Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
BACCALAUREATE AND MASTER’S DEGREES
NEW PROPOSAL FORM: ONE-STEP PROCESS
(Submit One Copy)
REVISED FORMAL PROPOSAL
Institution: Kennesaw State University
Institutional Contact (President or Vice President for Academic Affairs): Dr. Ken
Harmon, Interim Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Date: 1 September 2010
School/Division: University College
Department: First-Year Programs
Departmental Contact: Dr. Keisha Hoerrner
Name of Proposed Program/Inscription: Master of Science in First-Year Programs and
Experiences
Degree: MS
Major: First-Year Programs and Experiences
CIP Code: 130406
1.
Anticipated Starting Date: Fall 2013
Program Description and Objectives
First-Year Programs & Experiences is a discrete and emerging academic discipline
focusing on the unique transitional experience occurring in the first year of higher
education. Nationally, the first, or "transitional," year of a university student's
experience is increasingly recognized as a discrete experience, affected by numerous
institutional and non-institutional factors not present in subsequent years. The
discipline had its modern origins more than 30 years ago with the development, by
John Gardner (see Appendix A for his letter of support1) and his colleagues at the
1
Dr. Gardner’s letter refers to the proposed program as a Master’s of First-Year Pedagogy and
Administration, which was the working title when he reviewed the list of proposed courses. To ensure
that there was no perceived duplication between this master’s program and either existing or
1
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
University of South Carolina, of the University 101 course to help students make a
successful transition to the college environment. This initial foray into helping
students with the difficult transition to college led to the subsequent development of
the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in
Transition® at that institution. (Dr. Jennifer Keup is the current Executive Director;
see Appendix B for her letter of support2.) The National Resource Center has fostered
the development of the emerging discipline by supporting and advancing efforts to
improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education. One
aspect of the work of the National Resource Center has been to document the
exponential proliferation of university programs addressing this pivotal year. The
growth of such programs suggests the recognition of the uniqueness of this field.
Furthermore, the growing body of research focusing on the first-year transition
demonstrates that it is as distinct from the balance of a student's tertiary educational
experience as it is from the student's pre-university experiences. More recently, the
emergence of this discipline and the need for its intentional study have been
recognized by such leading international institutions as the University of Wisconsin at
Madison, which has devoted an academic center to the study of students’ first-year
experiences; however, until now, there has not been a graduate program purposefully
devoted to studying those experiences.
As a repeatedly recognized national leader in providing first-year programs,
Kennesaw State University's Department of First-Year Programs will launch the first
graduate program in this emerging discipline and provide leadership to both
strengthen and deepen the discipline. The proposed Master's of Science in First-Year
Programs and Experiences will encompass the theory and study of factors affecting
the first-year experiences within and beyond the academic institution, including
foundations of students’ transitional experiences and research on curricular and cocurricular interventions promoting successful transition.
First-year programs, which include curricular initiatives such as first-year seminar
courses, common reader programs and learning communities as well as co-curricular
initiatives such as First-Year Convocation and New Student Orientation, are designed
to improve student learning and transitions into and through their initial year in
college. The first-year program at Kennesaw State University began nearly 30 years
ago with the university’s first-year seminar course and has grown to include a variety
of offerings to enhance the experience of incoming students. Currently, the
Department of First-Year Programs at Kennesaw State University not only offers
nationally recognized first-year seminars and learning communities to thousands of
entering students each year, but it is also a structural model for institutions preparing
prospective programs in higher education administration, the title was changed in 2011 to First-Year
Programs and Experiences.
2
Dr. Keup’s letter refers to the proposed degree program as the Master’s in First-Year Pedagogy and
Practice. Again, this was one of the many working titles for this proposed degree program.
2
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
to either launch or enhance their comprehensive approach to first-year students’
needs. The department has jointly appointed faculty, includes innovative seminars
focusing on global issues and civic engagement, and is the only academic department
in the University System of Georgia and one of only two departments3 in the country
with tenured and tenure-track faculty dedicated to teaching first-year seminars. At the
same time, First-Year Programs faculty engage in the Scholarship of Teaching &
Learning regarding first-year students in an effort to continually improve the
effectiveness of initiatives like seminars, learning communities, and a common reader
program that are traditionally part of the “First-Year Experience®”4. These
accomplishments are recognized internationally, nationally, regionally, and within the
state. KSU’s First-Year Programs was honored to receive the FY10 Georgia Board of
Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for a Department/Program, and KSU was
named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 18 institutions5 for a FirstYear Experience program in its 2012 “America’s Best Colleges” edition6. This is the
ninth consecutive year that KSU has been honored by this publication. KSU is the
only institution in Georgia to be lauded for its achievements with, and dedication to,
first-year students each year that the ranking has been included in the “America’s
Best Colleges” edition. Kennesaw State University is also a recognized leader in firstyear learning communities. The institution is a member of a group of six institutions
that plans and hosts the annual National Learning Communities Conference.
Additionally, KSU co-founded the Journal of Learning Communities Research,
which is one of a growing number scholarly journals that recognizes the emerging
discipline of “first-year programs and experiences.”
The majority of faculty teaching in the proposed master’s program will be tenured
and tenure-track faculty members in the Department of First-Year Programs as well
as the Dean of Student Success and the Dean of University College, who was honored
as an Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate in 2009 by the National Resource
Center for the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition7. The department has
3
At the time the proposal was prepared, Utah Valley University was the other institution with tenured and
tenure-track faculty dedicated to teaching first-year seminars.
4
The First-Year Experience is a trademark of the University of South Carolina.
5
The 2012 Edition of US News & World Report’s list of Best Colleges: First-Year Experiences includes
18 institutions, listed in alphabetical order – not rank ordered – that are recognized as having
exceptional first-year programs. Notably, the number of colleges on this list has decreased in recent
years, from 43 in 2006, to 30 in 2009, to 23 in 2011, and down to 18 in the current edition. Some of
the colleges and universities no longer included on the list include several prestigious and well known
institutions, such as Duke, Princeton, and Texas A&M.
6
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/first-year-experience-programs
7
Building upon its history of excellence as the founder and leader of the first-year experience movement,
the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition® serves
education professionals through its work with conferences and continuing education, a full
complement of publications, charting a research agenda, and the development and dissemination of
online resources, the Center has grown to become an internationally recognized clearinghouse for
3
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
already begun offering online and hybrid courses to undergraduate students.
Furthermore, two of the department’s faculty members are also engaged in scholarly
assessment of online delivery of first-year seminars, demonstrating KSU’s
Department of First-Year Programs’ emergence as a national leader in online
strategies for teaching first-year students.
Therefore, the Department of First-Year Programs is the obvious department to
implement the first graduate program in the country within the emerging academic
discipline of first-year programs and experiences. This innovative master’s program
will prepare future faculty members and/or student affairs professionals in what has
emerged as its own interdisciplinary field of study, according to the National
Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition®.
A preliminary market survey of more than 70 colleagues engaged in first-year
curricular initiatives in Georgia and across the country confirms the necessity of such
a program (Table 1). More than 75% of the survey respondents indicated that if they
were hiring a first-year seminar instructor or director, they would likely choose a
graduate of the proposed Master’s program in First-Year Programs and Experiences.
Further, the majority of respondents believed the proposed program would give a
competitive edge to first-year seminar instructors and directors with educational
backgrounds in educational leadership, student affairs or higher education
administration, or in an academic discipline.
Qualitative data, gathered from open-ended questions on the survey, also support the
potential value added through the proposed degree program. For example, one
respondent said, “While on-the-ground training is an important component for each of
the positions above [first-year seminar instructor, instructor in a learning community,
first-year seminar program director, and program director for learning communities],
a candidate with the thorough background such as yours would have a terrific
advantage.” Another respondent said, “I think most FYE programs would be attracted
to candidates with this specific educational training and preparation. Thinking of the
various campuses where I have worked with FYE, in a variety of program types, I
would consider this as a major part of my hiring decision.” In addition to the national
interest in potentially hiring graduates of the proposed Master’s program, Tim Vick,
Director of Macon State College’s Freshman-Year Experience, in his letter of support
for the program, talked about the local interest, “As an FYE program director, I see
the need and would readily employ program graduates as program leaders or
instructors” (Appendix C8).
scholarship, policy, and best practice for the first-year experience and all postsecondary student
transitions.
