The Major Field Test in Business: A Pretend Solution to the Real Problem of Assurance of Learning Assessment

Colleges and universities are being asked by numerous sources to provide Assurance of Learning assessments of their students and programs. Colleges of Business have responded by using a plethora of assessment tools, including the Major Field Test in Business. In this article, we show that the use of the Major Field Test in Business for Assurance of Learning purposes is ill-advised. First, it provides no direct evidence of student learning. Second, it offers no useful comparative analyses to other business students or institutions. Consequently, it provides no guidance for curriculum or program changes to achieve better learning outcomes. Thus, use of the Major Field Test in Business offers only a ‘pretend’ solution to the problem of Assurance of Learning assessment.