Unit: Earth Sciences
Program: Earth and Planetary Sciences (PhD)
Degree: Doctorate
Date: Thu Oct 07, 2010 - 10:38:41 am

1) Below are the program student learning outcomes submitted last year. Please add/delete/modify as needed.

  1. Satisfy the SLOs for the M.S.
  2. Comprehensively synthesize, evaluate, and interpret the fundamental knowledge in her or his sub-discipline.
  3. Independently construct scientific hypotheses and design and carry out research to evaluate them.
  4. Critically analyze and synthesize the results of their research, derive conclusions which advance the field, and be capable of writing a manuscript describing these in the peer-reviewed literature.

2) As of last year, your program's SLOs were published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL: NA - in process of being added
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: NA - in process of being added
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: NA - in process of being added
Other:
Other:

3) Below is the link to your program's curriculum map (if submitted in 2009). If it has changed or if we do not have your program's curriculum map, please upload it as a PDF.

No map submitted.

4) The percentage of courses in 2009 that had course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is indicated below. Please update as needed.

0%
1-50%
51-80%
81-99%
100%

5) State the assessment question(s) and/or goals of the assessment activity. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.

6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered.

Every student is assessed by a committee of mentors every semester

Oral defense is part of assessment

Annual departmental meetings

GG610 assesses oral communication skills

For PhD students without an MS there is a qualifying exam, and all PhD students must pass a comprehensive exam (usually after 2 years in program). These are all documented

There are a series of milestones in the graduate program, along with course wor, that contirbute to the assessment process.

7) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected?

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:

8) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence?

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:

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

10) Summarize the actual results.

11) How did your program use the results? --or-- Explain planned use of results.
Please be specific.

12) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, program aspects and so on.

13) Other important information:

We are still shifting to language of assessment. Much has been in place for years but is differently worded.

The curriculum maps for both graduate degrees will be developed in the coming year.