The University Graduate School conducts academic reviews of graduate programs to ensure excellent quality of programs across the university.
Academic reviews of graduate programs normally take place during the general program reviews of departments.
Reviews normally consist of at least four components:
- Collection of data on the graduate program
- Written departmental self-assessment
- Written assessment by reviewers from Indiana University, but from outside the department
- Written assessment by reviewers from the same intellectual discipline, but from outside IU
The University Graduate School has developed two sets of questions to be used in academic review—one set for departmental self-assessment, and one set for use by external reviews—that focus on the qualities that the Graduate Council finds important to cultivating excellent programs. Specific reviews require specialized consideration, and it may be that in some reviews some questions, or even areas of questions, will become more or less significant.