Unit: Human Nutrition, Food & Animal Sciences
Program: Animal Science (MS)
Degree: Master's
Date: Tue Nov 10, 2009 - 9:13:50 am

1) List your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs).

1. Develop research skills and applied knowledge in animal-based working environment.

2. Demonstrate effective communication skills.

3. Demonstrate strong scientific analytic skills in both basic animal science and applied animal production.

4. Meet the courses and/or thesis requirements of the graduate program. 

2) Where are your program's SLOs published?

Department Website URL: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hnfas/degrees/grad/ANSC.html
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: NA
UHM Catalog. Page Number: NA
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online:
Other:
Other:

3) Upload your program's current curriculum map(s) as a PDF.

No map submitted.

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

Students in the graduate programs are expected to answer specific questions about their learning experiences and accomplishments at the end of program. Here are the list of questions for each objectives.  

1. Develop research skills and applied knowledge in animal-based working environment.

-What research skills have you learned and practiced during your graduate programs ?

-Please use examples to explain specific laboratory, data analytic, or any other working skills that you feel important for you ?

-In animal-based working environment, including aquatic species, have you gain specific skills and knowledge you gain to work with these species? Please give examples to elaborate ?

2. Demonstrate effective communication skills.

-Would you be able to develop effective communication skills such as oral presentation or written documents (i.e research proposal, thesis or publication) ?

-In a professional manner, will you be able to present your scientific work to general public ? Give examples to explain what professional skills have you practiced and gained from your graduate programs ?

3. Demonstrate strong scientific analytic skills in both basic animal science and applied animal production.

-Compared yourself before your graduate program, would you be able to list 2-3 important scientific skills in reviewing and evaluating scientific publications ?

-Can you critically review scientific publications and independently develop research proposal or experiment for animal-based project ? Also use examples to explain your answers.

4. Meet the courses and/or thesis requirements of the graduate program. 

-list of the courses taken during the programs and explain briefly what significant knowledge and skills you learned from these courses?

-What is your thesis project? From the thesis project, what experimental skills have you learned and practiced. Please use examples to describe your experiences in working with your supervisors and coworks during the graduate programs ?

-If you have been a teaching or research assistant, please describe your experiences with students and instructors ?

6) State the Assessment Question(s) and/or Goal(s) of Assessment Activity

1. What research skills have you learned and practiced during your graduate programs ?

2. Please use examples to explain specific laboratory, data analytic, or any other working skills that you feel important for you ?

3. In animal-based working environment, including aquatic species, have you gain specific skills and knowledge you gain to work with these species? Please give examples to elaborate ?

4. Would you be able to develop effective communication skills such as oral presentation or written documents (i.e research proposal, thesis or publication) ?

5. In a professional manner, will you be able to present your scientific work to general public ? Give examples to explain what professional skills have you practiced and gained from your graduate programs

6. Compare yourself before your graduate program, would you be able to list 2-3 important scientific skills in reviewing and evaluating scientific publications ?

7. Can you critically review scientific publications and independently develop research proposal or experiment for animal-based project ? Also use examples to explain your answers.

8. list of the courses taken during the programs and explain briefly what significant knowledge and skills you learned from these courses?

9. What is your thesis project? From the thesis project, what experimental skills have you learned and practiced. Please use examples to describe your experiences in working with your supervisors and coworks during the graduate programs ?

10 If you have been a teaching or research assistant, please describe your experiences with students and instructors ?

7) State the Type(s) of Evidence Gathered

1. Student performances such as GPA and number of courses. The course requirements is the ANSC graduate student program. 

2. Student preliminary conference with graduate faculty members. 

3. Candidacy and comprehensive examination, which primarily test student's knowledge and proficiency in general area of animal science and on the student's attitude and preparedness to carry out research project.

4. Thesis proposal (UH Form 2) and final examination (Form 3). The thesis proposal has to be prepared by the student and passed by the advisory committee. In working with thesis advisor, the student must cooperate and carry out experimental work and complete the project. Therefore, student examination results and advisory committee's evaluation on student thesis project will be important part of quality control for thesis-based MS degree in the program.

5. Graduate chair in checking course and thesis requirements for all the students

6. Students' feedback and assessment by answering the previously listed questions.

8) State How the Evidence was Interpreted, Evaluated, or Analyzed

1. Course work and requirements were checked by graduate chair

2. Candidacy exam and thesis project are managed by advisory committee and reported to the graduate chair. The graduate chair will make sure that quality of the committee members, consistency and fairness on the student. 

3. The objectives of assessment will be evaluated by both students and graduate faculty. Evidences will include 1) responses from the students 2) student performances and graduation by graduate faculty members of the program 3) Graduate chair self evaluation and approved by Departmental chair and graduate division of UHM.  

9) State How Many Pieces of Evidence Were Collected

10) Summarize the Actual Results

1. Graduate students currently in the programs

2. Transcripts and their GPA.

3. Candidacy exam results

4. Results of student's performances in thesis proposal and final exams

5. research work and publications or presentation

11) Briefly Describe the Distribution and Discussion of Results

HNFAS graduate chair, Animal science graduate chair and HNFAD department Chair

12) Describe Conclusions and Discoveries

1. Currently graduate students obtain adequate support from graduate faculty in the program.

2. The rate of accomplishing the MS graduate program is high in the past several years.

3. There is lack of support for research and teaching assistantship, which make some students take long time to complete the programs.  

4. There is any assessment to track job or employment after graduation from the program.

5. A consistent assessment set-up is needed for evaluation of the program. 

13) Use of Results/Program Modifications: State How the Program Used the Results --or-- Explain Planned Use of Results

-A detailed plan of program assessment by the whole graduate faculty.

-Actively seek funding sources for research and teaching assistantships for graduate students in the programs.

14) Reflect on the Assessment Process

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.

n/a

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.

N/A