Program: Food Science (MS)
Degree: Master's
Date: Fri Nov 16, 2018 - 9:50:04 pm
1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)
1. Demonstrate mastery of fundamental knowledge in the field of food science.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience.)
2. Demonstrate advanced scholarship in their specialty area in the field of food science.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)
3. Communicate both orally and in writing at a high level of proficiency.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 7. Interact professionally with others.)
4. Conduct and interpret food research.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)
5. Function as a professional in their chosen discipline.
(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 7. Interact professionally with others.)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update asneeded.
Department Website URL: https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hnfas/Academics/Food-Science-MS
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) 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.
0% 1-50% 51-80%
81-99% 100%5) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):
No Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between June 1, 2015 and October 31, 2018?
Yes No (skip to question 17)7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period June 1, 2015 to October 31, 2018? (Check all that apply.)
Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey) Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring) No (skip to question 17) Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 7) Other: 8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place.
Evidence of students' performance was collected, including GPA, results of the candidacy exam, grades of seminar classes, results of the thesis defense, presentations at local and national conferences, and awards won by the students.
Surveys were conducted with students who graduated in the past three years. Selected survey questions follow. (1) Can you critically review scientific publications and independently develop experiments or research proposals for food-related projects? (2) In a professional manner, can you present your scientific work to the general public? (3) Do you feel you were prepared for a job in the food industry or academic institutes? If not, what are you lacking? (4) What would you recommend we change to enhance our program quality?
9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)
Artistic exhibition/performance Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper) Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure) Exit exam created by the program IRB approval of research Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation) Portfolio of student work Publication or grant proposal Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only) Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum) Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement. Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc. Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.) Other 1: Other 2: 10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
Enrollment in the program in AY 2018 was 10 students.
A survey was emailed to five students graduated in the past three years. Four of them completed the survey.
11) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)
Course instructor(s) Faculty committee Ad hoc faculty group Department chairperson Persons or organization outside the university Faculty advisor Advisors (in student support services) Students (graduate or undergraduate) Dean/Director Other: Graduate Chair12) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)
Used a rubric or scoring guide Scored exams/tests/quizzes Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used) Compiled survey results Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam) Other: 13) Summarize the results of the assessment activities checked in question 7. For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.
All students in our program have maintained GPA of at least 3.0 (SLO1, SLO2).
Nine students took and passed the candidacy exam (SLO1, SLO3).
All students in our program received a B or better grade in Seminar class (SLO3).
Five students successfully defended their theses (SLO3, SLO4).
Twelve students in our program presented their research at the college student research symposium (SRS). Six of them did a presentation at national conferences including Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) annual meetings (SLO3, SLO5).
Four students won awards at the college SRS (SLO3, SLO5).
Three students won national awards at the IFT annual meetings (SLO3, SLO5).
Four students published their research findings in peer-reviewed journals (SLO3, SLO5).
A summary of four graduates’ responses to the selected survey questions follows.
(1) Can you critically review scientific publications and independently develop experiments or research proposals for food-related projects?
Three Yes and one Somewhat (SLO2, SLO4).
(2) In a professional manner, can you present your scientific work to the general public?
Four Yes. All appreciated the program helped them strengthen their public speaking and presentations skills (SLO3, SLO5).
(3) Do you feel you were prepared for a job in the food industry or academic institutes?
Four Yes. All four found employment in the food and medical industries after graduation (SLO5).
(4) What would you recommend we change to enhance our program quality?
Add short lab components to graduate courses. Hire a professor specializing in food product development. Support graduate students to present their research at national conferences.
14) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)
Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.) Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements) Personnel or resource allocation changes Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form) Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops) Celebration of student success! Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue) Other: 15) Please briefly describe how the program used the results.
Our students have been well trained. They have succeeded in competing with peers and finding employment or pursuing further postgraduate studies after graduation. However, few students could not perform their best in the oral candidacy exam. Students are encouraged to strengthen their communication skills by participating in collaborative projects and becoming an active member of IFT and Hawaii IFT.
16) 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.
Food Science program established 3+2 Master’s programs with four universities in China. Four students have been recruited through the 3+2 program, and two already graduated. Our program won four non-resident tuition exemption (NRTE) awards from UH Graduate Division in 2018 and has used them to recruit students from the US Mainland and other countries. Overall, enrollment in our program has significantly increased from 3-5 students to approximately 10 students.
Our program recently hired a faculty member on product development and added two new graduate faculty members. However, one big challenge is still lack of faculty. We lost one core faculty member in 2017. There are no instructors for FSHN 430 Food Chemistry or FSHN 607 Advanced Food Chemistry at this time.