8
Tim Vick’s letter refers to the proposed program as a Master’s of First-Year Pedagogy and Practice,
which was the working title when he reviewed the list of proposed courses. To ensure that there was no
perceived duplication between this master’s program and either existing or prospective programs in
4
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Furthermore, the comments we received indicate that no one else is currently
considering such a program. Thus, rather than duplicating strong programs in the state
(i.e., Georgia Southern University’s online master’s program in Higher Education
Administration) or across the country (e.g., the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse’s,
online Master’s in Student Affairs Administration or Indiana University of
Pennsylvania’s D. Ed. in Administration and Leadership Studies), this program offers
a unique curriculum that is not offered anywhere else in the United States or around
the world.
Table 1: Preliminary Market Survey: Proposed Graduate Program9
All Respondents (72)
SA/A
N
D/SD
Likelihood that survey respondents would hire a graduate of the proposed master’s program for
one of the following positions:
Instructor FYS
11%
13%
76%
Instructor LC
22%
15%
63%
Director FYS
13%
10%
78%
Director LC
22%
13%
65%
Likelihood that graduates of the proposed programs would be hired at other institutions for one of
the following positions:
Instructor FYS
13%
11%
76%
Instructor LC
19%
13%
68%
Director FYS
16%
4%
80%
Director LC
21%
4%
73%
Perceptions of the value added through completing the proposed graduate program for first-year
seminar instructors with any of the following academic backgrounds:
Ed Leadership
14%
7%
79%
Student Affairs Administration
15%
4%
81%
Higher Ed Administration
16%
7%
77%
Discipline
22%
10%
68%
Perceptions of the value added through completing the proposed graduate program for first-year
seminar directors with any of the following academic backgrounds:
Ed Leadership
13%
4%
83%
Student Affairs Administration
10%
6%
84%
Higher Ed Administration
10%
6%
85%
Discipline
22%
10%
68%
SA – Strongly Agree, A – Agree; N – Neither Agree Nor Disagree; D – Disagree, SD – Strongly
higher education administration, the title was changed in 2011 to First-Year Programs and
Experiences.
9
Numbers sometimes add to 99% or 101% because of rounding errors
5
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
As this proposal will detail, the number of institutions developing, maintaining, or
growing curricular and extracurricular initiatives specifically focused on first-year
students has increased substantially in the last 20 years, a trend that can be seen
within the University System of Georgia. While today’s faculty members and student
affairs professionals had to forge a foundation of evidence and theory to inform the
first-year initiatives through trial-and-error, national conferences, professional
development workshops, and any other opportunities presented to them, the next
generation of subject matter experts will be prepared in an online graduate program
offered by a department with the primary mission of providing “first-year students a
foundation in academic and life skills … [by] assist[ing] students in the transition to
college life by reinforcing the value of general education, by exposing students to the
concept of global citizenship, by expecting students to engage in critical thinking, and
by promoting personal growth through academic and social opportunity10.”
In fact, the primary objective of the proposed online Master’s of First-Year Programs
and Experiences is to address an emergent and growing national field through
discipline-specific academic preparation that significantly increases the likelihood a
student will have a successful university experience. Specifically, the proposed
program will:
●
graduate prospective university faculty and staff possessing the knowledge and
skills to develop, teach in, organize, and/or implement a first-year program at
community colleges and/or four-year institutions;
● provide prospective faculty and staff with an understanding of the specific needs
of, and challenges faced by, first-year students in the classroom, on campus, and
in their personal lives; and
● provide prospective academic faculty and staff with a research-validated base to
guide them in addressing the specific needs of a first-year student population and
evaluating the effectiveness of such programming.
The degree program will be delivered entirely online to serve a greater number of
students and expand the geographic reach of the program. The Department of FirstYear Programs is poised to administer this program online, with several faculty
members already engaged in technologically enhanced instruction and teaching firstyear seminars in either hybrid or online platforms. Additionally, to facilitate the
delivery of the proposed graduate program, Kennesaw State University’s new
Distance Learning Center (DLC) will provide campus-wide administrative and
technological support to faculty and staff through technology-enhanced media
(online and telepresence), labs, and support staff.
10
Department of First-Year Programs Mission Statement.
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Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
The proposed program of study encompasses 33 credit hours, which include 24
semester hours of core courses, three elective hours, and six hours of thesis
preparation and defense. The core courses will introduce students to:








first-year programs and experiences as a discrete field of teaching and study;
research methods and assessment strategies that are essential to evaluating
curricular and co-curricular initiatives for first-year students;
history of the development of The First-Year Experience® within higher
education;
theoretical foundations for student affairs interventions related to first-year
students’ transition to college and their successful progression to sophomores;
curricular theory related to teaching first-year students;
the effect of multiculturalism on first-year students and their experiences;
organizational structures supporting successful first-year programs and
experiences; and
the physical, cognitive, and psycho-social development of first-year students.
Electives will allow students to focus on emerging issues in the area of first-year
programs, such as international conceptualizations of first-year initiatives, or to take
advantage of online courses in KSU’s Bagwell College of Education such as ITEC
7480, Introduction to Online Learning.
There will be no requirement for students to physically attend any classes on campus
or to teach, as part of a practicum, on the KSU campus, although that opportunity will
be available to students as an elective course.
2. Description of the program’s fit with the institutional mission and nationally
accepted trends in the discipline.
KSU’s Strategic Plan 2007-2012 includes as its number one goal “to enhance and
expand academic programs and delivery.” Stated action steps to achieve this goal are
to “add degree programs that are strategically important to the local community, to
Georgia, and to the nation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels” (Action
Step 8) and “to increase the proportion of courses and programs that are offered offsite and online” (Action Step 10)11. The proposed online graduate degree program
helps in the achievement of this goal by responding to these two action steps. In
addition, there is a growing state and national need for faculty and student affairs
professionals to teach and provide leadership in the administration and assessment of
an increasing number of first-year programs (Tinto, 2001; Pascarella & Terenzini,
2005; Goodman & Pascarella, 2006). In an era of declining resources, these programs
11
Kennesaw State University. (2007). “Kennesaw State University Strategic Plan.” Retrieved from the
Kennesaw State University website: https://web.kennesaw.edu/academicaffairs/strategicplan#goal1.
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Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
are expanding horizontally, touching more parts of campus. Specifically, the
proposed master’s degree program is strategically positioned to address that need.
Locally, the proposed graduate program offers opportunities to potential graduates in
that completion of the master’s degree may lead to local employment as the
University System of Georgia implements its plan to require first-year initiatives at its
34 institutions that serve first-year students12. Furthermore, given that all 33 credit
hours of the program can be completed online, the proposed master’s program will
make a significant contribution toward increasing the proportion of courses and
programs offered online. Consequently, the development and administration of the
proposed graduate degree is viewed as a high priority within Kennesaw State
University by both University College and the Graduate College, given that it directly
responds to Goal One of the institution’s Strategic Plan.
The development and implementation of this graduate program also helps both
University College13 and the Department of First-Year Programs14 meet key strategic
goals and objectives of their five-year strategic plans. It would be the first graduate
program offered within the college and the only degree program in the department.
Thus, it is central to the department’s fulfillment of its strategic goals while furthering
those of the college and the university as a whole.
Nationally, the proposed graduate program fully supports the current trend in the
emerging academic discipline of first-year initiatives, commonly known as The FirstYear Experience®, as noted in the letter of support provided by Dr. John Gardner,
President of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate
Education, formerly the Policy Center on the First Year of College (see Appendix A).
According to data from the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience
and Students in Transition®, “just under 58% of American colleges and universities
now offer some sort of extended orientation or other support services” for first-year
students, and “nearly 60% of schools with such programs have added them within the
last 10 years” (Marcus, 2010, n. p.).
Although the proliferation of programs and courses for first-year students might
suggest that this is a new focus for higher education, credit-bearing first-year
12
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. (2010). University System of Georgia Strategic
Plan. Retrieved from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia website:
http://www.usg.edu/strategicplan/one/grad_rates.phtml
13
The second action step under Goal One in the college’s 2007-2012 strategic plan reads as follows:
“Develop courses, certificate programs and advising tracks with the goal of leading to new
undergraduate and graduate degrees (e.g., leadership track in the Interdisciplinary Studies major and
first-year graduate program).”
