Using Senior Exit Interviews to Improve Academic Programs

When Muhlenberg College’s dean of institutional assessment called for academic departments to develop internal assessment plans, the goal in the department of mathematics and computer science was to implement an approach that would be most useful internally. The department initially considered surveying its graduating seniors. But during their final semester, seniors are inundated with surveys from various units across campus, which could reduce the response rate. In addition, surveys tend to be static. As an alternative, the department decided on senior exit interviews.