How UIC’s Online MESA Program Helps Students Build Individualized Paths to Success

UIC’s Online Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment (MESA) program prepares students to become experts in research design, statistics, psychometrics, and evaluation; skills that are increasingly in demand across numerous private, public, and non-profit industries. With courses designed to build a deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods, students graduate ready to apply evidence-based decision-making in various professional contexts.

Leading the program is Dr. Everett Smith, who has been part of UIC’s faculty since 1998 and helped design both the in-person and Online M.Ed. MESA programs, along with the Ph.D. in MESA. As the first fully online program of its kind, launched in 2008-09, MESA continues to stand out for its rigor, advanced coursework, and commitment to meeting each student’s individual career goals. In this spotlight, Dr. Smith shares insights into his teaching philosophy, mentorship approach, and how the program continues evolving to meet today’s learners’ needs.

Mentoring Students to Think Independently

Every faculty member interacts with their students differently, and my own experience as a doctoral student really shaped how I mentor others. During my PhD, I was highly independent. I tried to find answers to everything myself and, only as a last resort, reached out for help. Students who problem-solve and first attempt to figure things out on their own stand out to me. That’s the best way to learn in my opinion: exhaust your resources first, then reach out to faculty when you’ve done all you can.

My teaching style follows that same philosophy. I ensure students have the resources and guidance they need to succeed, but I encourage them to think critically and work through challenges before asking for help. I believe that a balance between independence and collaboration helps them gain confidence and prepares them for the research and data-focused work they’ll do in the field.

How UIC’s Online MESA Program Supports Individualized Career Goals

The depth of our course offerings allows us to tailor a study plan to each student’s career aspirations, whether pursuing, for example, a PhD in MESA, institutional research, evaluation, licensure and certification, and other careers where quantitative and/or qualitative methods are required.

When students apply, they usually give us a good idea of what they’d like to do with their careers in their personal statement, but I always reach out to schedule a one-on-one meeting. In those meetings, I ask what kinds of courses they’ve taken before, what research questions they’re interested in, what skills they want to develop, and what types of organizations they’d like to work with or for. Based on that, I lay out a course sequence that best meets their goals.

MESA covers a wide range of areas, so there’s a lot of variability in what students want to do with their coursework. After close to 30 years of working with so many types of students and the goals they bring, I can usually design a plan of study that helps them reach their goals.

Staying at the Forefront of Industry Trends and Technology

We keep our curriculum current by maintaining a list of current and former students and asking their opinions on what additional content would benefit them. We also ask the employer of our students what additional skills graduates should have. When we started in 2008-09, our main strengths were psychometrics and statistics. Over time, feedback showed that students wanted more depth in program evaluation, so we split our evaluation course into two and added a qualitative methods and a mixed-methods course to complement them.

I also monitor job postings regularly to see what employers are looking for in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities. We adapt when I see emerging trends such as employers asking for AI-related skills. We’re now developing a new Introduction to AI in MESA course. Overall, the skills we teach are broadly applicable, so students can apply what they learn to any content area they work in.

What Makes UIC’s MESA Program Stand Out

In UIC’s Online Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment program, our students have access to advanced courses in statistical and psychometric models, which are typically reserved for doctoral students in most programs. That level of rigor really sets us apart.

We also minimize the use of adjunct instructors. Most of our courses are taught by full-time faculty who keep course materials up to date and are highly responsive to students. The only adjunct we currently use teaches every other year and is one of my former doctoral students, and she is excellent at keeping the content current.

Early on, we decided to offer our courses asynchronously so students could learn at their own pace, regardless of where they live. Expecting someone in another country to log in at 5 p.m. Chicago time isn’t realistic. Asynchronous delivery makes the program accessible to working professionals and international students, while short weekly formative assessments help everyone stay on track.

Given that, flexibility and self-discipline, in my opinion, is the number one skill students need to succeed. Students need to log in regularly without a set meeting time to stay engaged. You’ll have a solid knowledge base if you just do the weekly work. But if you go beyond that, doing optional readings and assignments, you can really deepen your understanding of the material.

Advice for Prospective Online MESA Students

Do your due diligence when comparing programs. Look at the depth of course offerings to ensure they meet your needs. Check whether programs are synchronous or asynchronous to see which format fits your work and family schedule. Work closely with your advisor to create a realistic plan of study to achieve your goals, and above all, reach out with any questions. We’re here to help.