14
The final action step under Goal One in the department’s 2008-2012 strategic plan reads as follows:
“Explore the feasibility of a graduate degree program.”
8
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
seminars have existed since 191115. Research on the transition to college can be
traced back to before the earliest first-year seminars were offered, but it was the
development of the University 101 course at the University of South Carolina and the
establishment of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and
Students in Transition® in 198116 that generated scholarship around this movement.
Beginning in 1982, the Center offered an annual conference to promote dialogue
about first-year student retention and success, and as more and more institutions have
created first-year seminars and programs, the participation in those meetings has
grown. In 2011, there were 1,710 participants at the annual conference and 231
participants at the annual international conference17. The development of the Journal
of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition by the Center in 198718as
well as monographs, books, and other publications have helped to elevate the FirstYear Experience® to a new and emerging discipline. Dr. Jennifer Keup, Director of
the National Resource Center, noted the increase in conference participation and
scholarship related to the first college year (Appendix B19), as well as growth in the
scope and reach of programs aimed at first-year students, including learning
communities, common reading programs, Supplemental Instruction, first-year
advising, and more. While first-year programming has existed for a long time, it is
only in the last 20 years or so that it has been so validated by university experience
that it has exploded. Because the contemporary university experience is more
competitive, demanding and egalitarian, it requires universities to meaningfully
support their most vulnerable new students. This is evident in the growth of programs
and services aimed at helping students navigate the transition to higher education.
3. Description of how the program demonstrates demand and a justification of
need in the discipline and geographic area and is not unnecessary program
duplication.
On a national level, research continues to reinforce Dr. Keup’s point. Indeed,
numerous studies (Koch, 2001; Koch, Foote, Hinkle, Keup, & Pistilli, 2007) note a
wide range of benefits related to the First-Year Experience® to both students and
their respective campuses. Curricular and co-curricular initiatives have not only
contributed to improved academic performance, social integration, and retention but
have also led to increased participation in campus activities and a greater commitment
to the university among students participating in them as compared with those who
15
Gordon, V. N., & Grites, T. J. (1984). The freshman seminar course: Helping students succeed. Journal
of College Student Personnel, 25, 315-320.
16
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (2001). 20th
Anniversary Presentation. Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience. Columbia, SC.
17
S. Foote (personal communication, August 29, 2011)
18
S. Foote (personal communication, July 23, 2008)
9
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
did not participate (Starke, Harth, & Sirianni, 2001; Yale, 2000). At KSU,
specifically, these initiatives have led to improved retention among first-year students
who enroll in a first-year seminar (as detailed below), and students with the highest
retention are those who take a seminar within a learning community. These findings
are consistent with existing research on first-year seminars that has demonstrated the
impact of first-year seminar participation on student retention and academic success
(Boudreau & Kromrey, 1994; Davis, 1992; Fidler, 1991; Schnell & Doetkott, 2002;
Shanley & Witten, 1990; Weissman & Magill, 2008). Studies involving students who
are considered “at-risk” also demonstrate that first-year seminars and programs can
be a purposeful intervention leading to the retention and success of these students
(Wilkie & Kuckuck, 1989; Fidler, 1991; Shanley & Whitten, 1990).
Given the potential benefits of first-year programs, it is not surprising that a large
number of institutions in the U.S. now offer such programs to their students. In its
2009 National Survey of First-Year Seminars20, the most recent data available, the
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition®
reported that 890 of the 1,019 (87.3%) institutions of higher education that responded
to its survey offer some form of first-year seminar courses21. It is worth restating that
no graduate program currently exists to specifically educate faculty and staff who
work in the area of first-year programs even though a large number of institutions
offer such programs.
The proposed master’s program will also directly respond to the need in the State of
Georgia, as outlined in the Georgia Board of Regents 2008 Strategic Plan, for firstyear programs in 34 of its institutions of higher education22. In its 2008 Strategic
Plan23, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia asserts that its first
goal is to “renew excellence in undergraduate education to meet students’ 21st century
educational needs.” One of the action items identified to accomplish this goal states,
“Develop and implement programs strategically designed to improve the retention
and graduation rates in the USG.” The document further delineates this action item
by listing four specific activities for implementation, the second of which is that “all
34 institutions that serve freshmen will have first-year experience programs.” This
20
Tobolowsky, B. F., & Associates. (2008). 2006 national survey of first-year seminars: Continuing
innovations in the collegiate curriculum. Monograph of the National Resource Center for The FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition, 51.
21
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (n. d.) Executive
Summary of the 2009 National Survey of First Year Seminars. Retrieved from
http://sc.edu/fye/research/reports/pdf/2009%20National%20Survey%20FYS_Executive%20Summary_
II.pdf
22
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. (2010). University System of Georgia Strategic
Plan. Retrieved from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia website:
http://www.usg.edu/strategicplan/one/grad_rates.phtml
23
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. (2010). University System of Georgia Strategic
Plan. Retrieved from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia website:
http://www.usg.edu/strategicplan/one/challenges.phtml
10
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
mandate creates a clear need for skilled faculty and administrators to populate these
programs. The proposed master’s program will address this need in the State of
Georgia by graduating prospective leaders and scholars with the knowledge to
develop, administer, and teach in these mandated programs.
While Kennesaw State University has a well-established, nationally recognized,
award-winning first-year program that satisfies this mandate, nearly 25% of the 34
institutions affected by this mandate do not have such programs24. The remaining 25
institutions affected by this mandate offer some form of programming for first-year
students; however, many of these are in their earliest iterations. As these programs are
developed and enhanced, there will be a need for faculty and staff with the
appropriate expertise. Additionally, enrollment of first-time, first-year students is on
the rise in the Georgia, increasing 5.7% from 2009 to 201025. If this trend continues,
it seems logical to anticipate that there will be a continued – or perhaps growing –
need for qualified personnel to serve this segment of the student population.
The recent growth of first-year students in the USG is also evident in the increase in
the number of HOPE Scholarships awarded annually. In 1993, 29,022 scholarships
were awarded to first-time, first-year students in the system (1,107 to KSU students)26
compared to 49,157 (2,749 to KSU students) scholarships awarded in fall 200927. In
the most recent six-year graduation study (2003-2009) published by the Board of
Regents28, approximately 70% of the students who received the state scholarship in
their first year did not maintain it until graduation. Nationally, close to 55% of firstyear seminar faculty and staff rate “develop academic skills” as one of the most
important course objectives29. Purposeful interventions in the first college year, like
first-year seminars, aimed at improving academic success have the potential to
positively affect the retention of academic scholarships like HOPE while increasing
graduation rates.
The USG has recognized the need to help first-year students become more successful,
which is evident in the focus on first-year programs in its Strategic Plan to “improve
graduation and retention rates by institution and sector”30. In 2005, KSU introduced
24
A review of institutional websites in June 2010 showed that eight USG institutions that fall under the
BOR mandate have no FYE program.
25
http://www.usg.edu/news/release/university_system_enrollment_hits_record_of_301892_students/
26
http://www.usg.edu/research/students/hope/reports/hope_fall93.pdf
27
http://www.usg.edu/research/students/hope/reports/hope_fall 09.pdf
28
http://www.usg.edu/research/students/hope/charts/srpt732a_fall2003.pdf
29
Padgett, R. D. (2011). New evidence on the first-year seminar: Assessing and evaluating seminar
objectives, topics, innovations, and learning outcomes. Paper presented at the 2011 Forum for the
Association for Institutional Research (AIR), Ontario, Canada. Session handout retrieved from
http://sc.edu/fye/research/research_presentations/index.html
30
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (2010). University System of Georgia Strategic
Plan. Retrieved from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia website:
http://www.usg.edu/ strategicplan/one/grad_rates.phtml.
