Graduate Program Assessment
UCSC’s approach to assessment in graduate programs depends on the size of the graduate cohort. Programs with fewer than 20 students per cohort should follow a 5-year reporting cycle, which is divided into three phases: Assess (Years 1-3), Reflect (Year 4), and Improve (Year 5). Programs with cohorts of 20 students or more can follow the 3-Year Cycle timeline.
While there is no Division-specific schedule for departments to work with the ALEE Center on graduate assessment, faculty should reach out to the ALEE Center for support when they begin the planning process, particularly before selecting milestones and developing rubrics to measure program learning outcomes.
Features of the 5-Year Cycle
Years 1-3: Design
In the first year, a designated faculty lead oversees the assessment planning process, meeting with ALEE Center specialists to design a study that includes the following:
- Selecting 2-3 program learning outcomes to assess
- Selecting an approach for data collection (milestone vs. course-based, see below)
- Reviewing the existing guidelines and expectations for milestones or courses
- Developing rubrics that articulate expectations/standards for student achievement in program learning outcomes
Data is collected for up to three years to ensure sufficient sample sizes (larger programs may collect data for only two years). At the end of the third year, ALEE Center specialists merge the assessment data with institutional data, conduct statistical analyses, and write a summary describing the assessment results.
Year 4: Reflect
In year 4, the graduate director and faculty assessment lead receive the ALEE Center report, discuss the results and implications with the department, and prepare a departmental PLO assessment report. Programs may request consultations with the Teaching and Learning Center regarding pedagogical and curricular improvements.
The departmental PLO assessment report is a short, easy-to-use form and is designed to help the department keep a record of how faculty interpreted and used the assessment data for planning program improvement. To view the report sections and questions, click here. The actual form to fill out and submit can be found on each department’s Canvas PLO shell.
When the report is complete, the department chair should email a PDF copy to assessment@ucsc.edu.
Year 5: Improve
In year 5, faculty implement changes described in the departmental PLO assessment report and meet with ALEE Center specialists to plan the next PLO assessment study.
Graduate PLO Study Design
Doctoral Programs
Several opportunities exist to collect assessment data throughout the duration of a doctoral program, each offering unique insight into graduate student learning.
Early program assessment
During the first or second year, assessment can take place as part of coursework, the Comprehensive Exam, and/or a Master’s-level paper. Early assessments offer insight into the skills and knowledge of incoming graduate cohorts and can help identify specific areas of improvement for supporting graduate student retention.
Mid-program assessment
Mid-program assessments can take place during the qualifying exam, dissertation proposal defense, or other milestones. These assessments can identify the skills that graduate students developed in the early years of the program and measure the extent to which students have developed specific skills to conduct research and write their dissertations.
End-of-program assessment
Assessment of the written dissertation/thesis and oral defense measures the skills and knowledge that graduate students demonstrate at the end of their program.
Individual progress assessment
Graduate students at UCSC have an individual progress check-in report at the end of each academic year. These reports provide an opportunity for departments to collect program-level assessment data annually, based on rubrics and students’ self-assessment.
Master’s Programs
Depending on the size of the program, Master’s programs may begin a 3-year or 5-year cycle in any year. Faculty directors should reach out to the ALEE Center for support when at the start of the process, particularly before selecting milestones and developing rubrics to measure program learning outcomes.