The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Department of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations (JMPR)
Assessment Plan for Student Learning Outcomes
The mission of the Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations program is to provide students with a strong liberal arts background that will enable them to think critically, follow ethical practices, and understand the concepts and skills that will equip them for meaningful communication careers. We are dedicated to educating the next generation of storytellers to be open-minded and eager to explore new ideas, techniques, and technologies that will help to advance the field of communication and civic life globally and across our diverse cultures.
Through this commitment students will:
• Receive an education that combines professional skills with a liberal arts emphasis and fosters an appreciation of the significance of domestic and global diversity in mass and targeted communications.
• Be guided by a dedicated and diverse faculty with the proper mix of academic and professional backgrounds to ensure excellence in teaching and advising.
• Experience a required internship program that affords them the opportunity to work with some of the nation’s leading professionals while matching classroom learning with on-the-job practices.
• Be trained with equipment and software that reflects the current state of the industry and is regularly updated to help students adapt to developments in the field.
• Be enriched by a faculty who are actively involved in research and professional communities and who contribute to advancing the body of information available in the journalism, media studies, and the public relations fields.
The Department’s bachelor’s degree programs have been accredited for nearly 25 years by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). What follows are the Department’s learning outcomes (expressed as Department goals), the assessment plan process and a brief history of the ways in which they are measured, both directly and indirectly. Using these assessments, the Department has instituted changes in course content, curriculum, resources, and instructional approach. This process has been done by individuals, as programs, and collectively as a department.
UNDERGRADUATE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS
Over the past six academic years, the Department of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations (JMPR) has engaged in a sustained and systematic process of learning outcomes assessment. These efforts reflect a strong institutional commitment to continuous improvement, alignment with disciplinary standards, and preparation of students for professional success. The assessment strategies employed combine both direct and indirect measures, utilize multiple tools, and demonstrate a consistent emphasis on “closing the loop” through data-informed curricular and programmatic changes.
The department has implemented a comprehensive and multi-layered assessment model grounded in the competencies outlined by ACEJMC. Across the 5-year review period, the department consistently assessed key learning outcomes including critical thinking, writing proficiency, ethical reasoning, research skills, technological competency, and understanding of key concepts related to the disciplines of mass communication, such as freedom of expression, basic numerical and statistical concepts
While each academic program in the department has mapped out all required courses projected with specific learning goals and objectives based on the ACEJMC’s core professional values and competencies, our annual outcomes assessment reviews have always been carried out collectively as a department.
More recently, the department has strengthened its assessment framework by integrating multiple data sources, including alumni feedback and longitudinal comparisons. The 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 assessment cycles show increasing alignment between assessment instruments and learning objectives, as well as a deliberate effort to link findings to specific curricular improvements. Key areas identified for ongoing development include writing proficiency, technological skills, and ethical reasoning, all of which are being addressed through targeted instructional and programmatic enhancements.
The Department utilizes two direct measures and seven indirect measures to assess how well the students in the unit are meeting the learning outcomes, expressed as Department goals. The results for each assessment measure are provided to faculty at department meetings (typically in May and September) for discussion.
Outcomes exam (direct measure)
Every other year the Department administers an exam to selected classes in which a significant sample of seniors in all three programs are enrolled. The exam is designed to gauge students’ understanding of a number of the ACEJMC learning outcomes, otherwise known as “professional values and competencies.” As was noted in the Department’s 2013 self-study, “testing the test” is a key component in the assessment plan. The department made some initial revisions to the exam after the spring of 2019, and exam design and adjustments are addressed each year at Department faculty meetings during the early portion of the fall semester.
Frequency of test administration: Every other year.
Internship evaluations of student performance (direct measure)
All journalism and public relations majors are required to complete three credits of internship. For journalism and public relations majors, at least two credits of the internship must be in their major. That could involve three one-credit internships, a two-credit internship coupled with a one-credit internship or one three-credit internship. Students are required to work at least 120 hours for a one-credit internship, 150 hours for a two-credit internship, or 180 hours for three credits. Students are evaluated at the end of their internship semester by their onsite supervisor in twelve areas, and then evaluated by their faculty advisor at the end of each semester. Six of those areas are linked to the ACEJMC learning outcomes. From 2021 to 2025, there were a total of 505 internship reports submitted.
Frequency of assessment: Every year.
Student and alumni surveys
Every other year, the Department administers both a Current Student Survey (CSS) and an Alumni Survey (AS). The instrument was last administered in the spring of 2025. A total of 130 students completed the survey, which contained 26 items. Hofstra participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The University’s Institutional Research department provides data from this comprehensive survey to the Department for use in a comparative analysis of the student learning experience.
Frequency of assessment: Every other year.
Course and Teacher ratings
The Course and Teacher Ratings (CTRs) are University developed instruments, with faculty input, and are administered to all students, in every course section, at the end of each semester. The instrument is anonymous and consists of twenty-two Likert-scaled (bi-polar) items and three questions for background information. There is also a section for optional anecdotal comments by the student. The CTRs are designed to provide a measure of student perceptions of a faculty member’s teaching effectiveness. They are also designed to complement peer and administrative observations. Individual faculty members, the
Department chair, and the Dean use individual results to improve the quality of teaching as well as assist in reappointment and tenure decisions.
