The Department assesses Student Outcomes and Program Educational Objectives through various means, which include:
Advisory Board Meetings
The Advisory Board is convened every three years. This board consists of a cohort of our stakeholders, such as representatives of local organizations that regularly hire our students or alumni of our program. The Department identifies one or more general questions, or a theme, for which we want feedback. This theme forms the focal point for the Advisory Board meeting.
Student Roundtables
The Student Roundtable occurs every three years, and focuses on the outcomes we expect our students to achieve by graduation. Student leaders convene the roundtable, including selecting students representing all four classes. One or two faculty members are invited to observe the discussion, with agreement of the group. The student leaders prepare the questions, based on the program’s expected student outcomes. The student leaders in consultation with the faculty present (when appropriate) write the summary report. All members of the group are encouraged to contribute addenda and opposing opinions.
Student Exit Interviews
Faculty conduct exit interviews for all graduating majors to obtain feedback on their experiences in the program. We have found it to be more effective to conduct face-to-face interviews rather than asking students to complete an online survey. We have a better response rate, and also get extensive and useful feedback.
Other informal assessment mechanisms may include: informal conversations with instructors, advisors, and the Chair; meetings between employers and faculty members organized by the TCNJ Career Center; interactions with Department Colloquium speakers, and informal interviews held for CSC 299; or the Junior Seminar required for all junior Computer Science majors
Updated 02/25/2021