Research Brief: Assuring the Quality of Academic Programs at Tribal Colleges and Universities

As institutions of higher education, tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) share many of the same educational quality assurance practices as their peers, such as pursuing accreditations, evaluating the need for new academic programs, and regularly reviewing current academic programs. Unique to TCUs, they have a dual mission to provide academic programs that incorporate tribal culture and language and to respond to the needs of the communities that chartered them. Little research has been done to understand quality assurance practices in the TCU setting. This study sought to fill the gap through interviews with leaders and faculty and staff members at five TCUs—three in North Dakota and two serving the Navajo Nation. There were strong similarities across TCUs. First, all five TCUs had a similar formal, four-step process to develop new academic programs. Second, all TCUs engaged in degree program development to add new degree levels and add options at an existing degree level. Third, all TCUs conducted regular reviews of their academic programs using a wide range of criteria, including graduation rates, job placements, student interest, and community needs. Fourth, contextual factors such as their rural locations, institutional identities, and integration of tribal culture and language influenced the design and selection of academic programs at the TCUs.