Assessment and Outcomes
Mission Statement: Defining What's Most Important
The Mission Statement is the initial point of reference for any program
or course. It is a concise statement of the general values and principles
which guide the curriculum. In broad strokes it sets a tone and a philosophical
position from which follow a program's goals and objectives; therefore
the mission statement is also a statement of program vision. The mission
statement can and should be brief. However, it is not an isolated document.
Rather, it is the cornerstone of a the curricular structure , defining
the very broadest curricular principles and the larger context in which
more specific curricular goals will fit. The program mission statement
should define the broad purposes the program is aiming to achieve, describe
the community the program is designed to serve, and state the values and
guiding principles which define its standards.
Program mission statements must also be consistent with the principles
of purpose set forth in the University's mission and goals statements;
therefore, a good starting point for any program mission statement is
to consider how the program mission supports or complements the University
mission and strategic goals.
Paraphrasing from several versions of Western's Mission Statement:
The mission of Western Washington University is to provide to Washington
State students a high quality undergraduate education which nurtures
the intellectual, ethical, social, physical, and emotional development
of each student, through:
- A common, broad-based mastery of the fundamental concepts, history,
perspectives, and significance of the arts, sciences, social sciences,
and humanities; and
- Baccalaureate and master's degree major programs of a practical
and applied nature directed to the educational, economic, and cultural
needs of Washington State residents.
These mission elements are further elaborated in Western's Strategic
Plan, which emphasizes three broad goals of educational quality, multicultural
enrichment, and community service.
The program mission statement must serve as a link between departmental
goals and objectives on the one hand, and University mission and goals
on the other; it must also demonstrate logical internal consistency among
program mission, goals, objectives, and outcomes.
As a result, writing the mission statement is an iterative process of
successive approximations:
- first approximation of mission
- first approximation of goals
- first approximation of objectives
- second approximation of mission, etc.
Therefore, in the initial stages of mission development, a rough listing
of the main purposes of a program, and how it fits into the larger mission
and goals of the University, might be adequate before moving on to first
approximations of program goals and objectives.
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