Ministry of Education

Test Blueprint for National Exit Examination- 2015 E.C.

Band: Six

Program: - Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology

Prepared by:
1. Dr. Dawit Mekonnen (Assistant Professor at Addis e-mail- [email protected]
Ababa University) Phone: 0910041771
2. Dr. Yohannes Asmare (Assistant Professor at Bahir e-mail- [email protected]
Dar University) Phone: 0918207310

February, 2023
Ministry of Education
Ethiopia

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Objective of test blueprint .............................................................................................................. 3
3. Expected profile of the Graduates............................................................................................ 3
4. Program Objectives .................................................................................................................... 4
5. Competencies for Graduates ........................................................................................................ 5
6. Themes and list of courses ........................................................................................................ 7
7. Share of Themes/Courses/Items in the Exam ....................................................................... 8
8. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 15

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1. Introduction

The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has decided to implement exit exam for all
undergraduate program students (public and private), beginning from 2022/2023
academic year, in order to improve the quality of graduates produced by higher learning
institutions. The exit exam is aimed at checking the level of students’ knowledge, skills
and attitudes acquisition. To implement this, it requires determining competency areas
for a specific program and detailed planning of exam construction.

Tests are the tools that provide scores in measuring level of student learning and
achievement of study program learning competencies. Test should measure student
performance in all cognitive, affective and psychomotor dimensions. Test preparation is
not an easy task; hence; it requires a careful planning and guideline to make the task
simple. Planning of a test is the first and vital step in the construction of an achievement
test. Systematic planning leads to success in test construction and other follow up
activities. Planning of tests is a means for ensuring the validity and reliability of learning
and program learning outcomes. Carefully planned test construction contributes to
improve the overall quality of the test in terms of test content validity, difficulty level,
discrimination power and test reliability. Therefore, test construction needs the
preparation of test blue print.
Test blueprint is defined as a complete plan that explains how to develop a test. The term
refers to a map or specification of assessment to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum
and educational domains are covered by the assessment programs over a specified period
of time. It helps curriculum developers/test constructors to match various competencies
with the course content and the appropriate modality of assessment.

Generally, test blueprint will help to ensure that tests: 1) Appropriately assess the
achievement of instructional objectives of the course; 2) Appropriately reflect key course
goals, objectives and the material learned or covered during the instructional period; and
3) Include the appropriate item formats along with the knowledge, attitude and skills
being assessed.

Keeping this in mind, the team has prepared this test blueprint document in order to help
the test developers and content specialists in their process of test construction. The major

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points considered in the process of preparing this test blue print guideline were: the core
competencies that have been already identified for the program themes, courses, course
contents, credit hours, and the learning outcomes with their corresponding levels of
achievement by learning domains. In line with these, the number of test items that should
adequately assess the performance of students in all the content areas is determined by
Psychology professionals from Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar universities. Therefore, the
main purpose of this guideline is to give direction for content specialists who develop the
test so that they can construct quality tests.

2. Objective of test blueprint

The objective of this test blueprint to assist the preparation of a quality tests that are
representative, broadly sampled, and consisting of complete knowledge domain expected
of the Ethiopian higher education graduates up on completion of their study program. The
specific objectives of test blueprint are to:
 Facilitate the construction of a representative and balanced test items for the
selected courses/contents in accordance with the competencies identified.
 Guide test developers to appropriate test items.

