Students will develop the skills necessary to complete professional projects common to the field of biology.
Objective
Ability To Review, Critique And Analyze Literature In The Biological Sciences
Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to read, comprehend, and summarize articles from scientific journals within their field of study
Indicator
Professional Aspects Course
All students are required to complete a professional aspects course in which they: 1) Prepare a mock grant proposal based on their research prospectus; 2) Deliver oral presentations of results in a simulated conference setting; 3) Prepare and edit manuscripts for publication. Student assignments are reviewed by 3 - 5 faculty members including their director.
Criterion
Professional Aspects Course
All graduate students will perform at a level deemed acceptable by the committee members.
Finding
Professional Aspects Course
All students performed at a level deemed accetable by the committee members. Faculty and chair agreed that it would be beneficial to begin tracking how many of the students enrolled in the course implement their course projects beyond the course requirements (e.g., how many students submit their course based grant proposals to a grant agency).
Action
Professional Aspects Course
If students do implement their course projects, it is likely they will do so one to two semesters after completing the course and thus will no longer be under the supervision of the instructor teaching the Professional Aspects Course. This renders the process of tracking student progress on their projects highly time consuming as it creates a situation where each individual student and their director must be contacted about progress each semester following completion of the course. In academic year 2010 - 2011 department faculty and chair will discuss whether or not it is possible, given the limited staff resources, to create a system that tracks students' progress on their course projects once they have completed the course.
Goal
Develop Students' Scientific Skills And Knowledge
Students will learn scientific skills and knowledge relevant to the field of biology.
Objective
General Knowledge In Biological Sciences
Students completing the master's degree will possess sufficient knowledge in the general biological sciences to teach freshmen and sophomore level courses.
Indicator
Mastery Of Knowledge - Oral Exam
All graduate students will demonstrate mastery of graduate course content through an oral graduate comprehensive exam, administered by a faculty committee. The examination consists of questions in three areas of concentration, depending on the student's emphasis and research area. While questions are originally posed by the faculty member who taught the respective courses, all members of the committee or faculty who are present may probe the student's understanding of the material through further questions.
Criterion
Mastery Of Knowledge - Oral Exam
Each student is required to pass all three areas addressed in the examination as determined by a concensus of the entire committee. In the event that a student does not pass a portion(s) of the oral exam, the committee may choose to offer the student a written examination. The student MUST pass the written exam to continue in the program.
Finding
Mastery Of Knowledge - Oral Exam
All students passed their oral exams. Faculty discussions regarding oral exams indicated the need to adopt a formal rubric for oral exams. Such a rubric will allow for a more consistent approach to the oral exam evaluation process. The rubric will also allow facutly to explicitly identify core concepts, theories, etc which are deemed important to students' overall knowledge. Greater classroom emphasis can be placed on the concepts, theories, etc deemed relevant to student knowledge.
Action
Mastery Of Knowledge - Oral Exam
In the academic year 2010 - 2011 faculty and chair will develop and approve of a rubric to be used by all faculty when evaluating oral exams. The adoption of a formal rubric will allow for more consistent grading of oral exams. It will also help faculty to improve student learning by explicitly identifying core themes, theories, etc that may require greater classroom attention.