Graduate program assessment
Every graduate program in SEAS assesses learning outcomes for each student. Assessment forms have been developed for each outcome.. A complete set of assessment forms must be filed for every student as a requirement for graduation from that program. The results recorded on the assessment form are not part of the normal grading process but rather are used to evaluate and improve the program.
Non-thesis Master’s degrees
Non-thesis masters degrees (i.e. ME, MCS, MMSE, MEP) each require that every student be assessed on at least three outcomes. The general idea is that when a student produces a work product the student may ask an instructor to assess its quality using the appropriate form. Each student must be assessed at least once on each required outcome.
If a program requires a project with a written or oral presentation, then that project is the logical vehicle for assessment. If a program does not require a project, then the student can submit work done as part of any graduate class for assessment. Technical reports or other publications which are not directly tied to a class are also acceptable. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that the assessment forms are submitted. For the plan of study assessment, the student submits a partially completed form, signed by the program director (or designee). It is the responsibility of the program to complete the assessments after the student graduates and the final transcripts are available.
Required outcome assessments (and forms) for each program are listed below:
• Engineering Analysis (G101 A)
• Technical Writing (G101 W)
Oral Communication (G101 O)
Outcome assessment for the Ph.D. degree occurs at three different points in the program: the qualifying exam, the proposal and the dissertation defense. The assessment of the qualifying exam performance is recorded on the program specific forms: G107BME, G107CHE, G107CE, G107CPE, G107CS, G107EE, G107EP, G107MSE, G107MAE and G107SE. The program-specific form must be submitted with the PhD Examination Report that records the result of the examination. The committee administering the exam completes the program-specific assessment form.
The assessment of the dissertation proposal is performed by the advisory committee at the time of the defense of the proposal. The examining committee completes the Engineering Dissertation Proposal Assessment at the time of the proposal defense and it is submitted with the Dissertation Proposal form.
The Thesis and Dissertation Assessment is completed at the time of the defense and is submitted with the Report on Final Examination. Also required is a list of publications. The assessment form is to be completed by the examining committee at the conclusion of the examination and defense. The assessment form is the same for both MS theses and Ph.D. dissertations.