Final Assessment Report: English Program Review
As part of Redeemer’s institutional quality assurance process, the English program faculty completed a self‐study report of the English programs (both in the Writing Stream and the Literature Stream, each having an honours majors, a general major and a minor) in September 2020. A review team composed of two external and one internal reviewer performed, due to COVID restrictions, an online visit over several dates in March 2021, meeting with students, faculty and relevant support staff and senior administration. The team subsequently submitted a final External Reviewers’ Report on April 30, 2021.
The review team commended the English programs and faculty for their alignment with the university-wide mission statement. They noted that faculty have cultivated a strong sense of belonging and collaboration within the program and there is a high level of student engagement and stratification. Both streams have a curriculum that is solid and historically comprehensive and are assessed in a varied and rigorous manner. Areas for improvement include diversifying the teaching faculty in terms of gender and race, as well as adding diversity to the English curriculum. The Writing Stream would be enhanced by adding a full-time faculty member who has a graduate degree in writing and who could also serve as the Writing Centre Director.
The English program faculty and administration have carefully considered the External Reviewers’ Report and prepared a concrete plan, with a timeline, to strengthen the program in response to the recommendations. This plan has been approved by the Academic Quality Assurance Committee and Redeemer’s Senate.
