The Student Progress Assessment (SPA)
The Student Progress Assessment (SPA) is an online tool that communicates and documents an evaluation of a graduate student’s progress in their degree program. The tool promotes productive discussions and the setting of clear goals and expectations for graduate students. The SPA, which was created in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association to foster meaningful feedback and communication, includes questions (for all involved) about professional development plans, coursework requirements, exam or thesis/dissertation progress, goals and expectations, and meeting/communication expectations.
As a student, this annual process begins with you. You first complete your sections of the SPA form, and then meet with your mentors to assess your accomplishments and plans. Your major professor will review and provide an assessment, which will then flow to your faculty academic advisor for review and final approval. You will have two weeks to view and acknowledge your SPA report, after which it will route automatically to Graduate Studies.
Annual SPAs are required for all students and completed in Spring Quarter. As needed, interim SPAs are available to document expectations in Summer, Fall, or Winter Quarter. Please contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to launch an Interim SPA.
Outcomes of the SPA
- Satisfactory - Student is making adequate progress towards completing their degree.
- Marginal - Student is making some progress, but there are opportunities for improvement. Marginal SPAs should be very detailed and include specific information on what expectations are not being met, how satisfactory progress can be achieved, and a timeline for action.
- Marginal SPAs do NOT have an impact on student standing (i.e. student is not on probation or subject to dismissal). A second SPA should be completed after a Marginal rating to review progress towards satisfactory standing.
- Unsatisfactory - Student is not making adequate progress towards their degree, and immediate improvements are required. Unsatisfactory SPAs should be very detailed and include specific information on what expectations are not being met, how satisfactory progress can be achieved, and a timeline for action. In cases where the graduate student is registered in 299 units, unsatisfactory progress related to research should be reflected in both the research grade (S/U) and the SPA.
- No student will be disqualified based on one unsatisfactory progress report. The student must have at least one quarter to remedy whatever is unsatisfactory about their work. A second SPA should be completed after an Unsatisfactory rating to review progress towards satisfactory standing. Graduate Studies explains more information about outcomes of an Unsatisfactory SPA.
Best Practices
- Discuss expectations and progress early often. Students and faculty should not wait until SPA season to begin conversations about progress. It should be happening year round.
- Interim SPAs are a great way to document meetings about expectations and progress, even when progress is satisfactory. The SPA helps ensure all parties are in agreement and have a written record of ongoing goals and expectations.
- Be specific in SPAs. Use objective, factual language that clearly evaluates the student’s progress. Provide detailed action items with clear deadlines.
- Faculty should not assess students on:
- Personal issues (medical/mental health, pregnancy/family obligations). Faculty should refer any student who needs support to campus resources.
- Conduct (plagiarism, behavior). Faculty should report these issues directly to OSSJA.
- Employment issues with no academic component for the student (such as TA performance). Faculty should report these issues to Academic Personnel by emailing Tracey Pereida at [email protected].
Additional instructions and information are available on the Graduate Studies SPA webpage and the Student Progress Assessment help page.
The Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Overview
The Individual Development Plan (or IDP) is a tool we use to annually monitor student progress. IDPs are planning tools to help students create a plan of action and support professional development needs and career goals. IDPs are also meant to facilitate communication between trainees and trainers and foster deeper mentee-mentor relationships.
Download a digitally accessible PDF template here. Download a digitally accessible Word template here.
Submit your 2025-2026 IDPs here. You will need to log in via Kerberos!
About IDPs
As a component of a broader mentoring program, an IDP can help trainees and mentors:
- Identify short-term and long-term goals
- Monitor and document research progress and accomplishments
- Identify and set goals for the upcoming year, including how to allocate time to accomplish goals
- Define ways to develop specific skills and experience needed to complete research training and prepare for long-term career objectives
Overview of the IDP Process
- Complete the Skills Assessment. Assess your current skills and competencies. Ask your mentor to also provide an assessment.
- State your research and career goals and evaluate your progress in the past year.
- Set goals for the next year. Be as specific as possible including methods to achieve goals, methods to assess goals, and complete the time management table.
- Set up an appointment with your mentor. Discuss your IDP, request your mentor to provide feedback. Implement the steps outlined in the IDP and periodically review progress with your mentor. Revise as needed. An effective IDP is a living document that changes as your goals evolve and you move through the different stages of graduate school.
Our IDP template is based on the one used by the NIH. myIDP is a FREE online IDP service where you can complete exercises to help examine your skills, interests, and values to learn about potential career options. Once complete, the site provides a list of scientific career paths with a prediction of which ones best fit your skills and interests. This is not the same as the annual IDP.