Required Assessment Testing

Missouri S&T Assessment Policy

All students at Missouri S&T are required to participate in assessment of learning outcomes before graduation. The requirement for assessment originated from directives of the governor and Missouri General Assembly for institutions to show direct evidence of student learning. The coordination of assessment processes is housed within the provost's office.

General Education Assessment

Any students who have attained the junior class level, in each semester, may be automatically scheduled to take proficiency testing, which measures general education skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and critical thinking. Students will be notified the semester they qualify to take the test if testing is scheduled to occur. Students who have earned 61 or more credit hours, were scheduled to test, and did not participate in testing will have a HOLD placed on their academic account. This HOLD will prevent the students from future registration of courses.

Student Learning Outcomes

Each of the academic departments have assessment plans for evaluating student learning outcomes (SLOs) in each academic program. This evaluation of SLOs assists departments in making informed programmatic decisions for continuously improving the programs. Departmental SLOs map to the campus-wide SLOs, in which:

Programs must demonstrate that their graduates have:

  • Career Readiness: Students will apply their academic knowledge to achieve personal and professional goals.
  • Critical Thinking: Students will apply creative approaches to explore and evaluate complex challenges.
  • Communication: Students will use effective and targeted communication strategies.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration: Students will organize partnerships and demonstrate effective teamwork.
  • Global and Inclusive Fluency: Students will demonstrate value and respect for individual and cultural perspectives and experiences.
  • Professional and Ethical Conduct: Students will demonstrate the highest standards of professional behavior, integrity, and ethical conduct.

Assessment in Student Majors

Seniors are scheduled to take the major field test before clearance for graduation. Engineering student majors are required to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) test, and non-engineering student majors are required to take the ETS’ major field test (MFT) in their respective field of study.  Note that some departments administer in-house tests in lieu of the FE or MFT.

Information about the FE test and requirements are available in each Engineering department.  Students receive the MFT notification from their department. 

Student Engagement

In addition to the direct measures of assessment outlined above, student learning outcomes are also assessed indirectly through various institutional effectiveness surveys. For example, freshmen and seniors are scheduled every three years to complete the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which obtains information about student engagement and participation in degree programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development.

Use of Assessment Results

In these integrated assessment processes, the evidence gathered through assessment activities are used in several ways:

  • Faculty use evidence to update and improve curricula, either in content or methodology.
  • Degree programs use evidence in periodic program reviews and ongoing curriculum development to ensure that the program outcomes for student learning are being met.
  • Colleges use evidence to set priorities for resource allocations and to monitor the contribution of degree programs to the college mission and goals.
  • Professional staff members use evidence to modify existing services and to create new approaches for delivering services to students.
  • University administrators use evidence to assess the quality of the degree programs and support services provided to students and the effectiveness of the university in carrying out its mission