3. Expected profile of the Graduates

 Provide professional assistance to individuals with personal, social, family,

developmental and educational problems
 Offer guidance and counseling services to students and other special groups such as
street children, people living with HIV/AIDS, displaced individuals, orphans etc.
 Provide professional assistance on psychosocial and educational issues to school
teachers, managers, administrators, workers in justice system, health professionals
and relevant others
 Act as a resource person in test development and statistical techniques at the academic
and non-academic institutions.
 Give various psychological trainings at academic and non-academic settings
 Conduct scientific research in various specialties of psychology
 Use critical thinking in solving problems
 Apply indigenous psychological knowledge

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 4. Program Objectives

4.1. General objectives

The general objective of the program is to:
 produce qualified psychologists who work in various governmental,
nongovernmental, and private agencies;
 produce professionals who carry out quality research on various psychological,
educational and, social issues, and
 Offer community services to individuals, institutions, and groups regarding problems
and issues pertaining to the field of psychology

4.2. Specific objectives

The specific objectives of the training program are to produce professionals who:
 can provide psychological services in governmental, nongovernmental, and private
institutions
 can offer guidance and counseling services to students and other special groups such
as street children, people living with HIV/AIDS, displaced individuals, orphans etc.
 are able to provide professional assistance on psychosocial and educational issues to
school teachers, managers, administrators, health professionals and relevant others
 can act as a resource person in test development and statistical techniques at the
academic and non-academic institutions.
 identify, assess and develop early intervention programs for persons with special
needs
 can initiate, organize, and evaluate various educational and social development
programs
 are able to render rehabilitation services
 can plan and conduct seminars, workshops and trainings in psychological and related
issues for stakeholders
 can conduct research on various psychological, educational and social issues
 can provide demand-based consultation and technical advice to individuals, groups,
and institutions
 assist criminal investigation in various settings, including family courts, criminal
courts, etc. by applying psychological principles, methods, theory and practices.

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  apply psychotherapeutic techniques that can help people become healthier.
 give support concerned with sports and exercise, focusing on performance,
motivation, and the psychological benefits of sports and athletics.
 work on workplace motivation, job performance, occupational safety, human
resources, and leadership training.
5. Competencies for Graduates
Competence is variously defined, and in this context, it involves the possession and
demonstration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the level of performance
expected from Psychology graduates. The main competencies and core areas are presented
below.

Theme One- Fundamentals of Psychology and Lifespan Human Development

Competencies

 Use psychological principles and theories to understand, explain, predict and control
their and others’ behaviour
 Assist others to understand how the psychological, social and biological factors
influence their day-to-day life experiences
 Appreciate individual differences in behaviour
 Understand theories of child and adolescent development
 Distinguish the different aspects and stages of human development
 Consult various groups on child and adolescent development

Theme Two- Psychology of Education and Psychological Assessment competencies

 Measure academic achievements using appropriate assessment methods and

instruments
 Consult educators on the measurement of academic achievement
 Appreciate standardized tests
 Use standardized tests ethically for various purposes
 Supervise assessment practices of schools and other academic institutions
 Understand application of psychological principles in teaching-learning process
and settings.
Theme Three- Research and Statistical Methods and Project in Psychology
competencies

 Apply a scientific approach in conducting psychological research

 Prepare and use appropriate data gathering instruments.

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  Develop psychological research /project proposals
 Summarize research results using statistical techniques
Theme Four- Social Psychology Competencies

 Understand attitude formation

 Apply persuasion techniques to change attitude and behaviour of people
 Apply techniques of social influence in various social settings
 Design possible mechanisms to enhance pro- social behaviours
 Apply aggression reduction mechanisms in the society
 Comprehend organizational and industrial behavioural patterns of employees,
leaders and owners
 Appreciate the application of the social psychology in various settings
 Apply various psychological principles to improve organizational productivity
 Understand concepts of social relations
Theme Five- Counseling, Health and Clinical Psychology Competencies

 Organize, manage and administer guidance and counselling services in different

organizations/settings
 Comprehend counselling psychology theories
 Understand the "counselling process" in the therapeutic relationship and its effect
on intervention.
 Provide guidance and counselling related services to reproductive health, marital,
educational, family, career, correctional and developmental issues
 Appreciate ethical principles in providing counselling service
 Apply counselling techniques and skills on various groups of clients
 Consult leaders and policy makers on prevention and intervention strategies of
different Psychosocial issues
 Understand the main diagnostic classification systems of psychological disorders
 Understand etiology and characteristics of various psychological disorders
 Apply therapeutic techniques in preventing and treating people with psychological
disorders

