Graduate Program Assessment Process for MS & PhD Programs

The goal of the USU Geosciences graduate programs is to equip students with advanced fundamental knowledge in the field, accompanied by research training and experience, in specific areas of the geosciences. Students reach this goal in the MS and PhD programs by completing a set of advanced coursework, accompanied by original research and study of the current literature, culminating in either a MS thesis or report or a PhD dissertation. We assess graduate student progress and our graduate programs based on a set of specific learning objectives related to Foundational Knowledge, Research skills, Communication skills and Professional Development through the following processes.

Supervisory Committee and Assessment

Each graduate student in Geosciences has a supervisory committee that participates in assessing graduate student progress annually. For MS students, the committee comprises a minimum of three faculty with relevant expertise including the major professor (advisor). PhD students require a committee of five, including the major professor and one member from outside the department. The supervisory committee meets with the graduate student annually during the spring semester to assess their progress toward completion of their degree.

Assessment of Individual Graduate Students

Following the College of Graduate Studies guidelines, each graduate student is required to complete or update an Individual Development Plan (IDP) annually. The IDP is a personal and professional development tool used to help students assess strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and communicate with their advisor and mentors.

Annually, in advance of the spring committee meeting, each graduate student prepares and submits to their committee an Annual Progress Report, that includes updates on research, coursework, and other activities. As part of this process, the student completes the “Student Assessment” portion of the Annual Progress Form to directly assess each of the four Learning Objectives listed above. In this self-assessment, the student scores each learning objective as “below”, “at”, or “above” expectations for their stage in the program.

During the annual committee meeting, the committee reviews the progress report and student self-assessment with the graduate student and scores the “Committee Assessment” portion of the matrix. The committee and student discuss any differences between the assessments during the meeting.

Following the annual committee meeting, the committee completes the remainder of the Annual-Evaluation form to document any action items to address deficiencies, or discussion topics covered during the meeting. The Annual-Evaluation form is sent to the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) for inclusion in the Department graduate student file.

Department Review of Graduate Program and Adjustments

Data from individual student assessments are collated by the Graduate Program Coordinator on an annual basis. The data is used to evaluate the number of students below, at, or above expectations for each learning objective, and the cumulative average percentages for all students. This data is reviewed by the Department Graduate Committee to identify deficiencies and propose specific recommendations to improve student outcomes. These recommendations are presented to the Geosciences Faculty and implemented based on faculty feedback and approval.