Trends in Assessment: Graduate and Professional Education

Abstract

Graduate and professional programs are moving toward outcomes based assessment, focusing on competencies and minimum professional standards. Partly this transition reflects shifting employer expectations, but mostly the momentum relates to evolving accreditation standards. Disciplinary accrediting bodies have been the primary driver of change and improvement across graduate and professional education, with substantial variation in accreditors’ timing and strictness in imposing outcomes assessment requirements.

Historically, most graduate and professional programs measured outcomes via summative assessments such as licensure exams, dissertations, or research studies. Recent trends show movement toward additional formative and qualitative measures, such as professionalism, collaboration, and ethical decision making. The current landscape includes varied assessment approaches and frameworks.

In this chapter, the authors summarize assessment trends across graduate and professional education, including highlights from specific disciplines.