Program: Physics (MS, PhD)
Degree: Master's & Doctorate
Date: Wed Oct 07, 2015 - 9:15:00 pm
1) Below are your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs). Please update as needed.
PHYSICS / STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES / Master’s and Doctorate
[1] Engage in advanced theoretical and experimental physics studies of core principles of physics
[2] Establish expertise in focused areas of physical theory and experiment
[3] Gained exposure in current topics in theoretical and experimental physics in specific areas of physics research
[4] Produced directed study or original research in theoretical or experimental physics in a specific discipline
[5] Developed skills or gained experience as a physics or science educator
Student learning outcomes for individual courses are described in courses syllabi found on the departmental web site:
1) Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs) and Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.







3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.
- File (03/16/2020)
4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.





5) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015?


6) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period June 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015? (Check all that apply.)







7) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place in the last 18 months.
These surveys were administered to the graduate students (both those who had already passed the qualifying exam and those who had not) using Survey Monkey. The completed survey results were then compiled. A report summarizing the results of the survey was then presented to the Department Chair and to the chair of the Graduate Program Advisory Committee. The surveys also inquired for student input regarding concerns over TA and RA funding levels.
8) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 6? (Check all that apply.)
Direct evidence of student learning (student work products)














Indirect evidence of student learning







Program evidence related to learning and assessment
(more applicable when the program focused on the use of results or assessment procedure/tools in this reporting period instead of data collection)




9) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
31 (out of 40) students submitted evidence that was evaluated. These students were referred to a website application where they could fill out a survey. Different surveys were given to students who had already passed the qualifying exam and to those who had not, and these surveys were tailored to students level of progress through the program.
10) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)










11) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)







12) Summarize the results of the assessment activities checked in question 6. For example, report the percent of students who achieved each SLO.
A summary of the results of the assessment activities for the Physics Department graduate program are presented in a report which is available at the following website: http://go.hawaii.edu/Bg
13) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)









14) Please briefly describe how the program used the results.
The results have been forwarded to the Department Chair and the Graduate Program Advisory Committee, and they are considering how to use the results. Specific consideration is being given to the question of whether there should be modifications to the qualifying exam.
15) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.
We have begun taking surveys of the students once a semester, as opposed to once a year, with questions which vary based on pressing issues of concern. It is hoped that this will allow the department to more quickly respond to student feedback regarding the program.