Program: Nutritional Sciences (MS)
Degree: Master's
Date: Tue Oct 27, 2009 - 9:12:52 pm
1) List your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs).
The learning objectives of the Nutritional Sciences MS program are that students will:
a. Demonstrate mastery of fundamental knowledge in the field of nutrition.
b. Demonstrate advanced scholarship in their specialty area in the field of nutrition.
c. Communicate both orally and in writing at a high level of proficiency.
d. Conduct and interpret nutrition research.
e. Function as a professional in their chosen discipline.
2) Where are your program's SLOs published?
Department Website URL: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hnfas/degrees/grad/NUTRms.html
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: UHM Catalog. Page Number: Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: Other: Other: 3) Upload your program's current curriculum map(s) as a PDF.
4) What percentage of courses have the course SLOs explicitly stated on the course syllabus, department website, or other publicly available document? (Check one)
0% 1-50%
51-80% 81-99% 100%5) State the SLO(s) that was Assessed, Targeted, or Studied
In our MS program each student is assessed individually for all SLOs at appropriate points in their degree program using the procedures outlined below.
a. Oral candidacy examination (given after one year in the program). The candidacy examination is used to evaluate whether the student has a mastery of fundamental knowledge in their discipline and related fields, and can express this knowledge orally in a professional manner. If deficiencies in fundamental knowledge or communication skills are uncovered, the examination committee recommends course work, independent study, mentorship by a faculty member, seminar presentations, or other appropriate means to remedy the deficiency. Prior to the examination, the student’s advisor and examination committee review the student’s undergraduate transcripts and graduate program academic progress. The purpose is to ensure that the student has taken, or plans to take, all required courses as well as any deficient prerequisite courses. In addition, timely progress on the student’s proposed research is evaluated.
b. Required seminar presentations in FSHN 682. These presentations are used by the seminar instructor and the student’s advisor to evaluate the student’s oral communication proficiency in their field and any needs for further development. At least two seminar presentations focusing on research literature are required during the student’s program. These presentations are used to evaluate the students’s ability to interpret research literature and present literature reviews in a professional format (e.g. Powerpoint) using appropriate oral communication skills.
c. Required teaching assistant experience. This experience is used to evaluate the student’s ability to work in a professional educational/instructioal context. All students are required to assist a faculty member with instructional-related work for at least one semester during their MS program. The faculty member and the student agree on a set of instructional-related duties prior to the start of the semester. At the end of the semester, their instructor evaluates the student’s performance in writing with a copy forwarded to the graduate chair. If the evaluation is unfavorable, the experience must be repeated until a favorable evaluation is achieved.
d. Thesis defense/final examination. This culminating experience evaluates the student’s ability to conduct research at the MS level, write a research report in publication format, and orally present research findings in a professional manner. The final examination committee evaluates these abilities by reading the written report, listening to the oral presentation, and conducting and oral examination covering all aspects of the written report and presentation. If any aspect of the final examination is unsatisfactory, the student is asked to remedy the situation. This may involve rewriting the report, conducting more research, preparing a new presentation, or deepening their understanding of the research in order to demonstrate that they can functional the professional level as a researcher in the field.
6) State the Assessment Question(s) and/or Goal(s) of Assessment Activity
The SLOs/Goals of the program evaluations are to ensure that students will:
a. Demonstrate mastery of fundamental knowledge in the field of nutrition.
b. Demonstrate advanced scholarship in their specialty area in the field of nutrition.
c. Communicate both orally and in writing at a high level of proficiency.
d. Conduct and interpret nutrition research.
e. Function as a professional in their chosen discipline.
