ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (BS)
Intended Program Outcomes
Methods of Assessment and Criteria for Success
Direct Measures
1.
Foundation skills and knowledge: students will
demonstrate a basic understanding of those factors that
influence the environment and how man and society
impact ecosystems
1) CLAST, 2) demonstrated improvement on entrance/exit testing and writing
samples (criteria to be determined by ESI Academic Advisory committee), 3)
Success in required introductory and ESI core courses, e.g. students will
demonstrate mastery of course material, achieving a grade of “C” or better on
all required coursework, D) a passing grade on senior thesis
2.
Effective written and verbal communication:
students will demonstrate the ability to explain concepts
and ideas related to the global environment and its
functioning, (i.e., the roles and interactions of
atmosphere, oceans, geosphere and biosphere) to
persons within the field of environmental sciences as well
as to the general public
Writing: improvement between entrance and exit testing on writing samples,
3.
4.
5.
Critical thinking: students will demonstrate an ability
to assimilate and critically evaluate facts and concepts
related to environmental sciences, including (a)
biological, chemical and physical responses at the
ecosystem level; (b) the relationships between smallerscale systems (local, regional, and national) relate and
the global environment, and (c) the foundations of
environmental policy and management and how science
can support environmental decision-making.
Problem solving: students will demonstrate an ability
to analyze facts and use deductive reasoning skills to
solve problems related to environmental processes and
current environmental issues via abstract reasoning and
creativity
Integration of learned skills and information:
students will demonstrate the ability to analyze
information from various subject areas and apply that
knowledge to issues in environmental sciences
grades of “C” or better on all papers required by curriculum, senior thesis
prospectus approved by committee, passing senior thesis, successful thesis
defense (graded “passing” by student’s thesis committee), successful
preparation and submission of senior thesis for publication (as determined by
student’s thesis committee) Verbal: seminar/colloquia presentations (graded
“passing” by peer and faculty evaluations), acceptance of abstracts for
regional/national scientific meetings (undergraduate fora), successful oral
presentations at the targeted meetings
Seminar/colloquia presentations (graded “passing” by peer and faculty
evaluations), internal papers completed and reviewed with grade of “C” or
better, successful presentations at professional meetings and defense of senior
thesis prospectus (graded “passing” by student’s thesis committee) and
prepared and submitted peer-reviewed publications
performance in required courses with grades of “C” or better, standardized
testing for post-graduate programs (GRE/MCAT/LSAT/etc)
Successful design of protocol for senior thesis research (approved by student’s
thesis committee), seminar/colloquia presentations (graded “passing” by peer
and faculty evaluations), successful presentations at regional and/or national
scientific meetings, successful senior thesis prospectus. Thesis defense (graded
“passing” by student’s thesis committee)
Indirect Measures
Verbal: entrance interview, advisor
meetings, senior thesis committee
meetings
successful design of senior thesis
program execution and completion of
research/thesis program design
(approved by advisor and committee)
advisor and committee meetings
problem-solving during senior thesis
research program demonstrated ability
to successfully address problems in
design and analysis of protocol for
research project
Synthesis of material learned from ESI
core courses in designing and
completing senior thesis research
program