Assessment Report
July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012
PROGRAM ASSESSED:
M.S. in Applied Statistics
(Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR:
Harry Khamis, Graduate Advisor for M.S. degree in
Applied Statistics Program
8TH ANNUAL REPORT, 11/30/12
1. ASSESSMENT MEASURES EMPLOYED
1.
Comprehensive examination given after completion of six specified basic courses in
statistical theory, methods, linear models, and experimental design. The written
examination, which is offered every fall, consists of a half-day devoted to theory and
linear models, a second half-day devoted to statistical methods and experimental design,
and a take-home project which involves some computer analysis of data and a written
report of the analysis results. Students must receive satisfactory scores on all parts of the
exam, as judged by a comprehensive examination committee, in order to pass and receive
their degree.
2.
An exit questionnaire that is distributed to all students graduating from the Program.
This questionnaire is wide-ranging, addressing the prerequisites for the Program, specific
courses, and the overall satisfaction of the graduating students with the education they
received.
3.
Periodic surveys of all graduates of the program who can be located.
4.
Assessment of the work that students perform in the statistical consulting course,
STT 791, a required course in the Program. Students are encouraged to take this course
late in the program, after having completed as much regular course work as possible.
The STT 791 students are required to write a portfolio at the end of the course outlining
their activities. This course serves as a bridge between coursework (“book learning”) and
working as a statistical scientist in the “real world”. It also serves as something of a
“capstone” course for the Program. Selected comments from the portfolios of STT 791
students for the time period 7/1/11 – 6/30/12 follow:
•
“Overall, I felt my statistical consulting experience was very valuable.”
•
“I have gained a lot of useful consulting experience from this consulting course.”
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•
“… this course really gives me a good head-up about how to prepare myself towards
this (statistics) career goal. I enjoy this course!”
•
“ The hands on practical applications of statistical consulting coupled with great
literature like My Statistical Consultant were a great and valuable experience. It was
a great opportunity and I wish students would have more than a quarter of
consulting.”
2. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
Assessment for the Applied Statistics Program for the 2011-2012 fiscal year will be
reported. Three outcomes are assessed; these three outcomes and the findings for each are
presented below.
1.
Development of a thorough grounding in the theory and methodology needed for the
design of experiments/surveys and the collection and analysis of data.
In the Fall Quarter of 2011, seven students took the comprehensive exam; three students
had to retake one or more parts of the exam.
Generally, the fact that most all of the students pass the comprehensive exam by the
second or third try indicates that the Program provides an adequate education and is
accessible; the fact that not all students pass the exam on the first attempt indicates that
the exam is sufficiently rigorous. Since 1982, only two students who had taken the
comprehensive exam failed to get their M.S. degree.
2.
Development of a breadth of knowledge of advanced topics in statistical theory and
technique.
General performance in the elective statistics courses demonstrates the students’ breadth
of knowledge of advanced topics in statistical theory and technique.
3.
Development of skill in (1) applying statistical methodology to consulting problems,
(2) communicating results to clients, and (3) working in a collaborative environment.
Based on the STT 791 (Statistical Consulting Course) portfolios for the three students
who took the course in the past fiscal year, as well as verbal reports from the
supervising consultants, the students clearly demonstrated skill in applying statistical
methodology to consulting problems, communicating results to clients, and working
collaboratively.
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3. PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS
The Statistics Program Committee continually monitors the functioning of the Program,
discussing and acting on those changes that are deemed warranted. For instance, one of the most
successful features of the Program is the scheduling of courses in the late afternoon and evening
in order to accommodate students who work full-time. The Statistics Program Committee
queries graduate students every few years in order to determine the most convenient time slots
for their schedules, making changes in course scheduling whenever there is a need.
Intensive effort has been expended during the assessment period on the semester
conversion of statistics program coursework. In addition to the conversion process, program
faculty took advantage of the opportunity to (1) overhaul and inventory courses, (2) combine,
modify , and modernize courses, (3) consider new courses and/or new material and topics to
introduce into the Program. This important work was accomplished in a timely fashion. In
particular, two new courses have been established, a clinical trials course and a course in
advanced biostatistical topics, in support of a new track in biostatistics (see below).
The Statistical Consulting Center continues to maintain a scholarship through the
Campus Scholarship and Innovation Campaign (CSIC) for the purpose of providing financial
support to students majoring in statistics.
4. ASSESSMENT PLAN COMPLIANCE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Program Assessment, an alumni survey was
completed and analyzed in October, 2007. A discussion of the survey results was presented in
the Program’s assessment report of 2007-8. The results of this survey with regard to coursework
satisfaction, quality of the faculty, etc. indicated that the Statistics Program has been, and
continues to be, an excellent program responding effectively and efficiently to the needs of our
graduates. And, based on the ultimate criteria of success such as post-graduation employment
rate, salary, etc., our Program has been successful.
5. NEW ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENTS
Responding to the educational needs of the workforce, two new programs have been
implemented within the Statistics Program is the past year:
● biostatistics track within the M.S. degree program
● 5-year B.S.-M.S. program
Both of these programs have been approved by the University. In support of the
biostatistics track, a new Assistant Professor of biostatistics was hired to start in the fall 2012
semester, and authorization has been obtained (November 2012) to hire a second biostatistics
faculty member. As of November, 2012, there is one student in the B.S.-M.S. program and three
first-year M.S. degree students who have indicated interest in the biostatistics track. Specific
details of these new programs can be found at the departmental website: www.math.wright.edu.
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CONCLUSION
Over the last seven years, the average number of students enrolled in the M.S. Statistics
Program is 23; currently, there are 27 students enrolled. The adoption of two new initiatives, the
biostatistics track and the 5-year B.S.-M.S. degree program, illustrates the program’s ability to
respond to society’s workforce and educational needs.
An additional indicator of excellence within the Program is the receipt by the Statistical
Consulting Center (SCC) of a Presidential Excellence Award for Outstanding Unit (September,
2011). This award highlights the quality of work done by the SCC in
(i) training graduate statistics students to work with “real” clients and with “real” data,
(ii) providing statistical support for University researchers,
(iii) providing statistical consulting services to community government and industry
partners, and
(iv) engaging in a wide variety of community service activities.
By all accounts, the Statistics Program is successful, strong, productive, and growing.
By looking at the Program Assessment reports for the past seven years, one sees a consistent,
strong, coherent record of accomplishment and success.
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