This course provides an overview of the processes and methods used by institutional researchers and offices to support wide-reaching institutional decisions and best practices.

Educational institutions rely on data to make informed decisions. Institutional researchers and offices provide services and information that impact policies, procedures, and strategic planning. This course outlines important aspects of institutional research and how it functions within the various departments and divisions it serves.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (5)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. For the first four Discussions in the course, each thread must be 500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the candidate is required to reply to two other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 250 words. The final Discussion in Module 8: Week 8 requires the candidate to summarize their findings and recommendations from their completed Institutional Research Project. The thread for this Discussion must be 1,000 words with two replies of 250 words each. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

Institutional Research Project Assignments (7)

1. University Study Proposal Assignment

The candidate will select a university to study for the term and write a 3-4-page paper that provides a brief overview of the university. (CLO: C, D)

2. Program Review and Proposal Assignment

In a 4-5-page paper, the candidate will provide a review of of what role Institutional Research (IR) should play in higher education as a whole. The candidate will also provide a brief overview of the specific subject or topic they would like to address within one of the following three areas: (1) Enrollment and retention, (2) Finances (including the budget, endowment, and fundraising, and (3) Program review and planned growth. (CLO: B, C, D)

3. Institutional Research and Your Institution Assignment

The candidate will write a 5-7 page research-based paper that focuses on Institutional Research. The candidate will provide an objective review of the purpose and role of Institutional Research in higher education and a review of the Institutional Research (IR) performed at the university they selected. If the university selected by the candidate does not have an IR office or IR activities, the candidate will propose a plan to integrate IR activities at the university they selected.  (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

4. Benchmarking Assignment

The candidate will conduct a benchmarking exercise with the focus on comparing one aspect/program of the university they selected to ten other institutions. Additionally, the candidate will prepare a 2-3-page memorandum that provides an analysis of the findings. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

5. IPEDS Data Review and Analysis Assignment

The candidate will review IPEDS and find the relevant information for the university they selected at the start of the term. The candidate will then write a 2-3-page memorandum in which they provide a summary of the IPEDS data as well as their recommendation(s) that surface from analyzing the data. (MLO: A, B, C, D, E)

6. Financial Data Assignment

The candidate will review at least three academic years of data for their chosen institution as well as from other institutions they have reviewed for this project. The candidate will then write a 2-3-page memorandum that analyzes the data reviewed. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

7. Institutional Dashboards Assignment

The candidate will write a 4-5-page memorandum that focuses on the importance of dashboards and institutional research. The candidate will provide a well-reasoned analysis about the tools that should be part of an IR dashboard. The candidate will then review the dashboard at their selected institution. If that institution does not have information about an IR dashboard, the candidate will explain what tools the university needs for continued data collection, review, and analysis. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)