Psychology Undergraduate Program

 

 

Student Outcomes:

 

Student outcomes that will be assessed include the attainment of theoretical and research knowledge related to abnormal behavior, cognitive processes, human development, social processes and small-group interactions, personality, learning and motivation, the relationships between brain structures and behavior, and the comparative differences among species.  These outcomes are consistent with the mission and educational objectives of the department.

 

Also included will be an ongoing assessment of the psychology student's level of satisfaction with the education provided to her/him by the University of Toledo Psychology Department.

 

The Mission of the Department of Psychology is to pursue excellence in all of its academic and community endeavors.  These range from discovery of the fundamental principles of psychology in the laboratory, clinic, and community, to the dissemination of this knowledge in the classroom.  Through teaching, research and the application of psychological principles, the Department if committed to helping all students at the University achieve their highest potential.  Furthermore, we are committed to extending this goal beyond the campus to all members of the community at large.

 

The Educational Objectives of the program are to encourage students to actively explore, understand, and learn about psychological processes and behavior.  Moreover, the psychology course work combined with practica provides students with intensive training and experience in psychological research.

 

 

Types of Assessment:

 

The Psychology Area Concentration Achievement Tests (PACAT) will be utilized to directly assess levels of psychology-based knowledge in graduating psychology major students.  Students will take the exam in the university test center.

 

In addition, the Department will distribute an exit questionnaire to graduating psychology major students.  This questionnaire is an indirect assessment tool that will measure students' level of satisfaction with their University of Toledo psychology education.  Options for collecting these data include the giving of the questionnaire by the student's academic advisor at the time that the advisor completes the student's graduation paperwork and an email or internet survey used in conjunction with eListen software.  A copy of the exit questionnaire is attached to this document.

 

The Department is currently developing a student expectation survey that will be given to new psychology majors as a way of assessing students' expectations concerning their psychology education.  The department is pursuing several options for collecting these data.  For example, this survey can be distributed by Michael Caruso, the main undergraduate advisor in our department, at the time that the student meets with him for the first time.  Another option will be to survey students via email or the internet and the use of eListen software to analyze the data.  Information gathered from the student expectation survey, combined with information from the exit questionnaire, will provide a rough pretest-posttest comparison (i.e., will gauge students' expectations and our ability to meet these expectations).

 

The student expectation survey and the exit questionnaire will provide a combination of descriptive data, Likert-type data, and open-ended data.

 

The ACAT will provide standard T-scores for up to 10 content areas from which we can compare our student(s) to nationally-based performance norms.  We will thus be able to detail specific areas of strengths and weaknesses and make program changes where necessary.

 

 

Timeline for Assessment:

 

The ACAT will be given to graduating students during their last semester at the university.

 

The exit questionnaire will be given to each student near the end of her or his undergraduate experience.

 

The student expectation survey will be given to students who have recently declared psychology as their major. 

 

The data collection for the above procedures will be done by May of each academic year.  The data will be analyzed by June of the academic year it was collected.  A report will be compiled before the new academic year.

 

 

Specific Program/Curriculum Changes:

 

Because the above assessment plan is newly implemented, there are no changes to report.

 

 

Specific Changes to Planning and Reallocation:

 

Past assessment attempts by the department chiefly consisted of pretest-posttest efforts to gauge the level of knowledge obtained by students in the department's 2000-level courses.  A departmental report outlining these efforts stated that department faculty indeed found that students learned throughout the course of the semester, but the faculty were not convinced of the usefulness of these data because the data did not provide the type of information that would be helpful in restructuring their courses.  No changes were thus made.

 

 

Assessment Liaisons:

 

The Department Chair and the full-time faculty will be responsible for the assessment plan.

 

 

Psychology Graduate Program

 

 

Student Outcomes:

 

Graduate student outcomes that will be assessed include the attainment of theoretical and research knowledge related to abnormal behavior, cognitive processes, human development, social processes and small-group interactions, personality, learning and motivation, the relationships between brain structures and behavior, and the comparative differences among species.  These outcomes are consistent with the mission and educational objectives of the department and of the specific graduate concentrations (Behavioral Sciences and Clinical).