11
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
mandatory participation in its nationally recognized first-year programs for first-time,
full-time students entering with fewer than 15 semester credit hours. This has had a
significant positive effect on first-year to second-year retention rates and, over time,
progression and graduation rates. KSU’s first-year curricular programs consist of both
first-year seminars and learning communities. Many, but not all, learning
communities are anchored by a first-year seminar. Although it was first proposed that
all students take a first-year seminar course, students in high credit-hour programs
would have had great difficulty fulfilling this requirement. Therefore, students can
fulfill the requirement by: (1) completing a first-year seminar or (2) enrolling in a
learning community that combines two or more courses targeting first-year students.
Aggregate data from 1998-2008 are provided in Table 2. As can be seen from the
data, retention of students enrolled in any combination of first-year seminar and/or
learning community is higher (76.9%) than that observed for students not
participating in any part of the curricular programs (70.0%). First-year seminars taken
by students not enrolled in a learning community have a greater effect (76.6%) than
learning communities not anchored by a first-year seminar. However, the effect is
greatest when students are enrolled in a learning community that is anchored by a
first-year seminar (78.8%).
Table 2: Effect of FYE Programs on Retention
Category
No FYE
LC – no FY Seminar
FY Seminar – no LC
LC with FY Seminar
Total FYE
Enrolled (N)
7,126
1,543
5,805
5,177
12,525
Retained 2nd Fall (N)
4,978
1,109
4,444
4081
9,634
Retained 2nd Fall (%)
(%)
(%)
70.0
71.9
76.6
78.8
76.9
When analyzing KSU’s retention rate against rates from a set of peer institutions, it
can be seen in Table 3 that for the 2007 cohort, the last year for which complete data
was available from all comparator institutions, KSU ranks 9th of 17 institutions (right
in the middle). However the rate is closer to the highest rate (difference = 7%) than it
is to the lowest rate (difference = 17%). When compared to a set of aspirational
comparator institutions, KSU, although tied at 4th of 13 institutions, is slightly farther
from the highest rate (difference = 9%) and slightly closer to the lowest rate
(difference = 15%) than in the peer group. Therefore, KSU’s retention rate is within
the range of both its peer and its aspirational comparator institutions, and this is
largely due to the effects of its focus on first-year initiatives.
12
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Table 3: Comparison of KSU’s Retention Rate to Those of Peer & Aspirational
Comparator Institutions
Peer Institution
Illinois State
Towson U
Cal State Fresno
Cal State Fullerton
Cal State Sacramento
San Francisco State
UNC Charlotte
U North Florida
Kennesaw State
Missouri State
Oakland U
Western Kentucky
Eastern Michigan
Middle Tennessee State
Portland State
Cleveland State
UT San Antonio
Retention (%)
83
82
81
79
77
77
77
77
76
74
73
73
71
70
67
62
59
Aspirational Institution
George Mason Univ
U Central Florida
UC Riverside
UNC Greensboro
Kennesaw State
Florida Atlantic – Boca Raton
U North Texas
Kent State – Main Campus
U Memphis
U Wisc – Milwaukee
U Missouri – St Louis
IUPUI
UT Arlington
Retention (%)
85
84
83
76
76
74
74
73
73
72
71
62
61
Given the positive impact of KSU’s first-year program on its retention rate and its
placement among a group of peer and aspirational comparator institutions, KSU is in
an ideal position, through the proposed graduate program, to provide other USG
institutions with personnel educated in developing, teaching, and leading first-year
programs that meet the particular needs of their students. Properly prepared faculty
and staff should lead to stronger first-year programs and, in turn, to higher retention
rates at those institutions, thereby helping the USG meet the objectives outlined in its
Strategic Plan. Increased retention at USG institutions will clearly lead to increased
revenues and higher graduation rates.
In addition to meeting the need identified in Goal One of the Georgia Board of
Regents 2008 Strategic Plan, the proposed program meets the need in the State of
Georgia for an increase in distance learning credit hours, as outlined in Goal Two of
the Georgia Board of Regents 2008 Strategic Plan31. Goal Two states: Create
enrollment capacity to meet the needs of 100,000 additional students by 2020. The
Strategic Plan further identifies one of the action items to accomplish this goal as
31
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. (2010). University System of Georgia Strategic
Plan. Retrieved from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia website:
http://www.usg.edu/ strategicplan/two/grad_rates.phtml
13
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
“increase distance learning credit hours.” The proposed master’s program directly
responds to this action item for Goal Two. Consequently, the program will meet the
goal of increasing distance learning credit hours while requiring minimal (if any)
additional space on campus, either in terms of classroom space or parking.
Furthermore, because the program is entirely online, it will be accessible to all
interested students nationwide and internationally – including military personnel
stationed overseas and physically disabled individuals – potentially opening up
revenue opportunities that do not currently exist.
In conclusion, this proposed program was intentionally designed to meet various
strategic needs in the state of Georgia and around the country, while also opening up
opportunities to educate international students.
4. Brief description of institutional resources that will be used specifically for the
program (e.g., personnel, library, equipment, laboratories, supplies & expenses,
capital expenditures at program start-up and when the program undergoes its
first comprehensive program review).
The proposed online Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
will require the need for only one additional faculty member in each of the second
and fourth years of the program. The new hire in the second year will be an associate
or full professor. The department currently possesses the faculty with the expertise to
teach all of the courses included in the program. (Additional faculty can be added in
later years through the soft money provided by online learning fees, and all new
tenure-track faculty hires will teach both graduate courses and undergraduate firstyear seminars.)
There will be no need for additional staff positions until year four. Furthermore, there
is no need for capital expenditures for facilities because the university’s new DLC is
uniquely positioned to support the online degree program with the requisite
equipment and facilities to ensure the program runs smoothly. Supplies and minor
equipment purchases can be absorbed by the department’s operations budget as well
as its percentage of the online learning fees generated by the program’s courses.
A graduate library is being planned by Sturgis Library, which will offer both faculty
and students the necessary research resources. Additionally, Sturgis Library has
extensive collections of online scholarly journals and e-books, which can be remotely
accessed by students across the country – or around the world. Sturgis Library also
plans to provide each college a staff member dedicated to assisting students and
faculty with research; consequently, the library’s focus on expanding graduate
materials and promoting research is well-timed for the proposed program.
Since the master’s program is entirely online, all faculty teaching in the program will
require web cameras in order to interact with students via the Internet and digital
14
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
voice recorders to prepare audio files for online access. The program will require
online learning labs that could allow an entire class to meet synchronously online
when necessary. These web-based classrooms, recording areas, cameras, and web
software/equipment will be available through KSU’s Distance Learning Center,
Online Development Group (ODG), and/or Information Technology Services.
Personnel in these departments will also provide support to faculty at the DLC or
within departments. The DLC will assist in providing both instructional design and
delivery. It is equipped with multiple modalities for delivering courses online.
The DLC has the technology and staff available to assist graduate faculty in recording
and posting online lectures that students will be able to access and view in both an
asynchronous and synchronous environment. Another option that is made possible by
the KSU DLC will be live webinars during which students will be able to view a live
broadcast of a professor and submit questions in real time that would then be
answered by the professor during the webinar. Other features of the online program
may include live chats, discussion board postings, and the electronic submission of
assignments. The DLC representative from the Department of First-Year Programs is
working closely with DLC administrators to ensure it will include the necessary
technology and support needed by the proposed graduate program.
In the second year of the program, $4,000-per-semester stipends for graduate students
and nine hours of tuition waiver per semester will be necessary to allow for graduate
assistantships and to help make the program more attractive to potential students.
5. Curriculum: List the entire course of study required and recommended to
complete the degree program. Provide a sample program of study that would be
followed by a representative student.
a. Clearly differentiate which courses are existing and which are newly developed
courses. Include the course titles as well as acronyms and credit hour
requirements associated with each course.
b. Append course descriptions for all courses (existing and new courses)
c. When describing required or elective courses, list all course prerequisites.
Program of Study
●
15
Total of 33 Credit Hours to include
○ 27 hours of coursework
■
24 hrs of core classes
■
3 hrs of elective classes
○ 6 hrs of thesis preparation and defense
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Required and Elective Courses
●
16
FYP 5000 - Introduction to First-Year Programs and Experiences
(3 hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program in First-Year
Programs and Experiences or permission of the FYP Graduate
Program Director.
