Program: Theatre (PhD)
Degree: Doctorate
Date: Tue Oct 13, 2009 - 3:42:29 pm
1) List your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs).
1. Student is capable of researching and writing a major book-length original contribution to Western, Asian or Comparative Theatre scholarship
2. Student demonstrates in-depth comprehensive knowledge of chosen area of specialization of Theatre scholarship
3. Student displays broad expertise in Theatre history, theory, and performance practices
4. Student demonstrates teaching competence at the university level.
5. Student demonstrates reading knowledge of, and some spoken fluency in, the foreign language(s) relevant to the area of the dissertation.
2) Where are your program's SLOs published?
Department Website URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/theatre/departmental/assessment/GradTheatreSLOs2009.pdf
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) Upload your program's current curriculum map(s) as a PDF.
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
1. Student is capable of researching and writing a major book-length original contribution to Western, Asian or Comparative Theatre scholarship
6) State the Assessment Question(s) and/or Goal(s) of Assessment Activity
How well dissertation work demonstrated the achievement of the targeted SLO.
7) State the Type(s) of Evidence Gathered
a. At the end of the student’s first year, the entire graduate faculty in theatre assesses the student’s progress based on his/her class and production work, such as seminar papers, oral presentations, dramaturgical work, and research projects.
b. Student presents a Dissertation Proposal, 10-15 double spaced pages with substantial Bibliography at a Proposal Defense Meeting with 5-member dissertation committee (minimum one outside member). At this meeting, the committee members assess the student’s proposed methodology, access to sources, organization plan for both writing and research, and proposed scope of the project.
c. After the period of Field Research
(with enrollment in Diss. 800), the candidate spends from one to five years researching and writing the dissertation. In the case of Asian Theatre topics, there is an understanding that the period of field research should last at least one full year.
The various drafts of the dissertation are supervised and critiqued by the major Advisor; usually the committee sees only the submission draft. Defense is publicly announced; committee members give corrections and suggestions before the corrected final version is submitted to the Graduate Division.
8) State How the Evidence was Interpreted, Evaluated, or Analyzed
At the final dissertation defense, committee members assess such things as the theoretical basis of the dissertation, the validity of the research methodology, the appropriateness of the writing style, the rigor of the source citation method, and the candidate’s original contribution to scholarship.
9) State How Many Pieces of Evidence Were Collected
PhD: 3 graduating students in 08-09
10) Summarize the Actual Results
These three students did groundbreaking research work on modern theatre developments in Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan.
11) Briefly Describe the Distribution and Discussion of Results
The results (the theoretical basis of the dissertation, the validity of the research methodology, the appropriateness of the writing style, the rigor of the source citation method, and the candidate’s original contribution to scholarship) were discussed at the public defense, as well as in a private meeting of the committee, and these results were communicated to the student.
12) Describe Conclusions and Discoveries
The graduate faculty has discussed that, given the high quality and significance of our recent Theatre dissertations, we need to actively encourage the students to pursue book publication, and to investigate, with the help of faculty, venues for such publication, as well as its implications for illustrations, permissions, style or scope, etc.
13) Use of Results/Program Modifications: State How the Program Used the Results --or-- Explain Planned Use of Results
No current plans for changes to the Ph.D. in Theatre.
14) Reflect on the Assessment Process
We are discussing various options for additional assessment techniques that could be implemented, such as a final rubric to be given to the students and his/her committee at final defense.
15) Other Important Information
We have recently revised the SLOS for all grad degrees in Theatre, so no curriculum map is currently available.