Department Mission: The Physics Department has short-term and long-term missions. In the short term the Physics Department prepares students for work on their next milestones. In the service courses that meet the general degree requirements this means further undergraduate education in any department at New Mexico Tech. In the undergraduate major this means graduate study or employment. In the graduate program this means independent learning, teaching, and research. In the long term the Physics Department prepares students for a career in a workplace of changing needs and changing technology.
Learning Outcomes |
Assessment Procedures |
Assessment Results |
(Please do not list more than 8 objectives.) At the completion of the program, students will be able to: |
Which assessment activities were used for each objective (dates)? Note whether they are direct (D) or indirect (I) measures. List any others you plan to implement. |
What were your findings? |
1. The graduate students will become independent learners |
D - Prelim exam
D - Annual departmental review of student progress |
Seven students took the Prelim. One passed at the PhD level, two passed at the MS level, and four failed. The four all took the Prelim for the first time this year and may take it again next year.
All students made at least acceptable progress |
2. The graduate students who wish to teach as a career will become independent teachers |
D - Evaluation of laboratory teaching assistants
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None of the TAs were found to have significant weaknesses. In 2008 the department will apply the teaching standards to the TAs that are applied to the faculty. |
3. The graduate students will demonstrate an understanding of the breadth of topics in physics and their interconnectedness |
D – The Prelim exam contains questions on a variety of topics in physics |
The students did well on all sections of the prelim. |
4. The graduate students will become independent researchers |
D - MS thesis defense
D - PhD candidacy exam
D - PhD dissertation defense |
All four MS defenses graded pass
Three successful attempts made to advance to candidacy this year
Two students defended and passed |
5. The majority of students will report satisfaction with their courses |
D - Course evaluations |
Only one course did not meet this expectation. The department has offered coaching to the professor involved.
The department now keeps and uses records of the student evaluations of Overall Quality of Instruction. We know the distribution function of the scores and the average score for each faculty member. |
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Use of Results: What departmental, curricular, or instructional changes will be made based on these assessment results?
The department has initiated discussions of offering the Prelim twice per year and offering more guidance on how to prepare for it.
The student course evaluations of Overall Quality of Instruction from Fall, 2003, to the present were tabulated. The distribution function for the department was found and the average was calculated for each individual faculty member. We now have a much clearer understanding of the department’s expectations for teaching and a quantitative way to identify problem courses and instructors. Student evaluations of Overall Quality of Instruction averaging 3.5 or below on a five-point scale generally indicate a problem. The tabulated results and distribution of scores are provided to tenure committees and used in tenure decisions.
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Submitted by: David Westpfahl Date: 2008 February 12
