The Mount Royal Assessment Seminar

There are many ways in which Mount Royal University works to advance the intellectual growth, personal development and career success of our students. The Mount Royal Assessment Seminar is one of the most far-reaching among them.

Launched in Fall 2009, the Assessment Seminar is an ongoing university-wide assessment project in which rich, qualitative data about various aspects of the undergraduate experience is gathered from Mount Royal students through structured, one-on-one interviews conducted by trained student interviewers.

The Assessment Seminar approach is grounded in hearing first-hand from students, in depth and in their own words, about issues of importance to them, and then responding to what is heard. In concert with other student data sources such as NSSE, the Assessment Seminar fosters an evidence-based approach to the ongoing enhancement of students’ undergraduate experience.

The Assessment Seminar aligns with Mount Royal’s history, orientation and aspirations as an undergraduate university dedicated to teaching and learning, and committed to scholarship.

It is student-centric. Every year, it delves into specific issues connected to the undergraduate experience at Mount Royal University — in and out of the classroom, from first to final year — by applying a simple principle: directly asking students.
It has practical value. Data collected in this project complements other student assessment data sources (example: NSSE) and informs our efforts to enhance academic programs and the student experience at Mount Royal University
It is progressive. To our knowledge, this unique approach is in use at only a handful of universities in North America, including Harvard University.

The Assessment Seminar at Mount Royal University is modeled on and inspired by the Harvard Assessment Seminar, which over the past 20 years has conducted in-depth interviews with close to 2,500 Harvard undergraduates. Findings from the first decade of the Harvard project are described in the seminal book “Making the Most of College: Students Speak their minds” by Richard Light, PhD, architect of the Assessment Seminar at Harvard University.

In recognition of the profound impact Light and the Assessment Seminar approach he originated has had on Mount Royal, the university awarded Light an honourary degree at the Spring 2011 Convocation.

"The Assessment Seminar and all of the efforts of the researchers really reinforced the face-to-face interaction and dialogue that Mount Royal University values. I felt like I was part of the organization and that my opinions and experiences were valued."
Kylie Toh
Bachelor of Communications – Public Relations, third year
Student interviewed during the Mount Royal Assessment Seminar – March 2010