Assessment

ENVS Undergraduate Student Learning Goals

Learning Outcomes and Assessment for the following majors at Utah State University

Introduction

ENVS offers education to a substantial number of undergraduate students, providing them with a choice between four degree programs:

Student Learning Outcomes

The ENVS majors offer training for students aiming for a wide number of careers in the environmental sciences, as well as for those interested in spatial science, outdoor recreation, secondary education, and law. Close to a tenth of total undergraduate student population at USU will take a course from ENVS at various stages throughout their academic journey, and the curriculum of the department is invested in accommodating the diverse needs of all these students.

Each of the four majors have specific Student Learning Outcomes tailored to the diverse needs of their students.

Environmental Science and Sustainability

At the end of this program, students will be able to…

  1. Articulate basic understanding of chemistry, biology, and the earth sciences.
  2. Integrate basic disciplinary science understanding in the context of environmental change
  3. Conceptualize social-environmental systems.
  4. Apply systems thinking to understanding and addressing complex environmental problems.
  5. Effectively communicate and initiate sustainability behaviors and policies grounded in environmental science
  6. Apply analytical tools to an environmental science context.

The Environmental Science and Sustainability major was first offered for enrollment in Fall 2024. Assessment details and data are forthcoming.

Environmental Studies

Upon completing their program, students will:

  1. Describe and explain environmental issues from a rigorous interdisciplinary perspective by integrating insights based on principles, theories, and information from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
  2. Demonstrate understanding of ethical dimensions of environmental issues.
  3. Apply, evaluate, and interpret appropriate quantitative methods (e.g. geographic information systems, statistics, and systems modeling) to gain information and understanding of environmental problems.
  4. Synthesize and integrate material in interdisciplinary team-structured activities.
  5. Communicate information necessary to understand environmental problems and solutions in written, oral, and visual formats to professional and lay audiences in a manner that is both scientifically accurate, relatable and understandable by the audience.
  6. Demonstrate understanding of how the interactions between humans and the environment affect human health, ecosystem health, resource availability, sustainability, and political stability.
  7. Demonstrate understanding of how environmental policy is made and how, together with economic incentives, it structures people’s use of environmental resources.

Assessment data for Environmental Studies learning objectives

Learning Objective Centered Courses
Course Learning Objective Assignments/Exams
ENVS 2340 1 Multiple assignments
ENVS 3010 1 Mid-term exam grade
ENVS 2340 2 Multiple assignments
GEOG/WILD 1800 3 Labs
ENVS 3500 3 Find and assess a correlation interpreted as causation, a "false" graph (or a graph that due to scaling showcases inaccurate information) and a biased study within the news and/or social media outlets. Explain why the mistake is made and what the article is actually suggesting.
ENVS 3010 3 Benefit-cost assignment
ENVS 2340 4 A group discussion, group oral presentations, and group posters
ENVS 4700 4 Service Learning Project
ENVS 2340 5 Group discussions, group presentations, group posters, and individual NRSIA article analysis
ENVS 4700 5 Service Learning Project
ENVS 5000 5 Final project report: students are asked to apply the full suite of course concepts to a nonprofit organization in which they have been performing volunteer service during the semester.
ENVS 2340 6 Two tests, final exam, NRSIA article analyses, no-pressure quizzes
ENVS 4700 6 In-class discussions, online discussions, service learning project
ENVS 3010 7 Mid-term and grade on legal case briefs

Geography

Upon completing their program, students will:

  1. Demonstrate proficiency in application of basic geographic terminology, principles, and concepts.
  2. Explain the diversity and interdependence of regions, places and locations.
  3. Interpret connections between the natural world and human society.
  4. Draw knowledge, understanding and a diversity of approaches from other disciplines to synthesize them in a geographical context.
  5. Apply geographic information systems (GIS) to the analysis of geographic data and spatial relationships.
  6. Apply and interpret appropriate basic statistical and other quantitative analyses for geographic data, including spatially-explicit data.
  7. Communicate geographical ideas and information effectively and fluently by written, oral and visual means.

Assessment data for Geography learning objectives

Learning Objective Centered Courses
Course Learning Objective Assignments/Exams
GEOG 1000 1 Exams
GEOG 1300 1 Exams
GEOG 4100 1 Research paper
GEOG 4210 1 Critical reflection paper
GEOG 4210 2 County presentation
GEOG 4100 3 Research paper
GEOG 4210 3 Field trip written assignment
GEOG 4400* 3 Disaster presentation
GEOG 4120* 4 Third essay
GEOG 4210 4 TBD
GEOG 4400* 4 Midterm and final exams
GEOG 1800 5 Final project
WATS 4930** 5 Labs
WATS 4931** 5 Research project
STAT course 6 Course grade
GEOG 1800 6 Final exam; final project
WATS 4930** 6 Lab on spatial statistics
WATS 4931** 6 Research project
GEOG 1800 7 Final project
GEOG 4120* 7 Third essay; group presentation
GEOG 4210 7 County presentation; critical reflection paper; group project and presentation

