Program Goals

All ECC degree programs require students to master specific program goals, which describe the particular knowledge/content, skills, and behaviors students should have acquired upon successful completion of all required program courses. Click here to be redirected to www.essex.edu and then click on Academics -> Degree and Certificate Programs by Major -> [specific degree program] -> Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to... to locate the program goals for any major offered at the College.

Program SLO goals are achieved in the collective required program courses; therefore, specific SLO assessment results can be accessed by selecting the Course tab on the green menu bar on this website and locating the particular required program course in the SLOAT section on this page.

ECC degree programs are also thoroughly and regularly evaluated to determine compliance with or performance related to other standards - either particular standards set externally by (external) accrediting agencies or else the four (internal) SAAC standards, which are listed below.


SAAC Program Assessment Standards

  • Standard1: The program has an identified plan for evaluation and feedback to strengthen its educational outcomes. (Standard 1 criteria include, but are not limited to, program philosophy, program goals, program assessment plan, program outcomes, program revision.)

  • Standard 2: The program has the appropriate number of qualified faculty to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness. (Standard 2 criteria include, but are not limited to, faculty expertise, faculty evaluation, faculty orientation, and faculty utilization.)

  • Standard 3: The program uses the resources necessary to accomplish its goals. (Standard 3 criteria include, but are not limited to, curriculum, pedagogy, facilities/equipment, support services, and program activities.)

  • Standard 4: The program assures a teaching and learning environment conducive to student achievement. (Standard 4 criteria include, but are not limited to, placement, advisement, recruitment, academic integrity, and policies/procedures.)


The primary goal of program assessment is to foster the continuous development and improvement in quality educational programs at ECC. In the assessment process, all those involved in learning - faculty, students, and administrators - define what goals they are trying to achieve, examine how they are trying to achieve these goals, determine if their efforts to achieve these goals have been effective, and implement changes deemed necessary as a result of this process. Ongoing program assessment identifies what the program does well, determines the areas that need improvement, and develops plans to address the needed improvements.

Click here for a list that indicates the degree programs that undergo external accreditation and the degree programs that undergo internal review and gives the current Program Assessment Schedule, which is determined cooperatively by Academic Affairs and the Office of Planning, Research, and Assessment. For the degree programs undergoing internal assessment, the Program Assessment must follow the Administrative Procedure for Program Assessment and should be conducted according to pre-set Assessment Guidelines. Click here to access the Program Assessment Handbook, which describes in detail the expectations of and steps that must be taken to produce a comprehensive program evaluation.