Program Level Assessment

The Community College of Baltimore County has more than 50 career programs. Over the course of the next few years, each program will be identifying comprehensive program outcomes that define the skills and competencies that students achieve upon completion of their studies. Assessment of stated outcomes is the next step in utilizing outcomes to improve the learning process. Programs are reviewed every five years.

A Program Outcomes Assessment Project (POAP) is a formal outcomes assessment project that focuses on learning related to the major program outcomes. The goal of a POAP is to generate data that will guide recommendations for programmatic change to improve and expand student learning. POAPs are long-term, externally validated projects.

Project phases mirror those for Course Level Learning Outcome Assessments and include:
  1. Designing the project
  2. Collecting and analyzing data (from sources such as certification exams, portfolios, capstone course, or practicum)
  3. Identifying program revisions (as needed) 
  4. Implementing revisions and reassessing student learning, and 
  5. Reporting results 

The Program Review Committee shares POAP and Program Review materials with programs under review, evaluates program review submissions, and selects a recipient of the CCBC Program of the Year Award each June.

The 2023 Program of the Year is Engineering Technology.