Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology

M.S. in Marine Biology

Mission Statement: The Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology (GPMSL) is committed to providing quality graduate education through student-faculty collaboration in research and scholarly endeavor.

Goal Statement: Graduates will have a strong fundamental understanding of the biology of marine organisms; comprehensive knowledge of their specialty; understanding of the principles that guide the design and execution of high-quality research; and substantial research experience. Graduates will be able to teach and to communicate scientific issues to the public.

I. Intended Outcomes/Objectives:

  1. Graduates will be prepared to undertake studies toward the Ph.D. in Marine Biology or related fields.
  2. Graduates will be competent research assistants or associates in Marine Biology or related fields.
  3. Graduates will be prepared to teach Marine Biology at the community college or lower division undergraduate level.
  4. Graduates will have knowledge of research needs and standards in the field of Marine Biology, such that they could be competent science managers.
  5. Graduates will have good oral and written communication skills.

II. Assessment Criteria and Procedures

  1. All students must pass a written Comprehensive Exam, which assesses disciplinary knowledge, the ability to apply that knowledge to interdisciplinary problems in the marine sciences. [For all outcomes]
  2. Students are required to write a thesis interpreting the results of a substantial research project. [For outcomes 1,2, and 5]
  3. Students are required to pass an oral defense of the thesis, which includes a public presentation. [For outcomes 3 and 5]
  4. 80% of graduates seeking employment in marine sciences, or other fields relevant to their education, will succeed within one year of graduation. [For all outcomes]
  5. 80% of graduates will be satisfied, overall, with the education they received through GPMSL. [For all outcomes]

III. Implementation

  1. The Comprehensive Exams administered during each year will be evaluated, collectively, by the GPMSL Outcomes Assessment Committee (OAC). Every three years, the OAC will look for temporal trends in performance on exams from the past five years.
  2. The OAC will assess research competence and written communication skills by reviewing all M.S. theses submitted each year.
  3. A representative of the OAC will prepare a written evaluation of each student’s communication skills and the scientific content of the oral thesis defense. These evaluations will be reviewed by the OAC annually.
  4. GPMSL will compile information on graduates’ first employment. Every three years, the OAC will examine the data for trends in employment success or type.
  5. One and three years after graduation, GPMSL will ask graduates to complete a questionnaire, addressing their job search, employment, and satisfaction with the education received through GPMSL. Completed questionnaires will be reviewed by the OAC annually.

Student Learning Outcomes Assessments