■
This course provides the foundation for the practices,
concepts, structures, themes, theories, and trends of firstyear programs and experiences. Particular emphasis will
be placed on the development of the discipline. It will
also discuss current structures, such as the Foundations
of Excellence® self-studies and benchmarking trends.
●
FYP 5100 - Methods and Assessment of First-Year Programs (3
hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program in First-Year
Programs and Experiences or permission of the FYP Graduate
Program Director.
■
This course introduces students to the principles and
procedures of qualitative and quantitative methods
utilized in interdisciplinary scholarly research and in
both course and program assessment to improve the
quality of learning in first-year initiatives. In addition,
this course will address assessment as an essential tool
to understand what first-year students are learning, to
explore the extent to which faculty are meeting teaching
goals, and to improve the quality of learning in FirstYear Experience® initiatives.
●
FYP 5200 – History of First-Year Programs and Experiences (3
hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program in First-Year
Programs and Experiences or permission of the FYP Graduate
Program Director.
■
This course begins with the development of the trivium,
then the quadrivium in classical Greece and Rome, then
progresses through John Dewey before focusing on
recent changes in higher education to explain the
development and growth of first-year programs. Topics
include general history and trends regarding The FirstYear Experience® and the development of first-year
programs and experiences as a discipline.
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences

●

17
September 1, 2010
FYP 5300- Fundamentals of Designing First-Year Programs and
Experiences (3 hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: FYP 5000 and 5100 or permission of the FYP
Graduate Program Director.
■
In this course, students develop a program-level
understanding of The First-Year Experience® (FYE)
initiatives with an emphasis on curriculum development
and course design. Students evaluate, critique, and
discuss theoretical components of integrative learning,
active learning, and experiential learning as applied in
courses designed specifically for first-year students.
Connections between courses and other elements of FYE
initiatives are evaluated in terms of strategic purpose and
organizational structure.
FYP 5400 Cognitive Development of First-Year College Students (3
hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: FYP 5000 or permission of the FYP Graduate
Program Director.
■
This course provides a general developmental and
psychological perspective of first-year college students
and influences on their behavior by examining human
behavior through the life cycle to explain the unique
characteristics of first-year students. It describes the
physical, cognitive, and psycho-social aspects of human
development while exploring individuals in social
contexts, social roles, group processes and inter-group
relations, conformity, attitudes, and motivation – all
specifically related to entering college students.
FYP 5500 – Development and Organization of First-Year
Programs (3 hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisites: FYP 5000 and FYP 5200 or permission of the
FYP Graduate Program Director.
■
This course utilizes the case study method to examine
the development, maintenance, and growth of first-year
programs within distinct educational environments:
community colleges; private institutions; small, public
universities; and large, research universities. The course
reviews structural options, faculty/staff supervision,
budgeting, and assessment practices related to first-year
programs.
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
●
18
September 1, 2010
FYP 5600 – First-Year Student Success: Theory and Practice (3
hrs) – (New Core Course)
○ Prerequisites: FYP 5000 and FYP 5100 or permission of the
FYP Graduate Program Director.
■
This course investigates characteristics of campus
environments while highlighting how institutions
understand and design environments to help first-year
students succeed in college. Policies, programs and
practices that enhance first-year student achievement
will be examined to show the benefits to first-year
student learning and educational effectiveness that can
be realized when these conditions are present.
●
FYP 5700 Multiculturalism of First-Year Students (3 hrs) – (New
Core Course)
○ Prerequisite: FYP 5000 or permission of the FYP Graduate
Program Director.
■
This course provides students with a broad examination
of cultures and diverse populations represented in firstyear students. Additionally, this course introduces
theories, research, and practices related to
multiculturalism while encouraging students to explore
how these may be applied in the transition to college.
●
FYP 5900 - Directed Study (3-6 hrs) – (New Elective Course)
○ Prerequisites: Admission to the graduate program in First-Year
Programs and Experiences and permission of the FYP
Graduate Program Director.
■
This course provides students an opportunity to explore
a topic of interest at a more in-depth level than covered
in a core or elective class or to explore a topic not
specifically addressed in a regular course offering.
Students may take no more than six hours in Directed
Studies.
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
19
September 1, 2010
●
FYP 6000 – Practicum: Teaching a First-Year Seminar (1-3 hrs)
(New Elective Course)
○ Prerequisite: FYP 5300, successful completion of 18 hours of
graduate credit in First-Year Programs and Experiences, and
permission of the Director of First-Year Seminars.
■
This course is designed to give students supervised,
practical experience in the classroom application of
graduate studies in first-year programs by providing
them the opportunity to teach a first-year seminar
course.
●
FYP 6100 – Seminar on Current Topics in First-Year Programs
and Experiences (3 hrs) (Repeatable) – (New Elective Course)
○ Prerequisite: FYP 5300
■
This elective course exposes students to a broad range of
current topics in the area of first-year programs and
experiences, introduces them to the most recent
advancements in current practices in the discipline, and
informs them of emerging trends. Seminar discussions
also focus on the impact the advancements/trends have
had on the discipline and in the first-year classroom.
Topics vary and are updated to reflect new directions of
the discipline.
●
FYP 6200 - Thesis (1-6 hrs) (Repeatable) – (New Required Course)
○ Prerequisite: Successful completion of 18 hours of graduate
credit and approval of topic by thesis advisor.
■
This course supports and guides master’s candidates in
the implementation of their research and the
development and defense of their thesis. Students
conceptualize, design, and conduct an original research
project related to first-year programs and experiences.
Students draw on knowledge acquired from their course
work to create a research project as the basis of their
thesis. This course provides individual time with the
thesis advisor and committee members.
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Master’s of First-Year Programs and Experiences (FYP) Program of Study:
Proposed Timeline for Completing Degree (Full-Time Student)
1st Semester – 9 hours
2nd Semester – 9 hours
FYP 5000
FYP 5100
FYP 5200
FYP 5300
FYP 5400
FYP 5500
3rd Semester – 9 hours
4th Semester – 6 hours
FYP 5600
FYP 5700
FYP 6200
Elective Course32
FYP 6200
d. Provide documentation that all courses in the proposed curriculum have met all
institutional requirements for approval.
Documents have been provided to the Graduate Policies and Curriculum
Committee for its review and approval after receiving approval from the
departmental curriculum committee, the Department Chair, the college curriculum
committee, and the Dean.
e. Append materials available from national accrediting agencies or professional
organizations as they relate to curriculum standards for the proposed program.
Please see item (f) below.
f. Indicate ways in which the proposed program is consistent with national standards.
There are no accrediting agencies for this innovative program; however, the
curriculum has been reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Keup (Director of the National
Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition®) and by
Dr. John Gardner (President of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in
Undergraduate Education, formerly the Policy Center on the First Year of College).
Both agree that it meets the dimensions for the Foundations of Excellence Program,
designed by the Gardner Institute33. Additionally, the curriculum meets the soon to be
published core commitments developed by the National Resource Center, according
to Dr. Jennifer Keup.
32
ITEC 7480: Introduction to Online Learning, taught in the Bagwell College of Education is one elective
course option.
33
http://www.fyfoundations.org/4year.aspx
20
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
g. If internships or field experiences are required as part of the program, provide
information documenting internship availability as well as how students will be
assigned and supervised.
N/A
h. Indicate the adequacy of core offerings to support the new program.
As previously mentioned, the core offerings for this program are all newly developed
courses, since this is a ground-breaking, one-of-a-kind program. The Department of
First-Year Programs reviewed curricular offerings in all of KSU’s current graduate
programs, but the unique focus of the Master’s in First-Year Programs and
Experiences and its delivery method precluded the department from utilizing existing
courses in other programs to serve as core courses. As KSU’s online graduate courses
grow, students may choose courses in other programs as elective courses, with
permission of the graduate directors of both their program and the course’s program.
Since students have only three elective hours, courses taken outside the FYP program
will not serve as a “cognate area” but may assist students in completing a foundation
course that will help them gain admittance to discipline-based terminal degree
programs upon graduation. The Department of First-Year Programs will be working
closely with the Department of Educational Leadership in the Bagwell College of
Education to ensure students in the FYP master’s program have access to graduatelevel courses in Educational Leadership as electives as they become available in a
fully online format. Alternatively, the possibility exists in the future for students in
graduate programs within Bagwell to take FYP courses as electives or as a cognate
area.