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 6. Themes and list of courses
Table 1: Themes, Courses and Credit Hours

S.N. Theme Courses Credit Hour

1 Fundamentals of Psychology General Psychology 3
and
Lifespan Human Personality Psychology 4
Development
Psychology of Childhood 3

Psychology of Adolescence 3

2 Psychology of Education and Educational Assessment and Evaluation 3

Psychological Assessment
Educational Psychology 3

3 Research and Statistical Statistical Methods 3

Methods and Project in
Psychology Research Methods in Psychology 4

4 Social Psychology Introduction to Social Psychology 3

Industrial/Organizational Psychology 3

5 Counseling, Health and Introduction to Guidance and Counseling 3

Clinical Psychology
3
Theories and Techniques of Counseling
Psychopathology 4

42
Total Credit Hours

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 7. Share of Themes/Courses/Items in the Exam

Table 2: Share of Themes and Courses

S.N. Theme Courses Course Credit Course Theme

reference Hour share share
number
1 Fundamentals of General Psychology 1 3 7 32
Psychology and
Lifespan Human Personality Psychology 2 4 9
Development
Psychology of Childhood 3 3 8

Psychology of Adolescence 4 3 8

Total 13 32

2 Psychology of Educational Assessment and 5 3 5 11

Education and Evaluation
Psychological Educational Psychology 6 3 6
Assessment
Total 6 11

3 Research and Statistical Methods 7 3 6 15

Statistical Methods
and Project in Research Methods in 8 4 9
Psychology Psychology
Total 7 15

4 Social Psychology Introduction to Social 9 3 10 18

Psychology
Industrial/Organizational 10 3 8
Psychology
Total 6 18

5 Counseling, Introduction to Guidance and 11 3 6 24

Health and Counseling
Clinical Theories and Techniques of 12 3 8
Psychology Counseling
Psychopathology 13 4 10

Total 10 24

42 100 100
Total

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 Table 3: Share of themes, courses and items from each domain
Themes Course Credit Weight of Number of test Cognitive
Reference hour course from items from

Psychomotor
Understand
total items each course

Remember

Affective
Evaluate
Analyze
(%)

Create
Apply

Total
Theme One 1 3 7 7 1 3 2 - - - - 1 7
2 4 9 9 1 4 2 - - - 2 - 9
Share = 32 3 3 8 8 1 2 2 1 - - 1 1 8
items from 4 3 8 8 2 2 - - - - 2 2 8
the total Theme one 16 32
total
Theme Two 5 3 5 5 1 1 - - - - 1 2 5
6 3 6 6 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 - 6
Theme two 6 11
Share = 11 total
items from
the total
Theme Three 7 3 6 6 1 2 - - - - - 3 6
8 4 9 9 2 2 1 - - 1 - 3 9
Share = 15 Theme three 7 15
items from total
the total
Theme Four 9 3 10 10 2 3 - - - - 2 3 10
10 3 8 8 1 1 4 - - - 1 1 8
Share = 18 Theme four 6 18
items from total
the total
Theme Five 11 3 6 6 2 1 1 - - - 1 1 6
12 3 8 8 2 1 1 - 1 - 1 2 8
Share = 24 13 4 10 10 2 2 3 1 - - - 2 10
items from Theme five 10 24
the total total
Total for the program 42 100 100 19 22 20 3 2 1 12 21 100

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 Table 4: Test Blueprint (Table of Specification) for BA in Psychology Program