7) State the Type(s) of Evidence Gathered
a. Candidacy examination results (given after one year in the program). The candidacy examination is used to evaluate whether the student has a mastery of fundamental knowledge in their discipline and related fields, and can express this knowledge orally in a professional manner. The student either passes or must retake the exam and pass to stay in the program.
b. Grades on required seminar presentations (FSHN 682). These presentations are used by the seminar instructor and the student’s advisor to evaluate the student’s oral communication proficiency in their field and any needs for further development.
c. Required teaching assistant experience. At the end of the semester, their instructor evaluates the student’s performance in writing with a copy forwarded to the graduate chair. If the evaluation is unfavorable, the experience must be repeated until a favorable evaluation is achieved.
d. Thesis defense/final examination. This culminating experience evaluates the student’s ability to conduct and evaluate research at the MS level, write a research report in publication format, and orally present and interpret research findings in a professional manner. The final examination committee evaluates these as a pass or fail assessment. If the student fails, they can petition to reatake the exam. They must pass to graduate from the program.
8) State How the Evidence was Interpreted, Evaluated, or Analyzed
Candidacy exam: Evidence is interpreted, evaluated, and analyzed by the student's candidacy exam committee which is made up of three members of the graduate faculty, chosen by the student and approved by the graduate chair to insure quality, consistency, and fairness in the make up of the committees.
Seminar presentations in FSHN 682 are evaluated by the instructor for the course in terms of written comments and a grade, by the students advisor who attends the seminar and gives feedback to the student, and by the student's classmate peers who give written feedback to the student.
Instructional experience: The students performance in their instructional experience is evaluated by the instructor with whom the student is working who submits a written evaluation to the graduate chair. The chair reviews the evaluation for evidence of a sufficient and favorable performance.
Thesis defense/final exam is evaluated and analyzed by the student's thesis research committee that consists of the student's thesis advisor and at least two other graduate faculty members chosen by the student and approved by the graduate chair.
9) State How Many Pieces of Evidence Were Collected
For each student five pieces of evidence are collected:
1) Transcripts and GPAs
2) Results of the candidacy exam.
3) Evaluation of the student's performance in required seminar classes.
4) Evaluation of the student's performance in their instructional experience.
5) Results of the student's thesis defense/final exam.
10) Summarize the Actual Results
For the period of June 2008- September 2009
1) Transcripts and GPAs
All studnets in our MS program maintained at least a 3.0 GPA except for one student who had a 2.99 GPA.
2) Results of the candidacy exam.
5 students took the exam, all 5 passed.
3) Evaluation of the student's performance in required seminar classes.
All students in our program received a B grade or better in our Seminar class.
4) Evaluation of the student's performance in their instructional experience.
4 students were teaching assistants, all were favorably evaluated by their mentors
5) Results of the student's thesis defense/final exam.
6 students took their final exam/thesis defense - all 6 passed.
11) Briefly Describe the Distribution and Discussion of Results
The results are received by the program's graduate chair, the student's thesis research advisor, and where appropriate the studnet's candidacy exam committee and thesis committee. Any problems are discussed among the chair, the advisor, and appropriate committees. A plan to remedy any problems is created, discussed with the student, and implemented by the advisor and graduate chair.
12) Describe Conclusions and Discoveries
Because of the high success rate of students in our evaluations, we feel we are training our students well. We would like to have a post-graduation, retrospective evaluation of our program by our graduates, and also determine their sucesses after graduation. But, it is difficult to track them after they leave our program.
13) Use of Results/Program Modifications: State How the Program Used the Results --or-- Explain Planned Use of Results
Results are presented to the Department chair and the faculty as a whole in department meetings. Recommendations for changes are solicited and discussed by the faculty and student representatives.
No changes have been proposed this 2008-2009 year.
14) Reflect on the Assessment Process
We would like to have a post-graduation, retrospective evaluation of our program by our graduates, and also determine their sucesses after graduation. But, it is difficult to track them after they leave our program.
15) Other Important Information
16) FOR DISTANCE PROGRAMS ONLY: Explain how your program/department has adapted its assessment of student learning in the on-campus program to assess student learning in the distance education program.
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17) FOR DISTANCE PROGRAMS ONLY: Summarize the actual student learning assessment results that compare the achievement of students in the on-campus program to students in the distance education program.
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