Assessment Methods

Portfolio Development»Guidelines by Curriculum

Management 495: Topics in Management
Management 497: Independent Study in Management

Portfolio Reviewer: Dr. Paul Champagne
Contact: pchampag@odu.edu

Criteria for Workplace Experience: Employed at least 5 years as a manager, with increasing managerial responsibilities

Students who have been approved to do MGMT 495 and/or MGMT 497 via portfolio should contact the faculty assessor, Dr. Paul Champagne, to review the specific content expectations for the portfolio.

Your portfolio must contain:

• Expanded resume
• Workplace documentation demonstrating managerial responsibilities and competencies, such as:
  • Reports of all types related to your managerial duties
  • Proposals and business plans
  • Mission statements and strategic planning documents
  • Performance evaluations and job descriptions
  • Memos and letters related to management task
  • Records of group projects where you've taken a leadership role
• At least 2 letters of verification from supervisors or employers. One must be current.
• A narrative describing your experiences in the workplace as a manager and analyzing what you have learned about management and how this applies to your degree program

The narrative in your portfolio should contain the following information:

• General workplace context: Identify the name, location, and purpose/function of your workplace (you can also describe and compare previous work environments.). Identify and describe the organizational structure of your workplace. Describe and analyze prevailing professional standards regarding such areas as planning, financial management, hiring, supervising, training, and communication among co-workers, subordinates and superiors.
• Responsibilities as Manager: Identify your position title and the title of your supervisor(s). Identify your role in the organization. Describe your primary responsibilities and analyze how they have changed since you first began with the organization.
• Progression: Describe your development as a manager. Identify and describe the skill sets you have developed throughout the duration of your employment. Give specific examples of problems you have solved in your organization. Analyze how these problem-solving experiences have fostered your professional development. Recommended areas to include are management styles, decision-making and problem solving, planning and strategy, human resources, budgeting, and leadership.
• Academic Relevance Analyze the relationships between your work experience, related training and your course work at Old Dominion University. How have your work experiences fostered your academic learning experiences? What have you learned in the classroom and in related training that you have applied to workplace situations? Give specific examples.
• Future Projection: Outline how you think you will continue to develop as a professional in your field. What are your strengths? In what areas do you want to continue to develop your skills and knowledge?