AAPT.org - American Association of Physics Teachers

AAPT Undergraduate Physics Program Review Project

AAPT recognizes that undergraduate physics programs benefit from receiving feedback on the quality of the program.  In order to assist physics programs that are planning a review, AAPT maintains a list of reviewers whose name will be supplied to institutions submitting requests. 

For Potential Reviewers

To be a reviewer, you must currently meet (or have met in the past) the following two qualifications:

  1. Tenure in a physics and/or astronomy department at the home institution, senior rank at a community college or high school, or rank as a senior instructional support specialist.
  2. Extensive knowledge of current ideas and practices in laboratory equipment, computers, curriculum design, and texts at the level to be reviewed (e.g., university, four-year college, two-year college, technical institute, or high school).

You also must meet three of the following five qualifications:

  1. Experience in program review for your department;
  2. Experience as an external reviewer for another department or program;
  3. Administrative experience;
  4. Experience in the accreditation process (e.g., ABET, regional accreditation association);
    5. or
  5. Experience in communicating with the upper-level administration of your home institution regarding education policies.

If you want to help your colleagues and gain professional recognition at the same time by serving as a program reviewer, send a one-page letter explaining your qualifications to eo@aapt.org.  Be sure to include your name, address, e-mail address, daytime phone, education (highest degree first), area of specialty, experience (in reverse chronological order) and an up-to-date c.v.

For Physics Programs Interested in a List of Reviewers

AAPT maintains a list of reviewers whose name will be supplied to institutions submitting requests to eo@aapt.org.  Requesting institutions are responsible for selecting, contacting, and contracting the reviewer. Please note that reviewers represent themselves, not AAPT.

Resources for Program Reviews

AAPT has a number of useful resources to aid undergraduate physics programs undergoing review.  These include:

For more information about this project, call (301) 209-3311 or email eo@aapt.org.