UCC Assessment
Assessment is rooted in a philosophy of continual improvement of our learning environment. Annual assessment of student learning in the current tiered University Core Curriculum (UCC) is an essential component of the General Education program at Ball State.
Proposals for courses in the revised UCC courses should follow the format outlined on the Registrar's website.
INDIRECT MEASURE:
Annual senior surveys, conducted each spring, ask graduating students to rate their growth in written communication, oral communication, problem solving, critical thinking, judgement, and other areas that also align with some of the UCC learning outcomes. Students' perceptions of their growth in these areas are an important measure of UCC cognitive skill attainment. See the Senior Survey Results.
DIRECT MEASURE:
Course instructors assess the attainment of UCC cognitive skills and report their findings to the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. See the Summary of Transformation Attainment.
Resources
Transformed Core
Instructional Videos for the Transformed UCC
Check out the modules below to learn more about assessment of the transformed core. The transformed core will launch in Fall 2026 and the first assessment reports for the transformed core will be due Oct. 15. 2027.
- MODULE 1: UCC STRUCTURE: WHAT IS IT AND WHEN DOES IT GO INTO EFFECT?
- MODULE 2: UCC LEARNING OUTCOMES: WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
- MODULE 3: UCC COURSE PROPOSAL & SYLLABUS: WHAT IS ESSENTIAL AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
- MODULE 4: UCC ASSESSMENT: WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO WE DO IT?
- MODULE 5: UCC ASSESSMENT DATA: WHO COLLECTS IT AND HOW IS IT USED?
- MODULE 6: UCC ASSESSMENT REPORTS: WHAT IS THE FORMAT AND WHEN ARE THEY DUE?
Additional Resources
Want some help?
Contact Carole Kacius, Director of Assessment and Accreditation, to schedule an individual consultation if you would like assistance aligning your SLOs to UCC learning outcomes, identifying assessment measures, or writing your assessment report.
This informal, practical consultation will enable you to ask questions, align your SLOs and UCC learning outcomes, gather assessment data across course sections, draft the 2-pg. report together, and explore opportunities to make the assessment process as meaningful and manageable as possible.
Existing Core
Want some help?
Contact Carole Kacius, Director of Assessment and Accreditation, to schedule an individual consultation if you would like assistance aligning your SLOs to UCC learning outcomes, identifying assessment measures, or writing your assessment report.
This informal, practical consultation will enable you to ask questions, align your SLOs and UCC learning outcomes, gather assessment data across course sections, draft the 2-pg. report together, and explore opportunities to make the assessment process as meaningful and manageable as possible.
Assessment Report Contents
Align your course student learning outcomes (SLOs) with the University Core Curriculum (UCC) learning outcomes.
Describe activities used to assess the UCC learning outcomes outlined in Part 1. This could be one mile-marker assignment that covers all of the learning outcomes or it could be a separate assignment for each learning outcome.
What was the sample size? Use the rubric designed to assess the UCC learning outcomes, and indicate the number and percentage of students who achieved the following levels for each UCC learning outcome assessed: 4 = Accomplished; 3 = Competent; 2 = Developing; 1 = Beginning.
This rubric can serve as a guide. Describe the results. Was the expected performance outcome met? Include comparisons with previous assessment cycles, if possible, and note trends within this cycle and/or over time. What did you learn?
Describe how the results were shared with other faculty. Describe any plans for improvements to future instructional methods, course content, syllabus or assessment activities/processes in this course as a result of assessment data. Given that assessment of general education at Ball State is focused on improvement, examples of improvements noted in recent UCC assessment reports for the existing core (with personal identifiers extracted) are disseminated for
Foundations,
Tier 1,
Tier 2, and
Tier 3 courses. Examples of improvements noted in UCC assessment reports for the new, transformed core will be disseminated in 2027 and beyond.
Assessment reports reflect how well students are meeting the learning outcomes, and potential improvements that can be made as a result of the findings. Instructors teaching core courses with multiple sections may submit one report with samples from each section. UCC course assessment reports should be uploaded by Oct. 15 each year.
Submit A REPORT