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Worldwide, economic and other factors are pressing institutions of higher education to assess student learning to insure that graduates acquire the skills and competencies demanded in the 21st century. This paper summarises the status of undergraduate student learning outcomes assessment at accredited colleges and universities in the United States. Three-quarters of institutions have established learning outcomes for all their students, a necessary first step in the assessment cycle. Most schools are using a combination of institution-level and programme-level assessments. Quality assurance requirements in the form of regional and specialised accreditation, along with an institutional commitment to improve, are the primary drivers of assessment. While there is considerable assessment activity going on, it does not appear that many institutions are using the results effectively to inform curricular modifications or otherwise to enhance teaching and learning. The paper closes with recommendations for various groups that can advance the assessment and institutional improvement agenda.

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The assessment provisions of ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 are part of a larger trend toward emphasizing student learning outcomes in higher education, undertaken both to demonstrate accountability and to improve instruction. This article examines specific national trends that are shaping the development of assessment programs in all disciplines, and briefly reviews major changes in assessment methods which have also occurred in the past two decades. Building on these discussions, the article concludes with a number of experience‐based “points of attack” helpful to those charged with implementing assessment programs at the school or college level.

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