Relationship between Course Evaluations and Course Grades in Six Allied Health Programs

Most faculty members are evaluated by their administration, in part, based upon student evaluation results. This study sought to determine the relationship between course evaluation scores and course grades, in order to ensure academic rigor and optimize faculty evaluation practices. Overall course evaluation results were compared to average course grades for six allied health programs, over 3 years (n = 256 observations). There was no overall relationship between evaluation scores and course grades; however, individual differences between programs were seen. Grades achieved in a course did not affect the overall course evaluations. However, since there was a correlation between grades earned and course evaluations for some programs in the School of Allied Health, the importance of utilizing multiple assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of a course must be stressed.