Direct Measures
All students seeking the Baccalaureate degree in Geography (BA, BS and BS Comprehensive with Environmental Emphasis) are required to complete either an Internship (Geography 415) or an extended research project (Geography 450) under the direction of a Geography faculty. Normally, students participate in these courses during one of the last two semesters of their studies.
The purpose of the Internship is to provide students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience working in a productive environment where geographic/spatial knowledge and skill can be applied to real-life circumstances. It also allows the student the opportunity to develop the communication and cooperation skills that are essential to productive work as a professional.
With the assistance of a faculty supervisor, the student will secure an internship with an appropriate firm (agency or business) that has direct interest and active work within the scope of the student's geographic interests. The student enters into an informal contract with the firm - and with the approval of the faculty supervisor - that specifies the duration of the internship, the specific responsibilities of the student, the types of activities the student will be involved with, and any salary to be paid to the intern. At the conclusion of the internship, the interning firm's supervisor completes an extensive evaluation of the intern and the faculty supervisor completes an evaluation based on the firm's assessment and the student's assessment.
Finally, the student is required to prepare a written report of the internship experience.
The student is also required to make a formal oral presentation to an audience composed of Geography faculty and students as well as invited guests.
The purpose of the Senior Seminar is to involve the senior geography student in the development of a professional level research program that will demonstrate the student's cumulative abilities in written and oral presentation, critical thinking and analysis and higher-level application of geographic knowledge and skills. Students work with individual faculty who serve as their mentors and guides. Students work with their faculty mentor(s) in:
- Topic identification
- Topic development through research
- Development of outline and abstract
- Development of the research paper through several phases of drafting and completion;
The Senior Seminar culminates in an oral presentation of the research to an audience composed of Geography faculty and students as well as invited guests. Prior to the final oral presentation, the student provides each member of the Geography faculty with the completed research paper. Following the seminar presentation, all Geography faculty provide to the faculty mentor a written analysis of the research and the presentation with their individual assessment of the student's work.
On an occasional basis, some (but not all) Geography students may undertake special independent projects that provide unique geospatial research opportunities. These can include undergraduate research projects (ex., NCUR related), research projects that may lead to formal presentation and or publication, participation in grant funded research, etc. Regardless of the topical focus of projects, students, working with faculty mentors, are expected to demonstrate appropriate knowledge-based and communication outcomes consistent with the Department's mission. Frequently, Independent Study projects are formally presented in the same venue as Geography 450 (Senior Seminar) papers. Students work with individual faculty who serve as their mentors and guides. Students work with their faculty mentor(s) in:
- Topic identification
- Topic development through research
- Development of outline and abstract
- Development of the research paper through several phases of drafting and completion;
The Independent Study culminates in an oral presentation of the research to an audience composed of Geography faculty and students as well as invited guests. Prior to the final oral presentation, the student provides each member of the Geography faculty with the completed research paper. Following the presentation, all Geography faculty provide to the faculty mentor a written analysis of the research and the presentation with their individual assessment of the student's work (Standardized Assessment Rubrics for Written/Research and Presentation are attached in Appendix).
Objective
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Participants
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Evaluators
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skills:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
knowledge:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
values:
1, 2, 3
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Some majors
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Team of faculty using
Student Research Assessment and Student Presentation Assessment
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Indirect Measures
At approximately the mid-point of each Spring Semester, the Chair of the Geography Department will invite a cross-sectional group of current Geography Majors, Minors and Endorsees to participate in a focused discussion regarding the Department's success and failures in accomplishing its Mission and expected outcomes. The discussion will be facilitated by an experienced (non-Geography faculty) facilitator who will serve to stimulate open discussion, focus questions on specific elements of the Department's performance and, most importantly, provide to the Geography faculty, a written or oral report of the group's work. Special attention will be given to student learning outcomes in the areas of knowledge, skill, values and the Department's ability to positively affect these traits.
Objective
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Participants
|
Evaluators
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knowledge:
1, 2, 3, 4
values:
1, 2, 3
|
some majors and minors
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non-Geography faculty facilitator
using Focus Group Questions,
faculty evaluators
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Upon completion of an Internship (see above), the student/intern will complete a "Student Evaluation of Internship" which provides for a retrospective of the internship experience.
The Department will undertake two distinct surveys of current and past students:
Survey of Graduating Geography Majors:
Concurrent with the presentation of the Geography Student Portfolio, each graduating senior Geography major will complete a Survey of Graduating Geography Majors. The purpose of the survey is to gather information from graduating seniors so the department can identify areas of deficiency as well as success and, where appropriate, alter practices or structures to resolve deficiencies and improve the quality of the undergraduate experience.
Objective
|
Participants
|
Evaluators
|
skills:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
knowledge:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
values:
1, 2, 3
|
all majors using
Survey of Graduating Geography Majors
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faculty
|
Alumni Survey:
Every three (3) years, the Department will send out an alumni survey to all Geography Majors, Minors and Endorsees who have graduated in the previous three (3) years. (The Department currently maintains a database of approximately 300 graduates since the 1970's.) The general focus of this survey is to determine the professional status of recent graduates and their success in securing productive employment in professional Geographic endeavors and/or who have extended their Geographic studies in graduate school. The specific focus of this survey is to determine how the alumni perceive their undergraduate experience as it affects their ability to function in a professional capacity and/or as an advanced student of Geography. Of particular importance are the graduate's communications skills, geo-spatial skills and geographic knowledge base and how their UNK Geography experience has been of benefit to them in these areas. Based on the responses provided, the Geography faculty will determine what, if any, action is necessary to resolve identified deficiencies.
Objective
|
Participants
|
Evaluators
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skills:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
knowledge:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
values:
1, 2, 3
|
alumni using
Alumni Survey and Opinion Questionnaire
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