 

The Mission of the Department is to pursue excellence in its academic and community endeavors, ranging from discovery of the fundamental principles of psychology in the laboratory, clinic, and community, to the dissemination of this knowledge in the classroom.  Through teaching, research and the application of psychological principles, the Department if committed to helping students achieve their highest potential.  Furthermore, we are committed to extending this goal beyond the campus to the community at large.

 

The Educational Objectives of the Department are to encourage students to actively explore, understand, and learn about psychological processes and behavior.

 

More specifically, the Educational Objectives of the Behavioral Science Concentration are to prepare graduate students for careers in academic and research settings, as well as in a variety of non-academic settings.  Students will work with faculty members to develop expertise in one or more of the following areas: Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience and Learning, and Cognitive Processes.

 

The Clinical Concentration seeks to provide students with a broad educational foundation in the science and practice of clinical psychology.  The fundamental goal of the Clinical Concentration is therefore to develop clinical psychologists who are capable of serving in a wide range of professional contexts, both research- and clinically-oriented.

 

 

Types of Assessment:

 

While attending the graduate program, students are assessed on the following dimensions:

 

1.  M.A. Thesis Proposal: written documentation and oral presentation are given by the student and the proposal is evaluated by three faculty in the Department; outcome possibilities are (a) accepted; (b) rejected; (c) accepted with modifications.

 

2.  M.A. Thesis Defense: written documentation and oral presentation by the student; outcome possibilities are (a) accepted; (b) rejected; (c) accepted with modifications.

 

3.  Admission to Candidacy for the Ph.D. Degree and Area of Concentration Proficiency: before being admitted to candidacy, the student must demonstrate proficiency in the general psychology core by written examination, oral examination, and/or written paper as determined by the student's advisory committee.

 

4.  Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal: committee consists of 4 members of the Department and one Ph.D.-level member outside of the Department; outcomes are same as for thesis defenses.

 

5.  Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: outcomes are the same as for thesis defenses.

 

6.  Foreign Language / Professional Development Requirement: may be met by (a) demonstrating proficiency by passing an examination administered by the Department of Foreign Languages; (b) having completed four quarters or three semesters of an acceptable foreign language at the undergraduate level; (c) demonstrating proficiency in another tool of research, as approved by the student's advisory committee.

 

Other avenues of assessment include:

 

Yearly evaluation of each student's program progress by either the full-time Clinical

faculty or full-time Behavioral Science faculty.

 

Attrition rates prior to completion of graduate program.

 

            Internship Application Outcomes for Clinical students (e.g., % of students placed in

funded, APA-Accredited internship sites) internships are typically in the 5th year in the

program.

 

Practicum and Internship Evaluations (for off-site clinical training typically held in the

3rd, 4th, and 5th years) for Clinical students.

 

            Outcomes on the appropriate State Licensing Exam for those Clinical graduates pursuing

licensure to practice as a clinical psychologist.

 

Survey Employment Data for program graduates.

 

            The Clinical program is evaluated for accreditation by the American Psychological

Association (APA) every 3 to 7 years.

 

 

Timeline for Assessment:

 

The timelines are noted in the "Types of Assessment" section.

 

Graduation assessment data will be collected yearly and a full report will be written in the summer of every odd-numbered calendar year.

 

 

Specific Program/Curriculum Changes:

 

The Clinical faculty and the Department Chair are discussing the possibility of curriculum changes.  Namely, we are discussing the possibility of reducing the therapy course requirements from 4 courses to 2 courses.  Although the students will still receive broad, diverse clinical training if we make this change, this change will allow for curriculum flexibility such that this will allow for higher quality, more intensive research scholarship.  The faculty and Department Chair are also discussing the possibility of reducing the required number of "core courses" within psychology for the same reason.

 

Finally, in the past year, in order to enhance the rigorousness of research activities by the Clinical students, the Clinical program has started to emphasis more of a traditional mentoring system between faculty and students.

