Revised MFA Assessment —2015–2016
Beginning with the 2015-2016 academic year, the faculty decided to create new rubrics that modify
the assessment plan for the MFA in Art.
Three new rubrics with corresponding Means of Assessment and Criteria for Success have been
created in the University’s assessment tracking system, TracDat.
Below is a detailed description of the revised assessment plan. The main changes are in the forms
used to conduct assessment; MFA students are still evaluated at the end of the first and second
years, and through their thesis exhibition.
These tables provide an overview of when actions occur for students, procedures, and assessment
requirements.
First Year
When?
What?
How?
Oral
Communication
Skills
Before
the end
of the
first year
Formal
presentation
of creative
work
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
prepare for the
presentation
Written
Communication
Skills
Before
the end
of the
first year
A minimum
5-page paper
about the
student’s
creative
work, or a
topic of the
committee’s/
professor’s
choosing
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
write the
paper.
Students must
provide at least
one draft to
provide
feedback.
Faculty uses
the rubric to
provide
preliminary
feedback;
additional
comments or a
meeting with
the student are
recommended,
but not
required.
Assessment
Rubric:
MFA Oral
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
MFA Oral
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
Follow-up:
Paperwork:
After the
presentation,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
presentation
to improve
performance
the following
year
After the
paper is
evaluated,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
writing to
improve their
performance
the following
year
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate LaMere
for reporting)
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric and the
paper to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate LaMere
for reporting)
1
Second
Year
When?
What?
How?
Assessment
Rubric:
Follow-up:
Paperwork:
Oral
Communication
Skills
Before
the end
of the
first year
Formal
presentation
of creative
work
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
prepare for the
presentation
MFA Written
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate LaMere
for reporting)
Written
Communication
Skills
Before
the end
of the
first year
A minimum
5-page paper
about the
student’s
creative
work, or a
topic of the
committee’s/
professor’s
choosing
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
write the
paper.
Students must
provide at least
one draft to
provide
feedback.
Faculty uses
the rubric to
provide
preliminary
feedback;
additional
comments or a
meeting with
the student are
recommended,
but not
required.
MFA Written
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
After the
presentation,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
presentation
to improve
performance
the following
year
After the
paper is
evaluated,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
writing to
improve their
performance
the following
year
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric and the
paper to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate LaMere
for reporting)
2
Thesis
When?
What?
How?
Oral
Communication
Skills
Once
thesis
exhibition
is mounted
Formal
defense and
presentation
of the thesis
exhibition
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
prepare for the
presentation
Written
Communication
Skills
Upon
completion
of the MFA
thesis
document
Thesis
document
Contemporary
Issues
Upon
completion
of the MFA
thesis
document
Thesis
document
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
write the
thesis.
Students must
provide at least
one draft for
feedback.
Faculty may
use the rubric
to provide
preliminary
feedback;
additional
comments or a
meeting with
the student are
recommended,
but not
required.
Provide
student with
the rubric to
help them
write the
thesis.
Students must
provide at least
one draft for
feedback.
Faculty may
use the rubric
to provide
preliminary
feedback;
additional
comments or a
meeting with
the student are
recommended,
but not
required.
Assessment
Rubric:
MFA Oral
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
Follow-up:
Paperwork:
After the
defense,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
presentation
to improve
performance
MFA Written
Communication
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
After the
thesis is
evaluated,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
writing to
improve their
performance
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate
LaMere for
reporting)
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric and the
paper to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate
LaMere for
reporting)
MFA Cultural
Issues
Rubric.docx
(3-point scale)
After the
thesis is
evaluated,
faculty
provides the
student with
feedback
about their
writing to
improve their
performance
Faculty turns-in
one copy of the
rubric and the
paper to Scott
Eagle before the
end of spring
semester
(Scott shares a
copy of the form
with Kate
LaMere for
reporting)
3
Detailed Description of MFA Assessment
Oral Communication Skills
FIRST YEAR
Means of Assessment:
Students will present their creative activity and work in a formal presentation to faculty
before the end of their first year of study in the MFA program. Students’ oral
communication skills will be evaluated using a rubric.
