OATdb Archive

2010 - 2011

Family And Consumer Sciences MS

Goal
Student Knowledge Of Content Area
Students enrolled in the MS in Family and consumer Sciences, will graduate with an in-depth knowledge of the content area of interest.

Objective
Knowledge And Skills
Students graduating from the MS in FCS program will demonstrate adequate knowledge and skills necessary for upper-level employment positions in their selected fields including teacher education in family and consumer sciences, interior design, fashion merchandising, and nutrition.

Indicator
Knowledge And Skills
Comprehensive exams for Family and Consumer Sciences covers all major and minor course areas undertaken by each student; scores are assigned on a High Pass, Pass, or Fail basis. These exams are scored holistically, and must cover content of specific course work taken for the degree. The answers are written into "blue books" and are scored by the faculty under whom the work was complete. Any student who does not score a High Pass in every area is required to take an oral exam over every area where a score of High Pass was not awarded.

Criterion
80% Of Students Scoring At Least Pass On Knowledge And Skills
At least 80% of the students who complete the master's program in FCS will score a Pass or higher on each area of the comprehensive exam AND/OR will pass a follow-up oral exam.

Finding
Knowledge And Skills
Because there were no program graduates for the period of August 2010 through May 2011, there are no findings to be reported in connection with this criterion.

Action
Knowledge And Skills
The program continues to recruit for the MS in FCS.  For more detail, see objective below, "Increase MS Enrollment."


Goal
Increase Enrollment
The MS program in Family Consumer Science will increase enrollment with the goal of producing graduates during the coming academic year (2011-2012).

Objective
Increase Program Enrollment
Increase numbers of students enrolled in the Master of Science in Family Consumer Sciences Program at Sam Houston State University

Indicator
Increase Enrollment In MS In FCS
An increase in the number of declared majors and graduates in Master of Science in Family Consumer Sciences Program.

Criterion
Increase Enrollment
An increase in enrollment in number of students in the MS program in Family Consumer Sciences will indicate that this criterion has been met.

Finding
Increase Enrollment
As the Fall 2010 semester began, there were two new graduates students enrolled in the program.  One was a transfer student from TWU and the other one was a new master's student.  Therefore, enrollment did increase initially.  However, one of the students did not re-enroll for spring and the other student applied for and was admitted to the MS program in Dietetics.   

Action
Increase Enrollment
The program continues its recruitment efforts and is in the process of making some substantive changes that are reported in the Closing the Loops Summary below.  Since March the Graduate Advisor has been contacted by 11 persons seeking information on the MS in FCS program.  Two students have been admitted for Fall 2011.  Another one who had been admitted has instead accepted a spot in the Dietetics program at TWU.  Dr. Tripp, Graduate Advisor for the department, is meeting with another potential student this week.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement This program is currently undergoing some substantial changes based on feedback from potential students given to Dr. Paula Tripp, Graduate Advisor for the department, and on feedback from alumni attending the annual Professional Development Conference for FCS secondary teachers in the State of Texas.  The decision has been made to transfer this program to an online format and to develop a focus on gerontology.  The process began this past spring when Dr. Paula Tripp offered FCS 530 (FACS 5330) in a 100% online format (it had previously been offered in a hybrid format).  Dr. Paula Tripp is taking the lead for a course to be offered for the first time in the Spring 2012 semester on gerontology that will be team-taught by all 5 members of the graduate faculty in FCS, with each one contributing according to their area of expertise.  At the Professional Development Conference for secondary teachers in FCS in August of 2011, we will begin promoting this program as an online program.  We believe that this format will greatly improve the enrollment figures, and that the gerontology focus will also be a plus for the program.