Department/Program Review

All degree and certificate programs at Stony Brook University must prepare a self-study that includes an assessment of student learning outcomes and participate in an external review process known as Department/Program Review. This process takes place every seven years (or an external accreditation cycle of no more than ten years).

For more information on the self-study requirements, selection of external reviewers, and University support provided to participating departments, see the policy and process documents developed by the Ad Hoc Committee to Establish a Program Review Process.

Department/Program Review Policy

Department/Program Review Process

Department/Program Review Self-Study Template

Department/Program Review - Participating Cohorts

Eight departments/programs will begin the self-study process in 2023:
- Applied Health Informatics
- Applied Mathematics & Statistics
- Biochemistry & Cell Biology
- Biomedical Informatics
- Economics
- English
- Marine Sciences
- Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies
Seven departments/programs will begin the self-study process in 2024:
- Coaching
- Ecology & Evolution
- Higher Education Administration
- Music
- Psychology
- Technology Systems Management
- Undergraduate Biology

Department/Program Review Implementation Timeline

Date	Action Item
April 2024	OEE in consultation with relevant Deans, sends notice of self-study cohort participation. (view policy)
May 2024	OEE staff and IRPE staff conduct orientation meeting with programs.
June 2024	IRPE provides data to programs. OEE provides Academic Program Assessment Reports.
September - October 2024	Program proposes external reviewers for approval by the Office of the Provost or the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences; external reviewers shall not have conflicts of interest that bias the review. OEE will notify the Department/Program via email which potential reviewers have been approved. Site Visit Planning Meeting.
January 2025	Site Visit Progress Check-in. OEE will schedule a check-in session to address any site visit and/or self-study questions, discuss budget considerations and site visit agenda.
February 2025	Program submits self-study to OEE for distribution.
March 2025	OEE shares self-study with external reviewers.
March - May 2025	External review visits occur.
May - June 2025	External reviewers submit reports. Dean, Department Chair & OEE meet to debrief and develop action items/priorities.
September 2025	Department submits a short follow up document with goals and action items to work towards over the next 18 months.
March 2026	Department submits follow-up progress report on recommendations and plans.

*OEE: Office of Educational Effectiveness
*IRPE: Office of Institutional Research, Planning & Effectiveness

Program Review FAQs

External Reviewers must not have conflicts of interest that could bias the review. Otherwise, identification of potential reviewers is at the descretion of the department/program. It is recommended that the external reviewer have expertise in the discipline under review, and we encourage you to select reviewers from comparable institutions/programs. This may include institutions that are affiliated with the AAU, are R1, or have comparable U.S. News & World Report or Academic Analytics rankings.
The Self-Study template is provided as a starting point, with the baseline requirements to include in the final report. Departments/programs are welcome to rearrange the template format, add supplemental information, or reorganize the information to best tell your story and provide external reviewers with the necessary information to conduct a thorough site visit.

Department Mission Statements

Some SBU departments have mission statements that articulate how their area supports the institutional mission, school/college mission, and programs offered. A selection of departmental mission statements is available here.

Assessment Levels