*course required only for the Human-Environment Geography Emphasis
**course required only for the Geographical Information Science Emphasis (name change pending approval)

Recreation Resources Management

Upon completing their program, students will:

  1. Identify and articulate central foundations, theories and ideas, and best approaches and practices in RRM.
  2. Utilize theories, principles, and knowledge of RRM to address management issues and challenges.
  3. Utilize theories, principles, and knowledge of related disciplines to address management issues and challenges.
  4. Quantify and analyze recreational use and associated impacts utilizing research approaches and methods, sampling and measurement, and data analysis techniques for managing recreation resources.
  5. Write logical and analytical papers supported by appropriate research.
  6. Determine, apply, and interpret appropriate basic statistical or other quantitative analyses to RRM data
  7. Productively conduct group/team work to deliver professional quality presentations and reports.
  8. Demonstrate basic competency in the use of geographic information systems and field data collection using global positioning systems.

Assessment data for Recreation Resources Management learning objectives

Learning Objective Centered Courses
Course Learning Objective Assignments/Exams
ENVS 3300 1 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 4130 1 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4500 1 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4600 1 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 3300 2 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 4130 2 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4500 2 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4600 2 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 4920 2 Final Report
ENVS 3300 3 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 4130 3 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4500 3 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4600 3 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 4920 3 Multiple assignments (quizzes/exams, exercises, writing assignments)
ENVS 3500 4 Final synthesis project
ENVS 4500 4 Final Research Project
ENVS 4550 4 Final Research Project Report and Presentation
ENVS 4130 5 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 4500 5 Writing Assignments- Final Research Project Paper
ENVS 3500 6 TBD
ENVS 4550 6 Final Research Project Report and Presentation
ENVS 4130 7 Final Research Project Presentation
ENVS 4500 7 Final Research Project Presentation
ENVS 4550 7 Final Research Project Presentation
GEOG/WILD 1800 8 Final project

Credit Hours by Major

Note: All courses required for the four majors must be taken on an A-B-C-D-F basis. A grade of C- or better is required for all ENVS, GEOG, WATS, or WILD courses used to meet requirements for the major. The grade point average for all courses taught by the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources must be 2.5 or higher.

Major requirement:

Assessment Measures

Note on Academic Advising:All ENVS students have easy access to program advisers who meet with students on a one-on-one basis. Advisers explore the student's interests, discuss career possibilities, and provide guidance on program options and technical elective choices. They also monitor areas where students might face challenges, identified through course performance and conversations with the student. Based on these insights, advisers suggest suitable elective courses and additional resources, such as tutoring, to help students achieve their academic goals.

The learning outcomes across the four majors reflect a collaborative effort between faculty and students to achieve them. We remain mindful of the need for ongoing evaluation and refinement such outcomes and strategies to achieve them as the diversity of fields and disciplines embedded within ENVS continue to evolve.

Assessment Visuals

Will soon be populated with graphs from the assessment stats.

Curriculum Assessment Plan

At the start of the 2016-2017 academic year, the ENVS faculty transitioned from departmental learning objectives to program-specific learning objectives.  This transition was accompanied by the adoption of a new assessment plan, to measure learning outcomes at the program level. The ENVS Department began implementing the new assessment plan during the 2016-2017 academic year, with the first set of data collected for spring semester 2017.

The core of this plan is course-embedded assessment for the measurement of student outcomes for the program-specified learning objectives. For each learning objective, the ENVS faculty have selected at least one course for embedded assessment. The instructor for each of these courses identified the most appropriate assignment or test/exam for assessment use. 

At the end of each semester, these instructors are responsible for submitting the outcomes data to departmental staff. Instructors convert assignment or test/exam grades (or the relevant portions of grades) to a scale of 1 to 4 and report a frequency distribution:


Data are reviewed regularly by the faculty, or by subsets of faculty for each program (Environmental Studies, Geography, and Recreation Resource Management). These data guide faculty decisions for regular program revisions and lead to specific recommendations for curricular changes at the course-level, as well as at the program-level. 

Graduate Degrees

On completion of the requirements for each MS degree, students can:

  1. Demonstrate mastery of relevant subject material at a level appropriate to master’s attainment.
  2. Conduct, present, and defend a body of research.
  3. Conduct scholarly activities in an ethical manner.

On completion of the requirements for the PhD degree, students can:

  1. Demonstrate mastery of subject material at a level appropriate to doctoral attainment.
  2. Produce, present, and defend original contribution to knowledge.
  3. Conduct scholarly activities in an ethical manner.

Departmental Assessment