Criteria for evaluation include: organization, content: depth and accuracy, content: art and
design context, research effort, use of visual aids, use of language/grammar/word choice,
voice, eye contact, personal appearance, audience interaction/questions and answers,
audience response and length of presentation. The committee completes one rubric that
uses a three-point score— 1-Developing; 2-Meets Expectations; 3-Above Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
90% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on 6 of 11 items.
Rubric:
MFA Oral Communication Rubric.docx
SECOND YEAR
Means of Assessment:
Students will present their creative activity and work in a formal presentation to
faculty before the end of their second year of study in the MFA program. Students’
oral communication skills will be evaluated using a rubric.
Criteria for evaluation include: organization, content: depth and accuracy, content:
art and design context, research effort, use of visual aids, use of
language/grammar/word choice, voice, eye contact, personal appearance, audience
interaction/questions and answers, audience response and length of presentation.
The committee completes one rubric that uses a three-point score— 1-Developing;
2-Meets Expectations; 3-Above Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
90% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on 6 of 11 items.
Rubric:
MFA Oral Communication Rubric.docx
THESIS
Means of Assessment:
Students will present their thesis work in a formal presentation to faculty. Students’
oral communication skills will be evaluated using a rubric.
4
Criteria for evaluation include: organization, content: depth and accuracy, content:
art and design context, research effort, use of visual aids, use of
language/grammar/word choice, voice, eye contact, personal appearance, audience
interaction/questions and answers, audience response and length of presentation.
The committee completes one rubric that uses a three-point score— 1-Below
expectations; 2-Meets Expectations; 3-Above Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
100% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on all 11 items.
Rubric:
MFA Oral Communication Rubric.docx
Written Communication Skills
FIRST YEAR
Means of Assessment:
Through a research paper of at least five-pages that utilizes a standard citation style,
students’ written communication skills are evaluated. Faculty reviews the paper and scores
it using a rubric.
Criteria for evaluation are: context and purpose of writing; content development; content:
contemporary and social issues; content: building on disciplinary precedents; sources and
evidence; organization; clarity and style; citations. These items are scored using a threepoint scale: 1-Developing; 2-Meets Expectations; 3-Exceeds Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
90% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on 4 of 8 items.
Rubric:
MFA Written Communication Rubric.docx
SECOND YEAR
Means of Assessment:
Through a research paper of at least five-pages that utilizes a standard citation style,
students’ written communication skills are evaluated. Faculty reviews the paper and
scores it using a rubric.
Criteria for evaluation are: context and purpose of writing; content development;
content: contemporary and social issues; content: building on disciplinary
precedents; sources and evidence; organization; clarity and style; citations. These
items are scored using a three-point scale: 1-Developing; 2-Meets Expectations; 3Exceeds Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
90% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on 6 of 8 items.
5
Rubric:
MFA Written Communication Rubric.docx
THESIS
Means of Assessment:
Through their thesis, students’ written communication skills are evaluated. Faculty
reviews the paper and scores it using a rubric.
Criteria for evaluation are: context and purpose of writing; content development;
content: contemporary and social issues; content: building on disciplinary
precedents; sources and evidence; organization; clarity and style; citations. These
items are scored using a three-point scale: 1-Developing; 2-Meets Expectations; 3Exceeds Expectations.
Criterion for Success:
100% of students will score 2-Meets Expectations or higher on all 8 items.
Rubric:
MFA Written Communication Rubric.docx
Cultural Issues—Professional Disciplinary Knowledge
Means of Assessment:
Upon mounting a thesis exhibition, faculty meets with candidates to discuss and
evaluate their thesis exhibition. A rubric is used to evaluate the candidate’s
understanding of their work in relationship to contemporary cultural and social
issues and contemporary issues in their discipline/field.
Criterion for Success:
90% of students will achieve an overall average of 2 (Meets Expectations) across the
items of the rubric.
Rubric:
MFA Cultural Issues Rubric.docx
6