6. Admissions criteria. Please include required minimum scores on appropriate
standardized tests and grade point average requirements.
Kennesaw State University’s Graduate College minimum admissions standards will
be utilized by this program. Specific admissions requirement will be as follows:
1. Online Application and Non-Refundable Fee: To begin the online application
process, go to the Graduate Admissions website.
2. Official Transcripts: Submit all official transcripts from each institution of
higher education that you attended except Kennesaw State University. Kennesaw
State University transcripts are on file. Also submit official graduate transcripts if
you have previously completed or are enrolled in another graduate degree
program. (Transfer credit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.) Transcripts
must reflect a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on
a 4.0 scale.
21
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
3. Official GRE Scores: For the GRE, you will need to take the verbal and
quantitative portions as well as the analytical writing section. Kennesaw State
University’s GRE Institution Code is 5359. Scores should be sent directly to KSU
in enough time to meet our June 1 application deadline. For acceptance to the
program, candidates must have a minimum score of 450 on verbal reasoning and a
minimum combined verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning score of 1000.
4. Application Letter: This letter outlines your goals for work in the program.
Include a rationale for why/how this program will meet your professional needs.
5. Two Letters of Recommendation. From individuals who can accurately assess
the candidate’s academic performance.
6. Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores: This requirement is for International
Students only. Scores should be sent directly to KSU.
International Applicants
International students have additional requirements which are outlined in the
“Graduate Admission” section of the catalog and on the Graduate
Admission’s website.
7. Deadline: June 1 is the deadline for submitting an application for admission to
our fall class in that same year.
7. Availability of assistantships (if applicable).
The Graduate College will support a limited number of graduate assistantships for
qualified students who interview and are selected by the Graduate Committee within
the Department of First-Year Programs. The program will offer graduate
assistantships to two students in the first year, four in the second year, and five in
years three and four. Should either the department or the University College budget
allow for the support of additional graduate assistantships, the number may be
expanded in years three and four. Each graduate assistant will receive an $8,000
stipend during the academic year ($4,000 fall semester and $4,000 spring semester)
along with tuition waiver, as stipulated by the Graduate College.
Graduate assistants will assist faculty in mentoring undergraduate students in both
online and hybrid sections of first-year seminars, develop curricular enhancements to
online and hybrid sections of first-year seminars, assist faculty in research initiatives,
and teach modules in online and hybrid environments. Graduate assistantships can be
completed in the online environment; therefore, no residency requirement exists.
22
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
8. Student learning outcomes and other associated outcomes of the proposed
program.
The learning outcomes are based on the required course of study. While each course
within the program – both required and elective – will have its own student learning
outcomes, the program will be measured by its ability to meet the following seven
outcomes. Consistent with the primary objective to prepare prospective faculty and
staff in the emerging discipline of first-year programs and experiences, candidates
will:
●
Demonstrate knowledge of the leading theories in curriculum, instruction and
assessments relative to first-year students.
●
Develop the ability to apply seminal concepts to create effective curricular
initiatives and the practical organization of first-year programs.
●
Understand the use of both quantitative and qualitative research/analyses to
investigate and solve problems connected in the field of first-year programs and
experiences while advancing research and teaching in the discipline.
●
Demonstrate competency in multiculturalism, specifically as it relates to serving
the diverse first-year student population.
●
Create outcome assessments and program evaluation protocols to support
continuous assessment of first-year programs and experiences.
●
Conduct primary research in the area of first-year programs and experiences or in
the area of first-year student transitions through the design and analysis of an
independent research study that is successfully defended at the conclusion of the
program of study.
9. Administration of the program:
a. Indicate where the program will be housed within the academic units of the
institution.
The graduate program will be housed in the Department of First-Year Programs,
an academic unit within University College. This interdisciplinary department is
the home to Kennesaw State University’s nationally recognized first-year seminar
courses and its learning communities program. The department also houses IT
2101 (the university’s information literacy course), leads the institution’s common
reader program for first-year students, coordinates First-Year Convocation, and
works collaboratively with multiple departments within the Division of Student
23
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Success including the Center for Student Leadership, First-Year & Undeclared
Advising Services, Residence Life, and New Student Orientation.
As mentioned previously, the Department of First-Year Programs is the only
academic unit of its kind in the USG, making it a natural home for the first
graduate program in the emerging discipline of First-Year Programs and
Experiences. The department is composed of tenured and tenure-track faculty
whose primary responsibility is teaching first-year seminars. KSU’s Department
of First-Year Programs is unique within the USG in that it has faculty specifically
dedicated to teaching first-year students and expanding the scholarly field of firstyear programs through presentations at national and international conferences;
facilitating invited workshops for first-year seminar faculty and staff from across
the country; and publishing books, monographs, and peer-reviewed journal
articles on first-year programs and experiences.
In the fall of 2011, the department offered 125 sections of first-year seminars and
30 learning communities. First-year seminars are offered as fully online courses,
hybrid courses, and traditional classroom-based courses. There are themed
sections of seminars, sections for specific populations (e.g., international students
and athletes), a globally focused seminar, a civic engagement seminar, and a
leadership-focused seminar. The department offers discipline-based and generalinterest learning communities while also offering learning communities for
specific populations such as honors students.
This unique program within the emerging discipline of first-year programs should
be housed in University College’s Department of First-Year Programs because of
its particular focus and the expertise of the department’s faculty members.
b. Describe the administration of the program inclusive of coordination and
responsibility.
As of fall 2011, the Department of First-Year Programs is composed of 17 fulltime faculty members including a full Professor (who serves as Department
Chair), three Associate Professors, three tenured Assistant Professors, six tenuretrack Assistant Professors, and four Lecturers. (Three of these faculty are jointly
appointed, two with departments in the College of the Arts and one with FirstYear & Undeclared Advising Services.) The graduate program will be
administered by the Department of FYP Graduate Program Director, who will be
a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at the rank of Associate Professor or
above. The Department Chair will also have a vital role in the initial 12 months of
the program.
24
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
10. Waiver to Degree-Credit Hour (if applicable): If the program exceeds the maximum
credit hour requirement at a specific degree level, then provide an explanation
supporting the increase in hours (Note: The maximum for bachelor’s degrees is 120semester credit hours and the maximum for master’s degrees is 36-semester credit
hours).
N/A
11. Accreditation: Describe disciplinary accreditation requirements associated with the
program (if applicable).
N/A
12. Projected enrollment for the program especially during the first three years of
implementation. Please indicate whether enrollments will be cohort-based.
It is challenging to predict enrollment for a program that is the first of its kind. After
reviewing the initial enrollments in KSU’s newest master’s program and reviewing
the market analysis data while also consulting with Dr. John Gardner and Dr. Jennifer
Keup, we anticipate that a minimum of 12 FTE students will enroll in the first year of
the program and at least 15 new FTE students will be added in years two and three,
with 20 new FTE students in year four. We will cap enrollment at 30 FTE students in
year three and 35 in year four if the number of qualified applicants exceeds that
number to ensure that our faculty are not overwhelmed with graduate courses and
thesis advising. As we are able to hire additional faculty who are capable of teaching
both graduate courses and undergraduate seminars, we will consult with the Graduate
College about expanding the number of students admitted. The program is not cohortbased, allowing students flexibility within the program to meet their individual needs.
Faculty in the Department of First-Year Programs understand the challenge in
recruiting students to a first-of-its-kind graduate program that doesn’t have an
undergraduate degree in the same discipline. They have strategically chosen to seek
approval for the program in 2011-2012 but launch the program in 2013. This will
provide a full year of targeted marketing to multiple identified constituencies.
25
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
13. Faculty
a. Provide an inventory of faculty directly involved with the administration of the
program. For each faculty member, provide the following information:
Faculty Name
Stephen
Braden
Rank
Assistant
Professor
Highest
Degree
Ph.D.
Degrees Earned
Ph.D., MA,
BS
Academic
Discipline
Current
Workload
Communication 3/0 with
admin duties
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Braden currently
teaches a 3-0 course load and is Director of First-Year Seminars. In his current position
he could teach a graduate level course each spring semester.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Braden will teach selected courses and serve
on thesis committees.