The three domains and their Levels

No. of items
Share of themes in %

Share of course in %
Affective Psychomotor
Theme Credit Hour

Cognitive

Course Names

Credit hour
Themes

Expected Competencies
Learning outcome/Core

Characterization
contents to be covered

Understanding

Naturalization
Remembering

Manipulation
Organization

Articulation
Responding
Application

Evaluation

Receiving

Imitation

Precision
Creation
Analysis

Valuing
• Use psychological 3 7  Concepts, goals, braches, 2
principles and theories to and perspectives of 1 1

General Psychology
understand, explain, predict and Psychology
control their and others’ behavior  Sensation, attention and 1
13 32 • Assist others to understand perception 1
how the psychological, social and
 Memory and forgetting 1 1 2
biological factors influence their
day-to-day life experiences  Motivation and emotion 1 2
1
• Appreciate individual
differences in behavior 4 9  Major concepts of personality 1 1 1 2
• Understand theories of  Factors and determinants of
1
1
child and adolescent development personality
• Distinguish the different
 1 3
Psychology
Personality

Assessment of personality
aspects and stages of human 1 1
development  Theories of personality 3
Fundamentals of Psychology and

• Consult various groups on (psychoanalytic, trait and 1 1

Lifespan Human Development

child and adolescent development humanistic)

3 8  Principles, domains, and 2
controversies of Human 1 1
Development
 Theories of human 2
1 1
Psychology of

development (Freud Erikson ,

and Piaget)
Childhood

 Developmental changes during 1 1 2

pre and post natal periods
Characteristics and Developmental
1 1 2
Tasks

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 3 8  Fundamental changes in 1 1 4
1 1

Adolescen
Psycholog
Adolescence
 Developmental and 1 1 4

y of
Psychosocial Problems of 1 1

ce
Adolescents
6 11 • Measure academic 3 5  Basic concepts of assessment 1
1
Psychological

Educational Assessment
achievements using appropriate and evaluation
assessment methods and  Purpose of assessment and 1
1
instruments evaluation

and Evaluation
• Consult educators on the  Steps in classroom test 1 1
measurement of academic preparation
 1 1
and

achievement Qualities of tests (validity and

reliability)
• Appreciate standardized
 Considerations in test format 1 1
Education

tests
selection
• Use standardized tests
3 6  Focal Areas of Educational 1
ethically for various purposes 1
Psychology
• Supervise assessment 
practices of schools and other
Factors Affecting Learning 1 1
Psychology of

 Learning Theories and 3

academic institutions 1 1 1

Educational
Psychology
Assessment

implications
• Understand application of
 Instructional strategies and 1 1
psychological principles in
classroom management
teaching-learning process and
settings.
7 15 • Apply a scientific approach 4 9  Classification of research 1 1 2
Statistical

Psychology
in conducting psychological  1
Methods in

Steps in research 1
Research

research
 Sampling techniques 1 1 1 3
• Prepare and use
appropriate data gathering  Types of data collection 1 3
1 1
instruments. instrument
and

• Develop psychological 3 6  Basic terms in statistics 1 1

in Psychology

research /project proposals  Scales of measurement in 1

1
Psychology
Methods in

• statistics
Statistical

Summarize research results

Research
Methods

using statistical techniques  Measures of central tendency 1 1 3

1
(mode, mean and median)
 Measures of relationship 1 1
6 18 • Understand attitude 3 10  Basic concepts 1 1
Social Psychology

formation  1
Introduction to

Socialization concept, agents

• Apply persuasion 1
and, purpose
Psychology

techniques to change attitude and  Impression formation and 1 1

behavior of people attribution
Social

• Apply techniques of social  Attitude/behavior formation

1 1 2
influence in various social settings and change,

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 • Design possible  Social influence(conformity, 1 2
mechanisms to enhance pro- social compliance and obedience) 1
behaviors
• Apply aggression reduction  Intergroup relations and 1 2
mechanisms in the society attraction (stereotype,
1
• Comprehend prejudice, discrimination,
interpersonal relationship)
organizational and industrial
 Pro-social and anti-social 1 1
behavioral patterns of employees,
behaviors
leaders and owners
3 8  Concepts I/O 1 1
• Appreciate the application

