Academic Program Review

Statewide academic program review is focused on the continued efficiency and effectiveness of existing programs.

KRS 164.020(16) grants CPE the authority to conduct statewide program reviews. CPE’s policy was updated in July 2021 to outline a three-pronged approach consisting of institutional program review efforts, statewide data analysis, and a focus on implementing the statewide postsecondary strategic agenda and was further updated in June 2025 to comply with legislation prohibiting approval of programs for which the primary purpose is to indoctrinate participants with a discriminatory concept.

Annual Institutional Reports

University and KCTCS system reports are due annually on July 15th.

Public Universities

Universities submit reports that:

Summarize the institutional program review process for the previous academic year;
Highlight the programmatic decisions made during the previous academic year; and
Discuss plans for institutional program review for the upcoming year.

KCTCS

The KCTCS System Office submits a report that:

Provides evaluations (grow, sustain, fix, or sunset) for each reviewed program;
Describes the strengths and/or opportunities of the program compared to the other similar programs offered across KCTCS colleges;
Describes the weakness and/or threats of program compared to the other similar programs offered across the KCTCS colleges;
Describes the variations (e.g., similarities and/or differences in strengths/opportunities and weaknesses/threats) across colleges offering each program; and
Summarizes any program improvement plans.

Unnecessary Duplication: Statewide Data Analysis

Program replication may be necessary to meet the academic needs of the state. However, KRS 164.020 compels CPE to prevent unnecessary duplication, generally defined as programs in the same CIP code that have low enrollment and demand. CPE staff analyze enrollment trends, as well as student demand and job demand as well as demand data to identify possible unnecessary duplication in the state’s academic portfolio.

Public Universities

CPE staff analyze data across public universities to determine if any program meets all the following criteria:

Multiple programs in the same CIP code;
Low and declining enrollment, defined as 40 or fewer students with a downward trend for three years;
Low new student demand; and
Low market demand.

Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)

For KCTCS programs undergoing the program review process, CPE staff analyze enrollment trends, degree/credential production trends, and market data to determine if any program meets any of the following criteria:

Low enrollment, defined as 10 or fewer students; or
Declining enrollment for the previous four years; or
Declining number of degrees or credentials conferred for the previous four years; or
Low regional student demand; or
Low regional market demand.

Statewide Strategic Agenda

To align academic programming with the priorities of the state's postsecondary education strategic agenda, CPE staff facilitate statewide discussion and initiatives to:

Understand existing policies and practices at institutions related to the priority;
Identify obstacles to full implementation of initiatives related to the priority;
Provide professional development opportunities related to the priority; and
Evaluate campus plans to create, implement, or expand initiatives related to the priority.

The academic quality framework of the Kentucky Graduate Profile guides this work. All public colleges and universities are working to embed the 10 Essential Skills in each undergraduate academic program.

For more information about academic program review, contact Sheila Brothers at sheila.brothers@ky.gov.

Policies and Forms

To view a catalog of all of Kentucky's academic programs, view the Academic Program Inventory.

Last Updated: 11/6/2025