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Syllabus
HIED 801: Foundations of Institutional Research
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.This course is an overview of the theory and practice of institutional research. Topics include: institutional research office organization, structure, and staffing; developing effective reports; working with national datasets. Other topics include understanding the key areas of institutional research analysis that are examined in greater depth in the other online courses: planning and budgeting, students and student services, enrollment management, assessing academic outcomes and programs, faculty workload, performance and compensation.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
This course provides students with an overview of the institutional research profession, the most common functions that institutional research offices carry out, and effective reporting techniques. This is an introductory course that acquaints students with topics treated in greater depth in subsequent courses. The course is designed for those entering careers in institutional research and planning, as well as for those whose work is related to analysis and reporting in other higher education settings. This is one of two required courses for the Penn State Certificate Program in Institutional Research, offered in collaboration with the Association for Institutional Research. Nevertheless, those students who are not enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Institutional Research Program but want to register for the course, are welcome to do so.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of HIED 801, students should able to
- Upon completion of HIED 801, students should able to
- Recognize the skills and organizational units associated with the IR profession
- Use data to explore research projects and conduct statistical analysis
- Describe the current state of higher education institution using IPEDS data within Excel
- Predict outcomes for a higher education institution using data
- Present statistical results using key principles
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
While this course is asynchronous, your instructor may schedule synchronous sessions periodically throughout the course. Student and instructor feedback has indicated these sessions to be beneficial. Attendance at these sessions is highly encouraged, albeit not mandatory. If you are unable to attend a session due to work or time zone conflicts, please let your instructor know. They will identify an alternate activity for you. In addition, all synchronous sessions will be recorded for later viewing. Instructors choosing to convene synchronous sessions will send announcements early in the term about dates and times for these sessions.
| Assignment Types | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussions | Total: 70 |
| Lesson 1 Discussion: Introduction | 10 |
| Lesson 2 Discussion: Contemplation of Expert Videos | 10 |
| Lesson 3 Discussion: Locating Existing Data | 10 |
| Lesson 3 Discussion: Locating Existing Data, Part 2 | 10 |
| Lesson 6 - 13 Discussion: | n/a |
| Lesson 9 Discussion: A Bit of Fun, Continued | 10 |
| Lesson 12 Discussion: Correlation Examples | 10 |
| Lesson 14 Discussion: Contemplation of the Course | 10 |
| Written Assignments | Total: 600 |
| Lesson 2 Assigment: Current Skills & Plan for Professional Development | 100 |
| Lesson 3 - 4 Assignment: Data Research Report | 100 |
| Lesson 5–6 Assignment: Benchmarking Report | 100 |
| Lesson 7-8 Assignment: Confidence Intervals | 50 |
| Lesson 9-10 Assignment: Prediction Report | 100 |
| Lesson 11-12 Assignment: Regression | 50 |
| Lesson 13 Assignment: Presentation Analysis | 100 |
| Total Points | 670 |
Grade Scale
Letter grades will be based on the following scale:
| Percertage Value | Points | Letter Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 93–100 | 623-670 | A |
| 90–92.9 | 603-622 | A- |
| 87–89.9 | 583-602 | B+ |
| 83–86.9 | 556-582 | B |
| 80–82.9 | 536-555 | B- |
| 77–79.9 | 516-535 | C+ |
| 70–76.9 | 469-515 | C |
| 60–69.9 | 402-468 | D |
| Below 60 | 0-401 | F |
Late policy:
Each assignment is graded on an 100-point scale. Any assignment that is submitted late is penalized by three points if submitted late by one day and 1.5 points for each additional day of lateness within the full week, so that an assignment that is submitted one week late has a 12-point deduction. Each additional week of lateness leads to another 6-point reduction. Two exemptions exist for this policy: (a) each student will not be penalized for the first assignment that is submitted late by one day, and (b) if a student finds that an unexpected circumstance prevents him or her from completed an assignment on time, the student should inform the instructor of the situation ASAP (i.e., well before the due date) and request an alternative due date. We recognize that students have personal and professional lives that sometimes contain unanticipated challenges, and we wish to make reasonable accommodate those challenges while still enforcing due dates that encourage students to not fall behind in class.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Assignments and Readings
The tables below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course. In addition to the topics and assignments, the tables below list out the required readings for each lesson. Please note, these readings may be links, specific chapters from your text, and/or eReserves from the library.
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Course Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.