Evaluation and Impact Measurement
Overview
This unit introduces students to contemporary models and techniques in evaluation and impact measurement in not for profit, philanthropic, and social enterprise contexts. It provides students with a critically-informed introductory grounding in the key concepts and foundations of social research – including the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative methods – to enable students to develop an appreciation of the complexity, ethics, and politics of evaluation and impact measurement. Students will learn how to plan, design and implement evaluation and impact measurement at the project, program and organisational levels and how these can be used to develop an evidence base, inform decision-making and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.
Requisites
16-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply coherent and advanced knowledge of key concepts of evaluation and impact measurement in not for profit, philanthropic, and social enterprise contexts
- Critically analyse and apply contemporary models of evaluation and impact measurement
- Critically analyse the ethics and politics of evaluation and impact measurement
- Design and implement evaluation and impact measurement at project, program or organisational levels
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class |
2.75 | 12 weeks | 33 |
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning |
0.25 | 12 weeks | 3 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Individual | 30 - 50% | 1,3 |
| Report | Individual | 50 - 70% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Key concepts and foundations of social research
- Fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods
- Ethics and politics in evaluation and impact measurement
- Key models and techniques of evaluation and impact measurement
- Evaluation design for not for profit, philanthropic, and social enterprise contexts
- Emerging approaches to evaluation and impact measurement
- Preparing evaluation and impact measurement reports
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.