Quality Matters (QM) is a faculty-centered peer review process designed to provide feedback on various elements of online courses and online components. It has generated widespread interest in online education and received national recognition for its research-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement in online learning.
Why should I consider a QM course review?
QM offers a supportive process for your online course quality to be enhanced. The QM rubric is based on decades of research, and the feedback you receive from faculty and staff is collegial, constructive, specific, and actionable.
Who is QM for?
QM benefits faculty, instructional designers, and graduate teaching assistants across the University system who want to improve their online course design.
Course Reviews Using the QM Rubric
- Internal Course Reviews
- UMN-Managed Recognition Reviews
- QM-Managed Official Certification Course Reviews
The University of Minnesota offers internal course reviews using the QM rubric beginning fall 2025. Internal course reviews are a way to get your course reviewed by UMN faculty and staff who review your course using the QM evidence-based rubric. Feedback provided is collegial, constructive, supportive, and specific. There are a limited number of no-cost internal course reviews available. Internal reviews do not end in a QM certification.
Cost: None
The University of Minnesota offers the UMN Managed Recognition Reviews which includes a review of a course against the three-point Essential Specific Review Standards from the QM rubric.
Cost: $800 per course review.
QM can administer Official Certification Course Reviews managed by Quality Matters (QM) in compliance with QM Course Review Requirements. QM staff manage the review, select the review team, pay the reviewers, and invoice the institution.
Cost: $1,300 per course review.
Interest in becoming a Quality Matters Peer Reviewer?
QM peer reviewers are part of a team that performs course reviews at the University of Minnesota systemwide.
If you're interested in becoming a QM peer reviewer, fill out the form to get started: Become a QM Reviewer
If you would like to learn more about becoming a peer reviewer at the University of Minnesota, contact [email protected].
Other QM Professional Development
Get access to Quality Matters professional development! Follow the instructions to create your own QM account. Many of these resources are free to you as a University of Minnesota faculty, staff, or graduate student. Creating an account has many benefits, including:
- Webinars (live and archived)
- The Teaching Online Certificate
- Access to resources and articles
- Information about research presentations
- Conference opportunities
- Inclusion in a network of online educators interested in high quality instruction
For questions about Quality Matters at the University of Minnesota, contact [email protected].