SILVER CITY, NM—Students in the WNMU School of Business are outpacing their peers at other institutions according to the results of standardized testing.

Students in the bachelor's degree program in Business Administration are given an examination administered by Peregrine Global Services that assesses their understanding of a variety of business subjects, including economics, marketing, human resource management and business ethics. Their knowledge of these topics is tested first when they begin their academic study and again when they complete the program.

In recent years, WNMU students have consistently outperformed students at other universities both nationally and regionally. On the most recent outbound exam, WNMU students averaged 77.96% on the subject matter tests, while their peers at other southwestern universities averaged 64.03%.

WNMU students scored especially highly in economics, marketing, human resource management and the global dimensions of business, and they outperformed their peers on all fourteen subject matter tests administered.

Associate Dean of the School of Business Miguel Vicens Feliberty attributes the high scores in large part to the faculty's reflection on past test results. They are able to see where students might be underperforming and adjust their teaching to emphasize those areas.

"The faculty understands what the students might be missing, and they improve their teaching," he said.

Vicens also believes that changing student demographics play a role in the high scores. "One of the [subject tests] that was better in this last report was global business," he explained. "I think that having more international students in the School of Business helps a lot."

Vicens said that using the standardized test is helpful on multiple levels. "Internally, it helps our classes be more cohesive," he noted. "In Introduction to Business, students get the concepts, and then at the next level, in their 200-level classes, they will see the concepts again but from a different perspective. … The curriculum is more aligned than it was before."

This cohesiveness is reflected in a survey that students complete when they graduate, said Vicens. Students regularly note that there is continuity in their coursework.

Vicens said that the exit exam and the conversations surrounding it have helped the faculty in the School of Business become more collaborative. "It was an "Aha!" moment when we started talking about mapping the classes," he said. "It helps us be more accountable."

While administering the exit exams has helped the faculty and improved the curriculum, said Vicens, it also helps students to appreciate their own accomplishments and understand the value of their education.

"When you look at regional universities, they are more affordable [and] they have smaller class sizes, but students may feel they are not as well prepared as at the research institutions," said Vicens. "But this exam shows that your education here is as good as at any other school."