths and weaknesses, prioritize resources, address weaknesses, and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

At CSU, academic program review is conducted to ensure that our programs maintain high standards of quality, relevance, and effectiveness in meeting the needs of students and the broader community. This process provides a systematic approach to evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of academic offerings, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring alignment with the university's mission and strategic goals. By engaging faculty, staff, and stakeholders in thoughtful self-assessment, academic program review provides insight for decisions about curriculum development, resource allocation, and student success initiatives. Ultimately, the goal is to continuously enhance the educational experience, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for success in a rapidly changing world.

In addition to enhancing educational quality, academic program review at CSU fosters a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. It provides a structured framework for collecting and analyzing data on program outcomes, such as graduation rates, student satisfaction and post-graduation employment. By regularly assessing both academic content and instructional practices, the university ensures that its programs remain responsive to emerging industry trends, societal needs, and evolving student interests. The review process also encourages collaboration across departments, facilitates the sharing of best practices, and supports faculty development. Through these comprehensive reviews, CSU demonstrates its commitment to academic excellence, institutional integrity, and a student-centered approach to education.

The material contained in the documents linked below is intended to provide general information about the process, timeline, and outcomes for all constituents. In addition, specific guidelines on self-studies, selection of external reviewers, and site visits is provided for those programs/units participating in the process, or who anticipate doing so.

For additional information, or to get answers to questions not addressed here, please contact Instructional Excellence at (216) 687.4700; or contact Academic Program Quality Coordinator, Patricia Lyons at p.lyons12@csuohio.edu.

Academic Program Review: General Information

The program review usually focuses on a single department or program, although multiple departments/programs may be reviewed together. The process takes place over the course of an academic year, and consists of several different phases:

• A self-study, written by the department/program faculty.
• A review of the self-study and in-person meetings with administrators, students, faculty, and other constituents by a Program Review Committee consisting of external and internal representatives.
• A comprehensive report and recommendations prepared by the Program Review Committee.
• Responses to the report and recommendations from the department/program chair or director and the college dean(s).
• A final meeting between senior administration, the dean (s), and the program leadership to develop an action plan for addressing recommendations arising from the review.

Further information can be found in the links below:

• Overview of Timeline and Process Download.pdf
• Academic Program Review Roles and Responsibilities  Download .pdf
• Academic Program Review Charge to Committee  Download .pdf
• Academic Program Review Schedules:
  • Academic Year 2025 - 2026 Download.pdf
  • Academic Year 2026 - 2027 (tentative)  Download .pdf
• Program Review Administrative Team Download .pdf

Academic Program Review: Information for Units Undergoing Review

The department/program undergoing review produces the key document for a successful program review: a self-study assessing strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities across all dimensions of the program -- faculty and staff, students, curriculum, relationships with internal and external constituents, and resources.

Detailed information on preparation of self-studies is provided below. Additional information, including an overview of data resources available from Institutional Research, will be provided to programs at the start of the process.

• Self-study Team Selection Download .pdf
• Selection and Nomination of External Reviewers Download .pdf
• Writing the Self-study Report:
  • Traditional Self-study Download .pdf
  • Common Theme Self-study Download .pdf
  • Special Emphasis Self-study Download .pdf

Academic Program Review: Commonly Requested Data Dashboard

The data presented in the dashboard linked here represents the most common data that has been requested of the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) by departments undergoing the Program Review process. Questions about the data, or requests for additional data, should be directed to Katherine Corcoran (k.s.moran@csuohio.edu).