As graduate business programs welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds, institutions must address gaps in foundational business knowledge while improving graduate student preparedness. For faculty, this creates an instructional challenge. Graduate-level courses are designed to build on complex business theories. Yet, faculty often must reteach basic concepts to ensure all students can engage meaningfully with the curriculum. This dynamic can slow the pace of instruction, disrupt classroom cohesion, and place additional demands on faculty time. Without proper preparation, students can struggle with essential concepts in finance, accounting, economics, or statistics, leading to gaps in comprehension and engagement.
Even institutions with a high percentage of retained undergraduate students face this challenge. Jonna Myers, Assistant Professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology, explains that while many students continue their education at SWOSU, a significant portion comes from non-business backgrounds:
“In our business graduate programs, about 75% of our graduate students are alumni from Southwestern. So, these are students we have some existing relationships with. They are not all business students. We have many who come over from healthcare administration or education that have different professional goals.”
Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules bridge this gap by providing a scalable and efficient solution to ensure all students start their graduate studies with a strong foundation in core disciplinary knowledge. Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) is one institution that has successfully implemented Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules. This case study explores how SWOSU uses academic leveling to reduce barriers to entry, increase student success, and improve overall program effectiveness.
What is Academic Leveling? How Peregrine Helps Graduate Business Students Succeed
Peregrine Global Services developed Academic Leveling in 2009 to align with the core areas of undergraduate business education, ensuring that all students —regardless of prior experience—could confidently transition into graduate coursework.
Since its launch, 177 institutions have adopted Academic Leveling, benefiting both students and faculty by:
- Ensuring students begin graduate programs with essential knowledge
- Eliminating the need for faculty to reteach foundational concepts
- Increasing enrollment by replacing prerequisite courses with targeted preparation
- Improving retention and graduation rates by reinforcing core knowledge areas for student success
- Supporting institutions in meeting accreditation requirements efficiently
Additionally, Academic Leveling Modules are significantly more affordable than prerequisite courses and seamlessly integrate into academic programs, lowering the barrier for students who may be earning a graduate degree while also working in their industry.
Jonna Myers said, “We always get positive results. It is much easier to take an Academic Leveling Module than it is to fail and retake a class.”
As mentioned, this approach particularly benefits students balancing full-time work, studies, and financial constraints. Dr. Jonna Myers, Assistant Professor at SWOSU’s Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology, highlights the importance of addressing these challenges:
“Most of our graduate students balance full-time work with their studies and rely on financial aid. We recognize the challenges they face and are committed to respecting their time and responsibilities. At Southwestern, we’ve built a brand around home, family, and quality education. Our goal isn’t just to enroll students. We focus on building meaningful relationships and guiding them toward long-term success.”
How SWOSU Uses Academic Leveling: A Case Study on Graduate Business Success
Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a public university in Weatherford, Oklahoma, known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. With a history dating back to 1901, SWOSU offers more than 100 degree programs across various disciplines, including business, healthcare, and education. The Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology provides high-quality, career-focused business education, preparing students for leadership roles in an evolving global economy.
Using a structured approach, SWOSU successfully integrated Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules into its business programs, improving graduate student preparedness. The university’s strategy includes admissions and advisement, curriculum and assessment, and teaching and learning.
Admissions and Advisement
SWOSU’s Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology requires all graduate program applicants to complete an inbound assessment (pre-assessment) provided by Peregrine as part of the admissions process. This assessment, customized to SWOSU’s program priorities, is a diagnostic tool that measures competency across fundamental business disciplines. By
providing both students and faculty with a clear benchmark of proficiency, the assessment ensures that every incoming student is academically prepared for the challenges of graduate coursework.
Students are responsible for the cost of the assessment and receive their results immediately, which they then submit to the admissions team. To qualify for admission, students must achieve:
- A minimum score of 35% in each assessed area
- A composite score of at least 50%
Those who do not meet these thresholds must complete self-paced Academic Leveling Modules before beginning their graduate studies, reinforcing essential knowledge and skills to support long-term success.
