Oral and written communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills are in high demand by employers (Rios, et al. 2020) and also vital to academic success. Yet these are not the skills that undergraduate business and MBA programs are explicitly teaching students. Recognizing this gap, Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School (MBS) launched an exciting program in partnership with CAE to strengthen these essential future-ready skills.

To establish a formative baseline measure, MBS is using CAE’s Success Skills Assessment (SSA+) to assess entering undergraduate students registered in the Freshman Business Initiative course. Additionally, it administers the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) to exiting undergraduate senior and Master of Business Administration cohorts through the school’s Strategic Management class after both fall and spring semesters. The CLA+ results are compared to prior senior classes to evaluate the effect of teaching higher-order skills. CAE has also provided performance-based instructional materials and training to MBS faculty, as well as critical-thinking instruction for students in the business initiative and management capstone courses.

If you’re interested in learning more about how CAE can support your faculty and staff with skill assessments, skill development support,  and guidance to improve student outcomes, let’s talk!