James Davis
Assistant
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BA
Theatre,
Performance
Studies, and
Dance
3/3
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Davis is a jointly
appointed faculty member who will not see a change to his current workload.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Davis will serve on thesis committees.
Stephanie
Foote
Associate
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MEd,
BA
Education
3/3
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Foote can be
reassigned to teach at least three graduate courses a year.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Foote will teach selected courses and serve on
thesis committees. Dr. Foote may initially serve as the interim Graduate Program
Director given her national reputation, educational expertise, and experience
administering first-year programs.
26
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Kimberly
Frazier
Assistant
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BA
September 1, 2010
Education
4/2
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Frazier can be
reassigned to teach at least one graduate course a year.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Frazier will teach selected courses and serve
on thesis committees.
Ruth
Goldfine
Associate
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BA
English
4/2
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Goldfine will be
reassigned to teach at least one graduate course a year.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Goldfine will teach selected courses and serve
on thesis committees.
Keisha
Hoerrner
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BS
Communication 1/0
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: As Chair of the
Department, Dr. Hoerrner has flexibility with her teaching load. Depending on
departmental needs, she may teach one graduate course a year in lieu of an
undergraduate first-year seminar or she may teach one undergraduate section in the fall
and one graduate course in the spring.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Hoerrner will teach selected courses and
serve on thesis committees. She will also serve as the direct supervisor for the Graduate
Program Director.
27
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Carolee
Larsen
Assistant
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BA
September 1, 2010
Sociology
3/0
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Larsen may teach
one graduate course in the fall in lieu of an undergraduate course.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Due to her current position as University College
Assessment Director, she will oversee assessment of the graduate program. Additionally,
she will teach selected graduate courses and will serve on thesis committees.
Ralph J.
Rascati
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., BS
Biochemistry
0/0
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: As Dean of University
College, Dr. Rascati’s current responsibilities will not change.
Expected responsibilities in the program: As his schedule permits, Dr. Rascati has indicated
an interest in teaching FYP 5500 and serving on thesis committees.
Michael
Sanseviro
Admin
Faculty/
Dean of
Student
Success
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MS,
BA
Education
0/0
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Sanseviro is an
administrative faculty member who will not see a change to his current workload.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Sanseviro will teach selected courses and
serve on thesis committees.
28
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Robin
Saunders
Temporary
Assistant
Professor
Ed.D.
Ed.D., MS,
BS
September 1, 2010
Education
4/2
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Saunders is
currently serving in a temporary full-time position, assisting in the development of the
graduate program.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Given her expertise and experience Dr. Saunders
may teach in the program and serve on thesis committees.
Deborah N.
Smith
Associate
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MEd,
BA
Education
2/2
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Smith's workload
will not be affected by the new program. She currently teaches in the Department of
University Studies within University College and serves as the Coordinator of the
Leadership Studies program. She may possibly teach one graduate level course each
academic year.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Smith will teach selected courses on an “as
available” basis.
David
Thompson
Associate
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BM
Communication 2/1
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Currently, Dr.
Thompson is Learning Communities Director. While he will retain this role, Dr.
Thompson may teach one graduate course a year in lieu of an undergraduate course.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Thompson will teach selected courses and
serve on thesis committees.
29
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Carlton
Usher
Assistant
Professor
Ph.D.
Ph.D., MA,
BS
Political
Science
September 1, 2010
4/2
Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Usher may be
reassigned to teach at least one graduate course a year.
Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Usher may teach selected courses and serve on
thesis committees.
Total Number of Faculty: ____13________
b. If it will be necessary to add faculty in order to begin the program, give the
desired qualifications of the persons to be added, with a timetable for adding new
faculty and plan for funding new positions.
As mentioned previously, an associate professor will need to be hired in year two
of the program. The addition of another faculty member with a Ph.D. in higher
education or a closely related area, an expertise in first-year initiatives, and a
robust publication record will grow and strengthen both the department and the
graduate program. In year four, a tenure-track faculty member will be added to
ensure coverage of graduate courses and a greater diversity of faculty to serve on
thesis committees.
30
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
14. Fiscal, Facilities, Enrollment Impact, and Estimated Budget
a. Provide a narrative that explains how current institutional resources will be
expended specifically for this program. Provide a narrative that explains how the
institution will fiscally support the establishment of the new program through the
redirection of existing resources and acquisition of new resources. Indicate
whether the institution will submit a request for new funds as part of its budget
request. The narrative also needs to explain the basis of the institution’s
projections with regard to anticipated EFT, head count, student enrollment,
estimated expenditures, and projected revenues.
First Year
FY 14
Second Year
FY 15
Third Year
FY 16
Fourth
Year FY 17
I. ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS
Student Majors
Shifted from other programs
New to the institution
Total Majors
0
12
12
0
15
27
0
15
30
0
20
35
Course Sections Satisfying Program
Requirements34
Previously existing
New
Total Program Course Sections
0
6
6
0
9
9
0
9
9
0
9
9
Credit Hours Generated by Those Courses
Existing enrollments
New enrollments
Total Credit Hours
0
216
216
180
270
450
225
270
495
225
360
585
DEGREES AWARDED
0
12
15
15
II. EXPENDITURES
EFT
Dollars
EFT
Dollars
EFT
Dollars
EFT
Dollars
$43,802
0
0
$11,000
$8,580
$19,015
0
$82,397
$60,968
0
0
$11,000
$8,580
$24,164
0
$104,712
$68,970
0
0
$16,500
$13,000
$29,541
0
$128,011
$71,598
0
0
$16,500
0
$26, 429
0
$114,527
Personnel – reassigned or existing positions
Faculty
Part-time Faculty
Graduate Assistants
Administrators
Support Staff
Fringe Benefits
Other Personnel Costs
Total Existing Personnel Costs
34
These are fall and spring estimates. While we are likely to offer summer courses (and the faculty cost
projections include summer teaching), the estimates regarding courses and revenues are based only on
fall/spring estimates.
31
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
EXPENDITURES (Continued)
Personnel – new positions
Faculty
Part-time Faculty
Graduate Assistants
Administrators
Support Staff
Fringe Benefits
Other personnel costs
Total New Personnel Costs
0
0
$8,000
0
0
0
0
$8,000
$11,000
0
$16,000
0
0
$3,300
0
$30,300
0
0
$20,000
0
0
0
0
$20,000
$10,000
0
$20,000
0
$30,000
$12,000
0
$72,000
Start-up Costs (one-time expenses)
Library/learning resources
Equipment
Other
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Operating Costs (recurring costs – base budget)
Supplies/Expenses
Travel
Equipment
Library/learning resources
Other
Total Recurring Costs
$6,150
$4,750
0
0
0
$10,900
$6,765
$5,225
0
0
0
$11,990
$7,442
$5,748
0
0
0
$13,190
$8,186
$6,323
0
0
0
$14,509
GRAND TOTAL COSTS
$101,297
$147,002
$161,201
$201,036
Physical Facilities: construction or major
renovation
Total One-time Costs
III. REVENUE SOURCES
Source of Funds
Reallocation of existing funds
New student workload
New Tuition
Federal funds
Other grants
Student fees
Other – ONLINE COURSE FEES
New state allocation requested for budget hearing
$93,297
$116,702
$141,201
$129,036
$54,000
0
0
0
$27,000
$8,000
$112,500
0
0
0
$56,250
$30,300
$123,750
0
0
0
$61,875
$20,000
$146,250
0
0
0
$70,125
$72,000
Nature of Funds
Base budget
One-time funds
$8,000
0
$30,300
0
$20,000
0
$72,000
GRAND TOTAL REVENUES
$182,297
$315,752
$346,826
$417,411
32
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Facilities Information for New Academic Programs
Proposed Location for the Program: University College Building and DLC
Floor area required for the program (gross and net square feet): ______________
Type of spaces required:
● Number of classrooms
● Number of labs
● Number of offices
● Other spaces
___________
_____0_____
___________
___________
Place an “X” beside the appropriate selection:
___X____
Existing facility will be used as is (area square footage):
________
Existing facility will require modification (area square footage):
Projected renovation cost:
Estimated relocation cost:
Total funding required:
Source of Funding:
_________
Construction of new facilities will be required (area square footage):
Estimated construction cost:
Estimated total project cost:
Proposed source of funding:
List any infrastructure impacts that the program will have (i.e., parking, power, HVAC,
etc.) and indicated estimated cost and source of funding.
