Unit: Social Work, Myron B. Thompson School of
Program: Graduate Academic Advising (PhD)
Date: Fri Oct 10, 2014 - 3:23:23 pm

1) Below are your program's student outcomes (SOs). Please add or update as needed.

I. PROGRAM GOAL

The goal of advising for the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work is to assist students in achieving their academic and professional goals and graduating on a timely basis from the PhD in Social Welfare program.

The PhD program chair provides academic advising for all PhD students during their first academic year.  At the end of the first academic year, each student (in consultation with the PhD program chair) shall select a graduate faculty member of the School of Social Work who will serve as the student’s advisor.

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES

Outcome 1: Students will be able to complete the PhD program core requirements and the Qualifying Examination in a timely manner.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to identify their research interest and, together with their advisor, will be able to develop their specialization plan. Students will be able to identify and utilize resources that support them in achieving academic and professional goals.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to complete the Comprehensive Examination in a timely manner.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to complete their dissertation research and pass the dissertation defense (within the Seven-Year Rule).

III. MEASUREMENT

  1. All incoming students are required to attend a mandatory orientation where they receive academic/curricular information including the PhD program requirements, the PhD program manual, departmental information/resources and student advising, University of Hawaii policies, and computer training for courses taught using a hybrid format.
  2. All student files will contain the student’s curricular pathway that includes completion of the Qualifying Examination, Specialization Plan, Comprehensive Examination, and dissertation defense that is updated every semester by the student and his/her advisor.
  3. Each semester, all students meet with their advisor.
  4. All students complete the annual Student Review, which will be kept in the student file.

2) Your program's SOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Program's Website. URL:
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: http://www.hawaii.edu/sswork/phd-forms.html
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure. URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Other: New Student Orientation, SSW bulletin boards
Other: Electronic and hard copy mailing via student list serve and mailboxes

3) Provide the program's activity map or other graphic that illustrates how program activities/services align with program student outcomes. Please upload it as a PDF.

Activity Map File(s) from 2014:

4) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning activities to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys, etc.)

Yes
No (skip to question 14)

5) For the period between June 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the student outcomes that were targeted, if applicable.

New Student Orientation

Prepare the students for a successful beginning in the program and address the student’s information needs.

Annual Student Review

100% of students participate in the Annual Student Review.

Academic Advising

100% of students receive academic advising from their chair at least once per semester.

Academic Progress Chart
Update/maintain academic progress chart in each student’s file.

Qualifying Examination (QE)

Provide study guide for QE to the students, work with students to schedule their exam dates/times, and administer the exam.

Specialization  Plan

Every student who is at this point in the curriculum is making progress.

Dissertation Committee

Every student who is at this point in the curriculum is assembling his/her dissertation committee.  Potential committee members (especially the chair and university representative) are checked against Graduate Division’s potential committee member online listing.

Comprehensive Examination

Every student who is at this point in the curriculum is making progress.  Ensure proper paperwork is completed and submitted.

Dissertation Defense

Every student who is at this point in the curriculum successfully passes his/her dissertation defense.

6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #5.

New Student Orientation

      A survey which used a five-point Likert scale and three open-ended questions.

Annual Student Review

Student submits a completed Annual Student Review form.

Academic Advising

Student submits a completed Advising Sheet that is signed by his/her chair.

Academic Progress Chart
Each student’s academic progress chart is up-to-date.

Qualifying Examination (QE)

Successful administration of QE.

Specialization  Plan

Student submits his/her completed Specialization Plan which is signed by the Specialization Committee members.

Dissertation Committee

Student submits the internal SSW Doctoral Committee Approval form.

Comprehensive Examination

Successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam.

Dissertation Defense

Pass the dissertation defense

7) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

Twenty-one PhD students, eight PhD committee members, and faculty.

8) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? Check all that apply.

Program faculty/staff member(s)
Faculty/staff committee
Ad hoc faculty/staff group
Director or department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean or Associate Dean
Advisory Board
Other:

9) How did he/she/they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? Check all that apply.

Compiled survey results
Used quantitative methods on student data (e.g., grades, participation rates) or other numeric data
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, or other open-ended response data
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used a rubric or scoring guide
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., Social Science Research Institute)
Other:

10) For the assessment questions/goals stated in Question #5, summarize the actual results.

New Student Orientation

      The survey results showed that students strongly agreed that the New PhD Student Orientation met its goal of preparing them for successful entry into the program.

Annual Student Review

Participation in the Annual Student Review was 100%

Academic Advising
Participation in Academic Advising was 100%

Qualifying Examination (QE), Specialization  Plan, Comprehensive Examination, and Dissertation Defense

      Except for one student who has not passed her CE, the rest of the students who were at any of these points within the program successfully met the goal.

11) What was learned from the results?

New Student Orientation

Students found the orientation to be informative and helpful.  They commented that they appreciated the lunchtime panel discussion.  The open discussion and honesty about the PhD student life and time management was helpful.  One student mentioned that it would be nice to meet all PhD students before the orientation.

Annual Student Review and Academic Advising

The Annual Student Review provided the program with information about each student’s progress in the program, accomplishments, and challenges.  Academic advising was another way for the program to keep track of each student by semester.

12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.

The results will be used to inform the program in improving future orientations and advising.  The results also prompt improvements in program administration, information dissemination, and follow up.

13) Reflect on the assessment process. Is there anything related to assessment procedures your program would do differently next time? What went well?

14) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please explain.
Or, if the program did engage in assessment activities, please add any other important information here.

PhD students and faculty are provided the same reminders for academic advising as undergraduate and MSW students/faculty by the Student Services Office.  PhD advising faculty are also given the same instructions on submitting their academic advising forms as all other advising faculty.