The goal of this paper is to enhance understanding of the academic Discipline
Evaluation practice and to seek for a way to develop the evaluation systems by
comparing and analyzing the academic discipline evaluation systems among independent
non-governmental organizations in Korea. This paper covers eight academic disciplines -
engineering, medical, oriental medical, nursing, dental, business administration, commerce
and trade, and architect. I researched the current state of evaluation of those disciplines
with such topics as principal agent, aim, subject, criteria, procedure, and use of the
outcome. The conclusion can be summarized as follows. First, principal agents are
independent non-governmental organizations. We need to establish the organization
which accredit the evaluation organizations. Second, the aim of the evaluation is to
improve program quality and education. Accrediting procedure and criteria should be
adjusted to enhance the quality of program substantially. Third, the evaluation is not
mandatory but voluntary, the evaluation fee is being paid by the individual program.
Government should support the financial support. Fourth, every independent
non-governmental organizations should seek for the ways to improve reviewers'
qualification because the evaluation is conducted on the basis of the subjective evaluation
and emphasizes the outcomes more than the input. Fifth, it takes too much time to
review program's self-study report and have on-site visit. Also there is a problem how to
guarantee the objectivity in evaluation with limited pool of evaluators. Sixth, the
outcome of the evaluation is divided by 'accredited' and 'not accredited', which can be
open to the many kinds of consumers. However, the accrediting organizations need to
make effort to give substantial benefits to the students and the programs.