SJSU Annual Program Assessment Form
Academic Year 2014-2015
Department: Geography and Global Studies
Program: Geography, BA; Geography, MA
College: Social Sciences
Website: www.sjsu.edu/geography
_ Check here if your website addresses the University Learning Goals. <If so, please provide the link.>
Program Accreditation (if any): N/A
Contact Person and Email: Kathryn Davis, Kathryn.Davis@sjsu.edu
Date of Report: June 1, 2015
Part A
1. List of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
PLOs for the MA degree have not changed. We are in the process of working with Environmental
Studies to transition our master’s program into a joint MA in Geography and Environmental Studies.
Our Program Review was submitted in March 2015. Although we developed new PLOs for the BA
degree as part of that process, they will not be used for assessment until 2015-16. However, the
new PLOs are listed here.
a. Demonstrate understanding of and ability to analyze spatial relationships.
b. Demonstrate understanding of, and ability to analyze and critique human-environment
interactions.
c. Define and use basic geography tools and techniques.
d. Demonstrate ability to analyze and compare/contrast global regions.
e. Demonstrate ability to read and understand research literature and engage in
productive research activities.
f. Demonstrate professional communication skills.
2. Map of PLOs to University Learning Goals (ULGs)
Demonstrate understanding of and ability to
analyze spatial relationships.
Demonstrate understanding of and ability to
analyze and critique human and environment
interactions.
Define and use basic geography tools and
techniques.
Demonstrate ability to analyze and
compare/contrast global regions.
Demonstrate ability to read and understand
research literature and engage in productive
research activities.
X
X
X
X
Social and Global Responsibilities
Applied Knowledge
X
X
X
X
X
Intellectual Skills
Specialized Knowledge
Broad Integrative Knowledge
PLO TO ULO MATRIX
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Demonstrate professional communication skills.
New PLOs and the PLO to ULO Matrix were developed as part of the Program Review we are currently
undergoing. The Review document was submitted in March 2015 and we anticipate the external review
in Fall 2015.
001
010
012
100W
105
115
117
120
121
123
124
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
168
170
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
R
R
R
E
R
E
E
R
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
R
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
E
R
E
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
I
I
R
E
E
R
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
I
I
I
E
R
R
E
E
R
R
R
R
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
Demonstrate professional communication skills
Demonstrate understanding of research literature and
engage in productive research activities
Synthesize information, analyze, and compare/contract
global regions
Define and use basic geography tools and techniques
Analyze and critique human and environment interactions
Demonstrate understanding of an ability to analyze spatial
relationships
3. Alignment – Matrix of PLOs to Courses
PLO TO COURSE MATRIX
I
I
I
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
171
172
173
175
178
181
182
186
187
195
199
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
E
R
E
E
E
R
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
E
R
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
R
R
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
R
R
I=introduced, R=reinforced, E=emphasized
4. Planning – Assessment Schedule
No change from the 2013-14 report.
5. Student Experience
The new BA PLOs are located on the department website. ULGs are not currently on our website.
We will locate them on the department website prior to the beginning of Fall 2015. Student
feedback was considered in the creation of the new PLOs.
Part B
6.
Graduation Rates for Total, Non URM and URM students (per program and degree)
Geography had no first time Freshmen graduate from the Fall 2008 cohort. This is not surprising as
most of our students come to us as transfer students or as students changing from another major at
SJSU. We rarely have first time Freshman enter as Geography majors. The Fall 2011 cohort shows a
3-year graduation rate of 66.7%. None were URM students. Our rate is slightly below the College
rate and above the University rate. The first time graduate cohort size was 5 students, 1 of which
was a URM student. None of them graduated in 3 years. Most of our graduate students work fulltime and are earning an MA degree in order to further already established careers. They generally
take longer to graduate because of working full-time jobs.
7. Headcounts of program majors and new students (per program and degree)
The headcount of program majors shows that we received 2 first time Freshman admits in Fall 2014
and 3 first graduate student admits. We also received 9 new transfer students for a total of 11 new
BA students. This added to the 16 continuing and 1 returning transfer student gave us a total of 38
students in the BA program. The new grad students added to the 7 continuing students puts the
headcount in the MA program at 10
8. SFR and average section size (per program)
Our SFR in lower division courses at 36 is higher than the University SFR (31) although slightly lower
than the College SFR (40). SFR in upper division courses at 20.1 is slightly smaller than the College
(26.8) and University (25.5) SFR. The section size for lower division courses, 38, is smaller than the
College (41.8) but slightly larger than the University (35.6). This is probably due to the fact that we
offer several sections of Core GE courses, which are usually well populated. The upper division and
graduate headcount per section are both significantly smaller than either the College or University.
This is due to the small size of the Geography program and we anticipate increasing the number of
majors with the changes outlined in our recent program and 5-year plan. Most Geography
programs in the CSU are small and many of them have merged with other departments – this is an
avenue we are currently exploring with Environmental Studies. In graduate sections, our SFR is 10.6
which is slightly lower than the College (12.2) and significantly lower than the University (20.8). We
anticipate this rate increasing to slightly above the College SFR once the MA degree is reconfigured
as the joint degree program with Environmental Studies as this will increase the total number of MA
students in the program.
9. Percentage of tenured/tenure-track instructional faculty (per department)
The program FTEF (Geography and Global Studies combined) is 3.1 tenured/tenure-track and 1.6
non-tenure track for a total of 4.7. This will decrease because of the 2015 retirement of one of our
tenured faculty. The percentage of FTEF is 66% (T/TT) and 34% non-tenure track. The percentage
for tenured/tenure track is higher than either the College (44.9%) or the University (42.8%). The
percentage of not tenure-track is significantly lower than the College (55.1%) or University (57.2%).
Part C
10. Closing the Loop/Recommended Actions
As stated above, the Geography department submitted the Program Plan in March 2015. This was
the first plan completed since Spring 2002. As we move through the remainder of the planning
process, we are actively working on making changes to strengthen the program and improve our
student’s experience. Last year we considered developing our MA program into a Professional MS in
GIS degree that would be completed in 18 months. We do not have the required resources to make
that kind of transformation. We are, instead, working with Environmental Studies to develop a plan
to convert our MA program into a joint MA with Environmental Studies.
11. Assessment Data
There is no change in our assessment instrument. We use e-Portfolios, student surveys, and a
reflection essay assignment. This is the first semester we were able to assess students on the new
PLOs, however, the sample size was too small to really be significant. There were only 4 geography
students in the senior seminar this spring and that is where the e-Portfolios and other assessment
instruments are used. There was also some confusion over what artifacts belonged in the ePortfolios due to changes in the format and the new PLOs. This will be corrected before the next
assessment report is due.
12. Analysis
We will be better able in the next assessment report to evaluate where we are as a program. As
stated above the review that we just submitted was the first since spring 2002. Two review cycles
had been skipped by previous chairs. We will discuss the plan and how to implement changes over
the next academic year using feedback from the planning committee and external reviewer – both
of which should happen in fall.
13. Proposed changes and goals (if any)
This semester we voted on whether to develop a proposal to join with Environmental Studies. They
also voted on the same question and the result was positive in both departments. We will begin this
process with a joint faculty retreat in summer, which we anticipate will culminate in a framework for
writing the proposal. Our goal is to have a proposal finished and approved by faculty vote by midFall 2015. This would have a significant impact on future plans.