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Program Assessment

Higher education’s fundamental goal is to prepare its graduates to be highly skilled analytical citizens in a rapidly changing world. All baccalaureate graduates must learn the skills defined by the General Education Program at UHD (Core Curriculum Requirements). In the sciences, we focus on the intellectual and technical skill sets that are needed to create and analyze new scientific knowledge. The degree plans for baccalaureate degrees in the Department of Natural Sciences (NS) have defined Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) that is integrated into the curriculum of its science courses. In the table below are the six program learning outcomes and the degrees that integrate them into curricular degree requirements:

  • Basic Knowledge: Graduates will have the basic knowledge of their curriculum.
  • Scientific Reasoning: Graduates will be able to use the scientific method and scientific reasoning both qualitatively and quantitatively.
  • Laboratory Skills: Graduates will have laboratory skills common to modern laboratories.
  • Communication Skills: Graduates will be able to communicate scientific information in writing, and in oral presentations.
  • Research and Knowledge Application: Graduates will be able to carry out independent project-based activities.
  • Teamwork: Graduates will be able to work as part of a team.
  • Ethics: Graduates will have demonstrated understanding of ethical standards for responsible conduct regarding scientific research and scientific communication.

All of the NS Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are embedded in degree requirements in which an undergraduate research experience is a formal requisite in the Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology degrees. Every course in the Department has a defined set of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the class, which describes what the student should know, and how the student is expected to demonstrate it. These SLOs address at least one of the NS PLOs. The course syllabus will indicate as such using the terms in parentheses above.