OATdb Archive

2014 - 2015

Mass Communication MA (Digital Media)

Goal
Digital Media Literacy And Practical Mastery
Students in the program need to demonstrate that they have a master's level understanding of digital and social media.

Objective
Mastery Of Digital And Social Media Theories And Skills
Graduate students will demonstrate an understanding and work with digital and social media in their contemporary theories and contexts.

Indicator
An Evaluation Of A Sample Of Major Projects And/or Papers In Advanced Digital Writing Course
An evaluation conducted every two years of a sample of final papers or projects assigned in graduate course Advanced Digital Writing by the Graduate Program Committee.

Criterion
An Average Evaluation Of Above Average Over All Of The Projects And Papers Evaluated Will Satisfy The Goal
An average score of above average using a rubric over all of the projects and papers evaluated will satisfy the goal. Since this is a new program, the graduate program committee needs to develop the rubric in coordination with the course instructor in the Advanced Digital Writing course.

Finding
New Program
New program, findings to be assessed two years after the start of the program.

Indicator
An Evaluation Of A Sample Of Major Projects And/or Papers In Social Media Course
An evaluation conducted every two years of a sample of final papers or projects assigned in graduate course Social Media by the Graduate Program Committee.

Criterion
An Average Evaluation Of Above Average Over All Of Papers Evaluated Will Satisfy The Goal
An average score of above average using a rubric over all of the projects and papers evaluated will satisfy the goal. Since this is a new program, the graduate program committee needs to develop the rubric in coordination with the course instructor in the Social Media course.


Finding
New Program, No Findings
New program. Findings to be assessed two years after the start of the program

Goal
Increase Enrollment In The New Program
Enrollment should increase to its ideal level next year

Objective
Increase Enrollment
There should be 12-15 new, qualified students admitted to the program each year.

KPI
Number Of Enrolled Students
The measurement of the number of new enrolled students will be assessed after the spring semester to determine if the goal of 12-15 new students has been met. This report can be generated through the university's enrollment management database.

Result
Enrollment Numbers For 2014-15
The number of new students who enrolled in the program in the first year of its existence was 11; however, one student was terminated from the program after one semester, so enrollment was 10. This fell short of the ideal enrollment of 12-15 by two students.

Action
Promotion And Recruitment
After reviewing the first year enrollement numbers, the department is attempting strategies for recruiting students and promoting the program. These strategies include facutly identifying potential graduate students in undergraduate programs, email campaigns with potential candidates in the region, promoting the program through a mailing campaign with regional programs that offer undergraduate degrees in the field of mass communication, and attending recruiting events at universities.

Goal
Graduate Student Handbook For The Department
To create a department-specific graduate handbook

Objective
Developing A Department-specific Graduate Handbook
Students should have a department-specific online handbook that describes the requirements for the degree, information about when specific courses are offered for planning, important dates and times for selecting an advisor, committee, information about scholarship and assistantship opportunities and links to university information related to graduate students.

KPI
A Department-specific Online Graduate Handbook
The department has a graduate handbook for its students specifcally related to the MA in digital media

Action
Create A Department-specific Online Graduate Student Handbook
The department needs to develop a handbook that will help its graduate students understand the requirements to the degree, significant dates for the progression through the degree and helpful information that will help students navigate the university and department's guidelines and timelines.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement New program, findings to be assessed next year

Plan for continuous improvement There are plans for improving the degree program, although they are not tied to any findings because it is a new program and there are no findings. There is a plan to increase enrollment by having facutly identify potential graduate students in SHSU's undergraduate programs. Email campaigns with potential candidates in the region are also planned. The program will be promoted through a mailing campaign with regional programs that offer undergraduate degrees in the field of mass communication. The graduate program coordinator will attend graduate and employment recruiting events at universities.