Assessing Proficiency in Engineering and Technology within a Multidisciplinary Curriculum

The United States Military Academy (USMA) provides cadets with the intellectual foundation that they will need to succeed as military officers. The abilities to shape the physical world and to lead others in doing so are important competences of an Army officer. Therefore, the study of engineering and technology is fundamental to the education of cadets at West Point and embodies an important goal of the Military Academy's academic program. The overarching goal of the USMA's academic program is for graduates to anticipate and respond effectively to the uncertainties of a changing technological, social, political, and economic world. The Engineering and Technology Goal Team, a multidisciplinary group of faculty, maintains principal ownership of the design and assessment of this goal. The team's work is supported and reviewed by faculty through the Assessment Steering Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the dean. To measure cadets' achievement of the engineering and technology goal effectively, this team has articulated the standards of performance that the academy expects cadets to achieve. The assessment data suggests that USMA cadets and graduates generally achieve the standard set by the Engineering and Technology Goal Team.