Jonna Myers shared an example of a graduate student who initially found the assessment daunting, especially after having been out of school for several years. However, upon completing the exam, the student realized it was a valuable opportunity for self-assessment rather than an insurmountable barrier. As shown in the image below, the results indicated a score below 35% in Macroeconomics, signaling the need for additional preparation. Although the student met the overall composite requirement with a 53%, they also noted a 40% score in Human Resource Management and independently chose to complete that module as well.
This process, Jonna explains, is framed as a pathway to success rather than a hurdle. Faculty members emphasize that the goal is not to overwhelm students but to equip them with the tools necessary to thrive in their graduate education. As Jonna puts it:
“Peregrine’s assessment gives us a really tangible, quantifiable metric that shows us where our strengths are and where there are opportunities for growth.”
Curriculum and Assessment
Peregrine’s assessments and Academic Leveling Modules serve as powerful tools for curriculum development and continuous improvement. SWOSU’s Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology leverages the data we provide to refine its academic programs.
By analyzing assessment scores and module performance data, SWOSU tracks how foundational knowledge impacts student success throughout their graduate studies. This allows them to make evidence-based adjustments to their curriculum. For example, consistent trends in lower scores for accounting and finance have led faculty to explore ways to enhance these courses without compromising academic rigor. Our Academic Leveling Modules provide a strategic solution, bridging gaps in student knowledge so that faculty can focus on advanced concepts rather than spending valuable time on foundational material in graduate courses.
Beyond classroom instruction, Peregrine’s solutions support institution-wide conversations on learning gaps and program effectiveness. SWOSU uses this data to facilitate what they call “gap” conversations, structured discussions that drive curriculum enhancements, ensure faculty alignment, and provide a framework for reporting improvements to stakeholders, including accreditors.
Additionally, SWOSU utilizes our assessments for external benchmarking, comparing its performance with that of peer institutions to identify strengths and areas for growth. These insights support academic quality and serve as a compelling metric for alumni engagement, donor support, and institutional credibility.
“We can show alumni, donors, and employers that our students are exceptional, and we have the quantifiable metrics to back that up.”
Teaching and Learning
One of the most significant ways SWOSU has benefited from Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules is through faculty support and instructional efficiency. For many faculty members, a common frustration has been the perceived decline in student preparedness, whether in writing, research, or fundamental business concepts like accounting. Faculty members have long felt the need to spend the first few weeks of a semester reviewing prerequisite material instead of diving into advanced coursework.
However, since integrating Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules, faculty no longer feel compelled to reteach the basics. Instead, they can focus on delivering a rigorous graduate-level curriculum. As one faculty member shared:
“Peregrine’s Academic Leveling Modules allow me to maintain high rigor in my graduate courses. Gone are the days of dedicating initial class meetings to reviewing materials from pre-requisite courses!”
– MBA/M.S. Faculty Member
Beyond faculty benefits, students also experience increased confidence and success. Many incoming graduate students, especially those returning to school after years in the workforce, worry about their ability to keep up. The inbound exam helps them identify areas for improvement, and the Academic Leveling Modules provide a way to close those knowledge gaps. Also, students have access to module content for two years, allowing them to revisit material whenever needed.
One student described how the modules transformed their experience:
“I’ve been out of school for a while, so I was pretty nervous that I would be behind when I started my MBA. The Inbound Exam showed me that I needed to brush up on accounting. After taking the leveling course, I felt so much more confident. Now I’m on track to graduate in May with a 3.9 GPA.”
This student went from feeling uncertain about their ability to succeed in a graduate program to being on track to graduate with nearly a 4.0 GPA.
Improving Graduate Student Preparedness with Academic Leveling
SWOSU’s experience with Peregrine’s assessment and Academic Leveling Modules illustrates how institutions can bridge knowledge gaps, improving graduate student preparedness. By implementing a structured approach to admissions, curriculum development, and teaching and learning, SWOSU has impacted the quality of its programs.
Academic leveling provides a proven, scalable, and cost-effective solution for institutions seeking to increase graduate student preparedness, reduce remediation efforts, and improve retention.
Contact us to schedule a meeting to learn more.
