Program: Psychology (MA, PhD)
Degree: Master's & Doctorate
Date: Thu Feb 02, 2012 - 10:29:11 am
1) Below are your program student learning outcomes (SLOs). Please update as needed.
The Board of Educational Affairs of the American Psychological Association has identified 10 major learning goals for an undergraduate program in psychology, along with specific learning outcomes associated with each goal. Our Psychology Department has adopted these goals and has started developing an assessment plan based upon them.
The goals and their accompanying learning objectives are as follows:
1) Theory and Content of Psychology: a) describing and applying psychology’s concepts, language and theories; b) explaining its major perspectives; c) demonstrating understanding of its breadth and depth
2) Research Methods in Psychology: a) differentiating research methods; b) evaluating aptness of research conclusions; c) designing and conducting basic studies; d) generalizing research conclusions appropriately
3) Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology: a) using and engaging in critical thinking; b) using reasoning in arguments and persuasion; c) approaching problems with sophistication
4) Application of Psychology; a) identifying psychology’s major applications; b) articulating how it can be used toward social understanding and public policy; c) recognizing the ethical complexities of applying psychology
5) Values in Psychology; a) understanding the need for ethical behavior; b) tolerance of ambiguity; c) demonstration of skepticism and intellectual curiosity; d) attunement to scientific evidence; e) civic responsibility; f) respect for human diversity
6) Information and Technological Literacy: a) demonstrating competent, ethical and responsible use of information in academic work; b) applying software in research reports; c) mastering such computer basics as Internet navigation and spreadsheet generation
7) Communication Skills: a) demonstrating effective writing, interpersonal and oral communication skills; b) showing quantitative literacy; c) collaborating effectively with others
8) Sociocultural and International Awareness: a) showing sensitivity to and respect for diversity; b) being able to consider and explain the role of cultural, racial, ethnic and economic factors, and of privilege and discrimination, in people’s behaviors
9) Personal Development: a) the ability to apply psychology to personal and professional development; b) to self-regulate and display personal integrity
10) Career Planning and Development: a) applying psychology principles to career decision-making; b) aiming for feasible career paths; c) identifying realistic graduate-education pathways; d) taking practical career steps; e) valuing life-long learning and professional development
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Department Website URL: http://www.psychology.hawaii.edu/
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: http://www.psychology.hawaii.edu/pages/syllabi.html Other: Other: 3) Below is the link(s) to your program's curriculum map(s). If we do not have your curriculum map, please upload it as a PDF.
- 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) For the period June 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.
Assessment questions and goals are tailored to the different learning environments (e.g., courses, individual mentoring of theses and dissertations, etc.).
6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #5.
Evidence is gathered through CAFE evaluations to evaluate students' course-related learning. Research-related evaluations are conducted by faculty committee members during students' thesis and dissertation proposal and defense meetings. Assessments are also completed by practicum supervisors (e.g., in the case of clinical graduate students).
Specifically, knowledge assessment for graduate classes is conducted by each instructor. Graduate students will encounter a variety of assessment devices including formal written exam, oral presentation, clinical skills observation. Students receive feedback and letter grades for each graduate class.
Advancement to Thesis Stage (MA). This assessment involves a written proposal which is reviewed by a three-member committee. If the thesis requires human participants or use of animals, a prerequisite is that the student must obtain CHS approval. Typically, the student then makes a short oral presentation to his/her committee and responds to questions.
Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy. All students who have successfully obtained the degree of MA are reviewed by the entire faculty of the Department, following recommendation by the concentration faculty.
Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations. The Comprehensive Examination ensures that doctoral students have a thorough and adequate comprehension of their chosen field of study.
Advancement to Dissertation Stage (PhD). This requirement is similar to Advancement to Thesis Stage.
Final Examination and Approval of Dissertation. The student will complete his/her empirical work and write his/her dissertation in consultation with his/her advisor and members of the dissertation committee. The doctoral dissertation defense is a public event that must be publicized according to Graduate Division's rules.
In addition to all assessments above, the Department strongly encourages advisors to review student progress on an annual basis.
7) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
All assistant-level faculty and lecturers are required to submit CAFE evaluations. It is also highly recommended that all associate and full professors submit CAFE evaluations. Also, all concentrations submit annual reviews of their graduate students.
8) 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: 9) 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: 10) For the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goal(s) stated in Question #5:
Summarize the actual results.
Results vary across programs and depend on the intersection of both department and programmatic level assessments.
11) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.
Assessment data are used in three general ways to inform the development of the graduate programs in psychology.
First, they form an important input into professional accreditation through the American Psychological Association, which is required for the clinical studies concentration. All aspects of program provision, student progress and pedagogy are considered, and accreditation reports then inform future changes.
Second, the Graduate Chair and Graduate Studies Committee oversee the progression of students and make recommendations to the Department about curriculum design. One of the Graduate Chair's duties is to sit on the Departmental Scheduling Committee to ensure that graduate course provision is appropriately coordinated on a yearly basis.
Third, policies and administrative procedures for the graduate programs the Department of Psychology offers are discussed regularly, and modified when appropriate, by the Graduate Studies Committee, taking input from both formal assessment events and less formal student and faculty feedback.
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.
Based on student and faculty feedback we are in the process of creating a statistics sequence for first year graduate students. We are also discussing the possibility of offering more specialized graduate research methods courses.
13) Other important information.
Please note: If the program did not engage in assessment, please explain. If the program created an assessment plan for next year, please give an overview.
Assessments were conducted, as detailed previously.