Framework for Course-Embedded Outcomes Assessment: A Case Study of Architecture & Building Engineering Program at KSNU

Kunsan National University obtained accreditation for its Architecture & Building Engineering Program from the Accreditation Board for Engineering Education in Korea (ABEEK) in 2004 and has offered an ABEEK-accredited degree pathway ever since. Then, in 2018, the university introduced the course-embedded outcomes assessment system as per ABEEK’s KEC2015 accreditation criteria. One year into its implementation, the new system allows the measurement and assessment of 10 program outcomes covering 19 curricular modules and 1 non-curricular licensing examination. The system incorporates the four areas of specialization within architectural engineering as well as the three course categories of the math, science, and computer; liberal arts; and engineering core modules under the accreditation scheme. It also takes the students’ academic years into account, especially for the mandatory modules offered to all students. Its rubric clarifies the performance criteria, performance level, assessment tools, objectives, and modules. The 2018 course-embedded outcomes assessment system is an ever-evolving structure with regular CQI: Continuous Quality Improvements along the circular process of system establishment → implementation → evaluation as per the virtuous cycle model required for an accredited engineering program.