American Public University System (APUS) requires all undergraduate students to participate in our Learning Outcomes Assessment (LOA) process. This process includes the completion of the Peregrine General Education (PGE) assessment. This assessment is designed to measure student learning of general education skills. LOA results are used to inform the University System of student performance and identify areas for improvement within specific APUS academic programs and/or courses.
If you are an undergraduate student then you are required to take a general education assessment to fulfill your LOA graduation requirement. Completing one of these assessments not only fulfills your graduation requirement but also allows you to be a part of ensuring your institution is providing the highest quality education. These assessments allow us to evaluate our programs and make improvements where necessary. They also help keep us accredited so we can continue to nurture our students’ goals.
We understand that sometimes this requirement can be overlooked, but we assure you that it is mentioned multiple places throughout your academic experience at APUS. You will receive an email notification concerning this requirement once you have applied for graduation. However, before this notification you can find information for this requirement in the following locations:
- Academic Plan (within Ecampus)
- Student Handbook(within the graduation process section)
- Graduation Application Form
- Graduation Status page (within Ecampus)
The assessment covers general academic skills.
There are no study materials available for this assessment because it is meant to measure student learning as a student nears the end of his or her program. No preparation for the assessment is required.
This assessment requirement is different from any assessment you may be required to complete for a course. We do understand how this could be confused since there are Peregrine programmatic assessments required in some courses. Even if you completed a peregrine assessment for your course, you will still need to complete your required LOA graduation requirement. Course required assessments assess subject specific content and are required for your course. Whereas your LOA graduation requirement, the PGE (Peregrine General Education) assesses general academic skills and is required for graduation.
The assessment contains all multiple-choice questions.
You are eligible to complete your assessment once you have submitted a graduation application. Please note that not all courses need to be completed to take your assessment.
There is no cost to the student. The university covers the cost of the assessment.
No proctor is required.
No, your score will not keep you from graduating. Keep in mind these assessments are not included in your final GPA or considered a part of your academic performance. All results are confidential and used only to inform the University System of performance in a given subject area. However, neglecting to complete this requirement could affect your eligibility to graduate.
If you are required to complete an assessment and do not complete it by your conferral date, you will be moved to the next conferral and will not receive diplomas or official transcripts until all requirements are fulfilled.
If you feel that you have an extreme circumstance which prevents you from completing your LOA graduation requirement, please email the Assessment Office at [email protected], describing your situation. Your request will be reviewed by an Assessment Specialist for approval/denial.
Questions about the LOA process can be sent to the Assessment Office at [email protected] or 304-885-5460.