SMU uses the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric as its institutional standard for online course design quality. QM is a nationally recognized, research-supported framework used by hundreds of institutions. Adoption of QM as SMU's uniform standard was approved through the COE and FTC governance process and applies to all online courses regardless of school or format.
SMU's selection of QM as the institutional standard is deliberate; the institution's intellectual posture toward online education quality is plural. SMU recognizes complementary global quality frameworks — including the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) administered through EQAR, Australia's TEQSA framework, and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) quality models — and remains engaged with these communities as relevant to SMU's international learner population and global partnerships.
SMU's singular approach to integrating rigorous learning with hands-on experience will prepare you to achieve your educational goals and expand your world in ways you never imagined. Ours is a community of people forging their own paths. We'd like to help you shape yours.
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