Abstract
This paper describes the opportunities and challenges encountered in formulating and implementing strategies for assessing universally required competencies and mission-specific competencies in a large public affairs school with five MPA programs and one Master of International Affairs (MIA) program. The paper analyzes the building blocks in assessing competencies, from defining, identifying, and developing and revising evaluative tools, to the efforts in and approaches for engaging different stakeholders. This analysis identifies the significance of investing time in the developmental stage and highlights the difficulties encountered in reaching consensus, especially on when and how learning should be evaluated and from whose perspective. The paper proposes, however, that the field should continue to move toward agreement about methods for assessing program effectiveness within and beyond individual schools, in order to move away from this impasse and help promote results that are usable at diverse institutions and multiple levels.
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