Students will develop the professional skills necessar to complete projects relevant to the field of biology.
Objective
Communicate Research Findings
Each student will demonstrate the ability to communicate research findings in oral and written form through presentations at professional conferences and scientific publications
Indicator
Student Presentations
The number presentations by graduate students at professional meetings will indicate the success of the department in preparing students for oral communication.
Criterion
Student Conference Presentations
We expect that at least 50% of the graduate students will submit conferences papers for peer review and all papers will be accepted for presentation.
Finding
Student Conference Presentations
50% of graduate students submitted papers for presentations and all papers were accepted for presentation. Faculty members and chair agreed that it would be beneficial to track how many of students' conference papers lead to expansion of research projects, publications, and other research relevant activities.
Indicator
Professional Aspects Course
All students are required to complete a professional aspects course (in their first semester, BIO520) in which they: 1) Prepare a mock 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 course instructor and associated faculty.
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
Student Conference Presentations
Conference Presentations: 50% of graduate students submitted papers for presentations and all papers were accepted for presentation. In the academic year of 2010 - 2011 we will expect that at least 60% of graduate students will submit conference papers for peer review and we expect all of the papers to be accepted for presentation. During the academic year of 2010 - 2011 faculty will discuss the feasibility of developing a plan of action that allows faculty to track how many of the conference presentations lead to expansion of research projects, publications, and other research relevant activities.
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 develop 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.
Goal
Develop Students' Knowledge Of A Subfield In Biology
Students pursuing the thesis route will develop detailed knowledge in a subfield of biology.
Objective
Detailed Knowledge Of Current Research
Each student will develop detailed knowledge of current research within their thesis area of biology.
Indicator
Thesis Bibliography
Each student completes a thesis describing their research problem, experiments, findings, and conclusions. To demonstrate relevance of the research topic, each student must prepare a detailed bibliographical outline of current research in the area. The ability to complete this section of the thesis will serve to demonstrate the students understanding and familiarity of the literature.
Criterion
Thesis Defense
As part of the defense of the thesis, thesis committee members evaluate the quality of the bibliographical presentation in the manuscript. All students must demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the literature through the preparation of this document before the thesis is approved.
Finding
Develop Students' Knowledge Of A Subfield In Biology
Members and directors of theses committees agreed that students' bibliographical outline of current research demonstrated the students' understanding and familiarity of the literature. However, committee members expressed concern regarding students' technical writing skills. Committee members indicated that they often have to spend an excessive amount of time providing students with feedback on issues related to technical writing.
Action
Thesis Defense
Faculty and chair discussed two options for improving students' technical writing skills. Option one involves creating and adding a technical writing skills course to the MS curriculum. During the 2010 - 2011 academic year selected faculty will develop an technical writing course proposal. If it is determined that there are enough faculty to cover an additional course in the curriculum, the proposal will be sent to the college curriculum committee for review. If it is determined that there is not enough faculty to cover an additional course in the curriculum, faculty teaching the Professional Aspects course will begin expanding the technical writing section of the Professional Aspects course.