 

 

Specific Changes to Planning and Reallocation:

 

Included here are additional Behavioral Science (preferable 3 faculty per sub-area; e.g., 3 Cognitive faculty; 3 Developmental faculty; etc.) and Clinical faculty (preferably 8 faculty who are able to provide clinical supervision); increased physical space due to faculty expansion; and a separate physical space for the Department's Psychological Clinic.  (The clinic serves the greater Toledo area; it is currently intermixed with faculty offices and labs—far from an ideal setup, given the clients' needs for confidentiality, etc.)

 

 

Assessment Liaisons:

 

The Department Chair and the full-time faculty will be responsible for the assessment plan.

 

 

Department of Psychology

University of Toledo

Exit Questionnaire for Graduating Seniors – AY 03-04

 

 

This questionnaire asks for your opinions about the University of Toledo Psychology Undergraduate Program.  Your responses will help the faculty and administration to identify the program's strengths and weaknesses.  Thank you for your help.

 

 

Gender:           Male ________                       Female ________

 

Current Age: ____________

 

 

Section 1: Quality of Course Offerings, Instruction, and Advising

 

Using the scale below, please rate your overall satisfaction with each of the following program factors:

 

(1) - - - - - - - - (2) - - - - - - - - (3) - - - - - - - - (4) - - - - - - - - (5)

Very                Somewhat      Neutral           Somewhat      Very

Dissatisfied     Dissatisfied                             Satisfied          Satisfied

 

1.         The current Psychology degree requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        1          2        3            4          5

2.         The availability of Psychology courses (timing, space available). . . . . . .        1          2        3            4          5

3.         The quality of Psychology courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       1          2        3            4          5

4.         The variety of Psychology courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       1          2        3            4          5

5.         The quality of Psychology instructors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       1          2        3            4          5

6.         The accessibility of Psychology instructors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

7.         The availability of academic advising I have received from Psychology . .     1          2        3            4          5

8.         The quality of this advising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

9.         The opportunity to participate in psychological research. . . . . . . . . . . . .        1          2        3            4          5

10.       The availability of computer facilities in the Psychology Department. . . .      1          2        3            4          5

11.       The helpfulness of the Psychology secretarial staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

12.       The overall education you received in Psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1          2        3            4          5

 

Section 2:  Knowledge about Psychology and Psychology-Related Careers

 

Using the following scale, please indicate the extent to which you are satisfied that the Department of Psychology has provided you with the following:

 

(1) - - - - - - - - (2) - - - - - - - - (3) - - - - - - - - (4) - - - - - - - - (5)

Very                Somewhat      Neutral           Somewhat      Very

Dissatisfied     Dissatisfied                             Satisfied          Satisfied

 

13.       Knowledge of possible careers related to Psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       1          2        3            4          5

14.       Preparation for graduate training in Psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

15.       Preparation for future job/career goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

16.       Understanding of the applicability of Psychology to other fields. . . . . . . .      1          2        3            4          5

 

Section 3:  Intended Career Goals

 

At this time, you may have specific career plans that you intend to pursue  after you graduate.  Please indicate what your career intentions are at this time. 

 

(1) - - - - - - - - (2) - - - - - - - - (3) - - - - - - - - (4) - - - - - - - - (5)

Definitely                               Not                                          Definitely

   No                                        Sure                                           Yes

 

17.       I plan to attend graduate school in Psychology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1        2            3          4          5

18.       I plan to attend graduate or professional school in some other discipline. .     1        2            3          4          5

19.       I plan to work in a Psychology-related job (e.g., behavioral health center,

            social service setting, research laboratory). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1        2            3          4          5

 

20.       I plan to work in a non-Psychology job. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      1        2            3          4          5

 

Section 4:  General Comments

 

21.       What do you like best about the undergraduate Psychology program?

 

 

 

 

 

 

22.       What are some of your ideas for improving the undergraduate Psychology program?