Industrial/Organization
of the social psychology in various  Theories of Leadership 1 1 2
settings  Job design 1 1
• Apply various  1 2

al Psychology
Workforce motivation 1
psychological principles to improve
 Organizational culture 1 1
organizational productivity
• Understand concepts of  Managing diversity 1
social relations 1

10 24 • Organize, manage and 3 6  Goals of Guidance and 1

1
administer guidance and counseling Counseling

Introduction to
Guidance and
services in different  Ethical and Legal Issues in 1 1

Counseling
organizations/settings Counseling
• Comprehend counseling  Basic Counseling Skills 1 1 1 3
psychology theories  The Counseling Process 1
1
• Understand the
"counseling process" in the 3 8  Goal of Psychotherapy 1 1
Techniques

Counseling
therapeutic relationship and its  Theories of counseling (views 1 2 7
Theories

effect on intervention. of human nature and

• Provide guidance and therapeutic techniques) 1 1 1 1
and
Counselling, Health and Clinical Psychology

of

counseling related services to

reproductive health, marital, 
educational, family, career,
4 10 Criteria for Defining Abnormal 1 1 2
Behaviours
correctional and developmental  Etiology of abnormal 1 1 2
issues behaviour
• Appreciate ethical  Assessing and Diagnosing 1 1 2
principles in providing counseling Abnormal Behaviour
service  Classification of abnormal 1 1 1 1 4
• Apply counseling behaviours
Psychopathology

techniques and skills on various

groups of clients
• Consult leaders and policy
makers on prevention and
intervention strategies of different
Psychosocial issues
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 • Understand the main
diagnostic classification systems of
psychological disorders
• Understand etiology and
characteristics of various
psychological disorders
• Apply therapeutic
techniques in preventing and
treating people with psychological
disorders
Total 42 100 13 42 100 1 2 2 100
9 2 0 3 2 1 9 3 15 3 3

Table 5: Blueprint Matrix showing Share of Competencies (KSA) per Courses for BA in Psychology Program

Share of Share of Competencies (in %)

S.No. Themes Course Name Cr Hours Remark
Courses (%) Cognitive Affective Psychomotor
1 Fundamentals of General Psychology 3 7 6 1
Psychology and Personality Psychology 4 9 7 2
Lifespan Human Psychology of Childhood 3 8 6 1 1
Development Psychology of Adolescence 3 8 4 2 2

2 Psychology of Educational Psychology 3 6 5 1

Education and Educational Assessment 3 5 2 1 2
Psychological and Evaluation
Assessment
3 Research and Statistical Methods in 3 6 3 3
Statistical Psychology-I
Methods and Research Methods in 4 9 6 3
Project in Psychology
Psychology
4 Introduction to Social 3 10 5 2 3
Social Psychology
Psychology Industrial/ Organizational 3 8 6 1 1
Psychology

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5 Counseling, Introduction to Guidance 3 6 4 1 1
Health and and Counseling
Clinical Theories and Techniques 3 8 5 1 2
Psychology of Counseling
Psychopathology 4 10 8 2
Total 42 100 67 12 21

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8. Conclusion

Exit examination plays a vital role in producing knowledgeable, skillful and attitudinally matured
graduates. It contributes to prepare competent graduates as it can serve as a quality check for
effectiveness. It also helps in improving academic programs quality, relevance and effectiveness.
Furthermore, it can create the platform for academic programs at different universities to work jointly in
improving quality of programs.

In a nutshell, to meet the graduation profile, competency and learning outcome, exit exam competency
selection and identifying core course was done for 2015 EC graduating students. As a result, preparation
of test blueprint is necessary to prepare fairly distributed items based on the above criteria. Hence, this
document is produced to assist the scientific preparation of exit examinations for all undergraduate
students of Bachelor of Arts program in Psychology.

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