Other comments:
Note: A system office Facilities Project Manager(through the Office of Facilities) may
contact you with further questions separate from the review of the new academic
program.
33
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
References
Barefoot, B. O. (ed.) (1993). Exploring the evidence: Reporting outcomes of freshman seminars.
Monograph Series No. 11. National Resource Center for The Freshman Year Experience.
Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina.
Boudreau, C. A., & Komrey, J. D. (1994). A longitudinal study of the retention and
academic
performance of participants in freshmen orientation courses. Journal of College Student
Development, 35, 444–449.
Davis, B. O., Jr. (1992). Freshman seminar: A broad spectrum of effectiveness. Journal of the Freshman
Year Experience, 4(1), 79–94.
Fidler, P. P. (1991). Relationship of freshman orientation seminars to sophomore return
rates. Journal of the Freshman Year Experience, 3(1), 7–38.
Goodman, K., & Pascarella, E. T. (2006). First-year seminars increase persistence and retention: A
summary of the evidence from How College Affects Students. Peer Review, 8(3): 26-29.
Grayson, J. P. & Grayson, K. (2003). Research on retention and attrition. Montreal, Canada: The Canada
Millennium Scholarship Foundation.
Koch, A. K. (2001). The first-year experience in American higher education: An annotated bibliography
(3rd ed.) (Monograph No. 3). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource
Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
Koch, A. K., Foote, S. M., Hinkle, S. E., Keup, J. R., & Pistilli, M. D. (2007). The first-year experience in
American higher education: An annotated bibliography (4th ed.) (Monograph No. 3). Columbia,
SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and
Students in Transition.
Marcus, J. (2010). Colleges doing more to help freshman survive and thrive. Hechinger Report. Retrieved
from: http://hechingerreport.org/content/colleges-doing-more-to-help-freshman-survive_4035/
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. (2005). How college affects students, volume 2: A third decade of
research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Schnell, C. A., Louis, K. S., & Doetkott, C. (2003). The first-year seminar as a means of improving college
graduation rates. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 15(1), 53-76.
Shanley, M. G., & Witten, C. H. (1990). University 101 freshman seminar: A
longitudinal study of persistence, retention, and graduation rates. NASPA Journal, 27(4), 344–352.
Starke, M. C., Harth, M., & Sirianni, F. (2001). Retention, bonding, and academic achievement: Success of
a first-year seminar. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 13(2), 7-35.
Strumpf, G. & Hunt, P. (1993). The effects of an orientation course on the retention and academic standing
of entering freshmen, controlling for the volunteer effect. Journal of The Freshman Year
Experience, 5(1), 7-14.
Tinto, V. (2001). Rethinking the first year of college. Higher Education Monograph Series, Syracuse
University.
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Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Weissman, J., and Magill, B. A. (2008). Developing a student typology to examine the
effectiveness of first-year seminars. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in
Transition, 20(2), 65–90.
Wilkie, C., & Kukuck, S. (1989). A longitudinal study of the effects of a freshman
seminar. Journal of The Freshman Year Experience, 1(1), 7-16.
Yale, A. (2000). Bloomsburg University sets its FYE program’s effectiveness. FYE Newsletter, 12(4), pp.
4-5.
35
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Appendix A
Letter of Support from Dr. John Gardner
36
September 1, 2010
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
37
September 1, 2010
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
38
September 1, 2010
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Appendix B
Letter of Support from Dr. Jennifer Keup
39
September 1, 2010
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
September 15, 2011
Ralph J. Rascati, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Advising, Retention and Graduation Initiatives
Dean of University College
Kennesaw State University
1000 Chastain Road, Mailstop #2401
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Dear Dr. Rascati,
I am writing this letter in support of the approval and implementation of a Masters of
First-Year Pedagogy and Practice in the Department of First-Year Programs at Kennesaw
State University. As the current director of the National Resource Center for the FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition (NRC), longtime member of the NRC
network, and former project director for the Your First College Year (YFCY) survey at
the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, I have had the benefit of a national
perspective with respect to scholarship and practice on the first-year experience for well
over a decade. During that decade, I have seen the continued progression of the first-year
experience in higher education from a movement, to an area of interdisciplinary
scholarship, to its own sub-specialty of higher education. As such, I feel that the
development of a graduate-level program on the first-year experience is a natural next
step in the evolution of this area of interest in the field.
Also in the past decade, there have been a number of specific metrics to gauge the
growing focus on the first-year experience as an area of professional interest, research,
and practice. Most notably, the attendance at the professional development events
sponsored by the NRC has increased substantially. In 1992, 472 higher education
faculty, administrators, and leaders gathered at the Annual Conference on the First-Year
Experience, the premier conference for the first-year experience. Over the course of the
next decade (1992-2001), the average attendance at this annual meeting was 787
participants. In the most recent 10 years (2002-2011), the average registration at the
40
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience was 1,339 with a high of 1,821
registrants at the 2008 conference.
In addition to documenting the increased participation numbers as evidence of growing
interest in FYE and a need for a graduate program to help train the cadre of professionals
dedicated to this topic, it is also important to note changes in who is attending these
meetings. Initially, professional development events sponsored by the National Resource
Center were dominated by student affairs professionals and instructors in first-year
seminars. However, the titles and roles of the attendees at NRC conferences and
members of the FYE network have become more varied and include, academic advisors,
librarians, counselors, admissions officers, faculty in the disciplines, and individuals in
academic support roles. This wide range of responsibilities among FYE professionals
suggests that there are a number of higher educators from different parts of the academy
who are potentially in need of graduate-level training and specialization in the first-year
experience. Further, as the FYE movement has matured, there are a larger number of
professionals in leadership roles that are directly related to FYE such as directors,
department chairs, deans, provosts, and vice-presidents, which are all positions that
require advanced degrees. Finally, the first-year experience movement has gone global
with many countries engaging in FYE initiatives and scholarship. In fact, the 2011
International Conference on The First-Year Experience drew delegates from 24 different
countries. This number was a record for the 24 years that the National Resource Center
has sponsored that meeting and suggests that there is a burgeoning international market
for a graduate degree in the first-year experience.
In addition to the conference activity, the National Resource Center has noted increases
in the number and scope of publications dedicated to the topic of the first-year experience
as well as an increase in the academic tenor of those publications. More frequently, we
have noted theses, dissertations, and scholarly articles on FYE-related topics in the
Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition as well as in other
seminal journals in the fields of higher education and college student development.
When coupled with increases in the number of research-based proposals for NRCsponsored conferences and several national studies of first-year students such as the
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) at the Center for Postsecondary
Research, the Your First College Year Survey (YFCY) at HERI, the Wabash National
Study of Liberal Arts Education (WNSLAE), and Parsing the First Year of College at the
Center for the Study of Higher Education, there is clearly a strong interest in advanced
research and scholarship on the topic of FYE that is consistent with graduate-level work
in this area.
Finally, the academic marketplace offers a number of different options for professionals
with graduate training in FYE. Posts to the National Resource Center’s listservs and
entries into the database of position descriptions for FYE-related jobs regularly include
professional roles for which graduate-level training is desired if not required. In an era
when the lines between practitioner and scholar are blurred, it is ever more important to
41
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
September 1, 2010
obtain an advanced degree for full participation in a higher education universe that
revolves around scholarly practice and applied research. I believe that a Master’s degree
in First-Year Pedagogy and Practice would offer a favorable option for individuals
interested in contributing to the higher education community as researchers, practitioners,
or both.
In sum, I provide my full endorsement of a M.S. in First-Year Programs and Practice,
hope that Kennesaw State University chooses to be a leader in this new area of study, and
offer the support of The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and
Students in Transition in this endeavor. Please do not hesitate to contact me by phone
(803-777-2570) or email (keupj@mailbox.sc.edu) if you have any questions or if I can
support this effort any further.
Sincerely,
Jennifer R. Keup
Director
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
42
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
Appendix C
Letter of Support from Tim Vick
43
September 1, 2010
Master’s of Science in First-Year Programs and Experiences
44
September 1, 2010