Frequency of assessment: Every semester.
Frequent faculty and student contact with alumni and professionals Department faculty members have travelled, by program, to meet with working professionals to discuss emerging industry trends, key characteristics sought in graduates applying for entry-level positions, and suggestions for how the Department might adjust instructional offerings. The Department has also taken steps to increase the number of guest speakers brought to campus. The consensus by faculty is that guest speakers can augment and enhance a class by offering fresh perspectives from current industry professionals. The different perspective and approach to instruction will provide a deeper understanding of the topic and students have another opportunity to interact with professionals from outside the campus environment. Meeting with working professionals helps to facilitate students’ ability to recognize industry trends, discuss new technology and research approaches, as well as to communicate with professionals in an engaging manner.
Frequency: Every semester (varies by class and program).
Peer teaching observations
The Department Personnel Committee (DPC) schedules annual peer observations for all tenure-track and adjunct faculty members. Tenure-track faculty are observed annually for the entirety of their tenure probationary period. Adjunct faculty are observed annually for the first three years of their teaching in the department (as per Faculty Policy Series #46, Peer Observation of Teaching). If it is determined that an adjunct will continue teaching in the Department, the Chair and DPC can recommend to the Dean that the faculty member be awarded either a one-, three-, or five-year appointment.
Tenured faculty are observed as detailed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Tenured faculty applying for promotion to Full Proessor or Professor Incentive (commonly referred to as “Professor Plus”) must include two teaching observations from the prior three years as part of the application materials submitted for review. Observation reports are used to enhance teaching effectiveness and in staffing decisions.
Alumni Board feedback
Regular feedback from both the Alumni Association (AA) Leadership Committee and a Dean’s Advisory Board (DAB) informs assessment and encourages student and faculty engagement with media professionals. Both groups are active on a number of fronts. The Dean’s Advisory Board and Alumni Association Leadership Committee include alumni working in areas related to all three programs (journalism, media studies, and public relations) within the Department. Both groups meet as a whole at least two times each year. The Alumni Association Leadership Committee also has three sub-committees that meet an additional two times each year.
Regular student feedback gathered in departmental Majors meetings
Once a year, track coordinators facilitate a regularly-scheduled majors’ meeting which includes topics of concern specific to the respective program. Time is set aside to solicit student comments and suggestions on matters such as curriculum, resources, and, of course, any other comments students might wish to make. The student comments and suggestions are compiled and distributed to the program faculty immediately after the meeting. Online discussion among faculty generates a priority order for the discussion of student concerns at the next program faculty meeting and from there a list of points is developed to be discussed as action items at the next department meeting. A combined programmatic summary will be distributed to all Department faculty and administrators.
Faculty assessment of student writing
This pre- and post-instrument is a one-question Qualtrics survey sent to faculty in the
Department, during the third week of the spring semester and then again at the end of the spring semester. The question asks faculty to rate each student on the roster to assess their writing ability (mechanics and fundamentals). The same survey is sent to the same faculty at the end of the semester. Between the two surveys there is an optional writing workshop for instructors, “Responding to Student Writing: ’Minimal Marking’ and Other Surprisingly Effective Strategies.” This variable is tested to see if there is a correlation in perceived improvement between student writing from faculty who attended the workshop and those who did not. The results are reported in the aggregate, and no individual student or instructor is identified.
It should be noted that all assessment instruments have inherent limitations. For example, how seriously do students take an outcomes exam that is both anonymous and has no impact on their grade? Nevertheless, multiple instruments of formative assessment allow the Department to gather viable and valuable information and feedback that can be used by instructors and students to guide improvements in enhancing learning outcomes. The Department annually reviews its goals of student learning outcomes for appropriateness and efficacy.
Summary
In conclusion, the JMSPR department employs a multi-method assessment strategy, combining direct measures (such as exams, rubrics, and supervisor evaluations) with indirect measures (such as surveys and alumni feedback). This comprehensive approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of student learning and program effectiveness.
The department maintains a strong commitment to data-informed decision-making. Assessment results are regularly reviewed by faculty and used to guide curricular revisions, enhance instructional practices, and improve student support services. Examples include the introduction of new writing courses, increased emphasis on technology training, expanded resources for internship placement, and most recently, the development and approval of a new Broadcast and Streaming Journalism BS degree program that will be officially on the books in the Fall 0f 2026.
Finally, the School has made significant progress in closing the loop, ensuring that assessment findings lead to tangible improvements. This is evident in the iterative refinement of assessment tools, increased alignment between learning objectives and evaluation methods, and ongoing efforts to address identified areas of concern.
Overall, the learning outcomes assessment processes implemented by the faculty and administrators of the JMSPR Department over the past six years demonstrate an evolving system of evaluation, focused on professional competencies, upper-level achievement, and on foundational learning and developmental growth.
We believe that through the consistent use of multiple assessment tools, careful analysis of results, and a clear commitment to continuous improvement, we have established a robust framework for ensuring student success and maintaining high academic standards.
Updated: May 2026