Program: Earth and Planetary Sciences (PhD)
Degree: Doctorate
Date: Thu Nov 15, 2012 - 10:53:49 am
1) Below are your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs). Please update as needed.
Student Learning Outcomes for the Ph.D.
1. Ph.D. graduates are proficient in applying technical knowledge of relevant knowledge base, theory, laboratory methods, field methods, computer applications, and the supporting disciplines (math, physics, chemistry, biology) to advance the fields of geology and geophysics. (measurable by coursework and the comprehensive examination)
2. Ph.D. graduates are able to comprehensively synthesize, evaluate, and interpret relevant fundamental knowledge in her or his sub-discipline. (can be evaluated by the comprehensive and Ph.D. qualifying examinations)
3. Ph.D. graduates are able to independently (a) construct scientific hypotheses, (b) design and carry out research to evaluate them in a timely manner, (c) analyze and synthesize the results of their research, and (d) derive conclusions that advance the fields of geology and geophysics. (can be evaluated by the dissertation proposal, the Ph.D. qualifying examination, semester progress reports to the Ph.D. committee, and annual evaluations)
4. Ph.D. graduates are able to effectively communicate the findings of their research in writing at a level comparable to that of scientific journal publications, and defend it orally to the satisfaction of a scientific audience. (measurable by success in the dissertation proposal and defense)
5. Ph.D. graduates have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to pursue employment or other activities that contribute to the advancement of the Earth sciences and/or the solution of societal problems. (measurable through presentations at professional conferences, publications, the dissertation defense, and/or successfully gaining employment in a relevant area.)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Department Website URL: NA - in process of being added Student Handbook. URL, if available online: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/resources/gg_documents.html 
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) Select one option:
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) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning the curriculum to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys or tests, etc.)
Yes No (skip to question 14)6) For the period June 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.
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 work, that contribute to the assessment process.
7) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #6.
8) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
9) 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: 10) 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: 11) For the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goal(s) stated in Question #6:
Summarize the actual results.
12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.
13) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries?
This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, program aspects and so on.
14) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please explain.
Or, if the program did engage in assessment activities, please add any other important information here.
Other than those activities mentioned in question 6 no additional assessment activities as such were carried out. The GG Department Curriculum Committee did, however, revisit and rewrite the SLOs for this degree, and also suggested what would be used to assess the SLOs.