UNIVERSITY
FACULTY SENATE FORMS
Academic
Program Approval
This form is a routing document for the approval of new and revised academic programs. Proposing department should complete this form. For more information, call the Faculty Senate Office at 831-2921.
Submitted by: _____Leslie Cooksy______________phone number__831-6872______
Department: ____School of Education_____email
address___ljcooksy@udel.edu
Action: _______Add academic
program/major______________________________________
(Example: add major/minor/concentration, delete
major/minor/concentration, revise
major/minor/concentration, academic unit
name change, request for permanent status, policy change, etc.)
Effective
term____________________09F________________________________________________________________
(use format
04F, 05W)
Current
degree______None______________________________________________________
(Example: BA, BACH, BACJ, HBA,
Proposed
change leads to the degree of: ______MS_____________
(Example: BA, BACH, BACJ, HBA,
Proposed
name:________________MS in Evaluation_____________________________ Proposed new name for revised
or new major / minor / concentration / academic unit(if applicable)
Revising
or Deleting: N/A
Note:
all graduate studies proposals must include an electronic copy of the Graduate
Program Policy Document, highlighting the changes made to the original policy
document.
See attached
List
new courses required for the new or revised curriculum. How do they support the
overall program objectives of the major/minor/concentrations)?
(Be aware that
approval of the curriculum is dependent upon these courses successfully passing
through the Course Challenge list. If there are no new courses enter “None”)
Evaluation Models
& Approaches –This course gives students an understanding of the breadth
of evaluation approaches and of the themes underlying all evaluation
practice. It is the second in a
series. The first (currently taught in
HDFS) is a basic introduction.
Advanced Seminar in Evaluation -- This course is the third in a series. After first taking a general introduction and
then learning the breadth of evaluation approaches, this course immerses
students in specific evaluation issues selected based on their relevance and
importance in the field.
Special Projects –
This course is an independent
study that provides students in the MS Evaluation program with the opportunity
to apply evaluation principles and methods in a practical context. This is a key component of preparing students
for their capstone.
Portfolio & Competency Analysis Paper -- This course is an independent study,
intended to introduce MS in Evaluation students to the competencies expected of
a professional evaluator and to assist them in planning for the portfolio and
competency analysis report that is required before graduation. It is the capstone
for the proposed Evaluation program.
Explain,
when appropriate, how this new/revised curriculum supports the 10 goals of
undergraduate education: http://www.ugs.udel.edu/gened/
N/A
Identify
other units affected by the proposed changes:
(Attach permission from the affected units. If no other unit is affected, enter “None”)
The
Letters of
support for the program are attached.
Describe
the rationale for the proposed program change(s):
(Explain your reasons for creating, revising, or
deleting the curriculum or program.)
The proposed MS in
Evaluation relates to The Professional Education Initiative outlined in the
Strategic Planning Report issued in April 2008, which states: “Our greatest impact can be achieved by
educating and training the professionals and leaders who serve society in
essential roles, and by closer integration of public service with research and
education.” Evaluators serve an
essential role. When evaluations are
conducted by skilled evaluators, they provide credible evidence about the
efficiency and effectiveness of social interventions, evidence which is used to
inform decisions in the public, non-profit, and for-profit sectors. Evaluation is a form of applied research that
is practiced to support the public good, and the MS in Evaluation will work
closely with CHEP’s applied research centers, thus integrating the research and
public service missions of the university.
By providing a unique
interdisciplinary degree, the MS in Evaluation also supports the Academic
Priority of strengthening graduate programs in areas of demonstrated
comparative advantage, particularly the item, “Invest selectively in
interdisciplinary graduate programs in areas of demonstrated comparative
advantage and community need” http://www.udel.edu/provost/Priorities.html). The program’s comparative advantage lies in
the paucity of other evaluation graduate programs in the mid-Atlantic, and the
existence of only two other truly interdisciplinary graduate degrees in
evaluation in the country. Community
need is demonstrated by the existence of two thriving regional affiliates of
the American Evaluation Association (the Eastern Evaluation Research Society
and the Washington Evaluators), the large number of evaluation projects engaged
in by CHEP’s public service centers (e.g., Center for Community Research &
Service, Delaware Education Research & Development Center, and the Center
for Disability Services), and the proximity of major employers (state and
federal agencies, nonprofit agencies, and foundations). A program specifically focused on evaluation
will raise the visibility of the
Program Requirements:
(Show the new or revised curriculum as it should appear
in the Course Catalog. If this is a
revision, be sure to indicate the changes being made to the current curriculum
and include a side-by-side comparison
of the credit distribution before and after the proposed change.)
A. Courses Required Within Evaluation
Total Credits from Area A . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
B. Courses Required From Other Programs
·
Measurement
(3) [EDUC 865 Educational Measurement
Theory or HDFS 655 Measurement Techniques for Children & Families]
·
Research Methods
(3) [EDUC 607-Educational Research
Procedures; HDFS 815: Research Issues
& Designs; UAPP 800-Research Methods & Data Analysis]
·
Statistics (3)
[EDUC 665-Elementary Statistics or
UAPP 815-Public Management Statistics]
·
Qualitative
Methods (3) [EDUC 850: Qualitative
Research in Educational Settings]
·
Survey Design (1)
[UAPP 676 – Survey Research]
Total Credits from Area B…………………………….13
C.
Area of Emphasis [6 credits to be selected with approval of advisor]
Qualitative
Methods
·
UAPP 804
Qualitative Methods for Program Evaluation
·
EDUC 858 Advanced
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative
Methods
·
EDUC 812 Regression and Multivariate Models in
Education
·
EDUC 856 Introduction to Statistical Inference
·
EDUC 862 Design
and Analysis of Experiments
·
EDUC 874
Multivariate Data Analysis
Economic Evaluation
·
UAPP 834 Economics in Public and Nonprofit Sectors
·
UAPP 827 Program and Project Analysis
D. Electives [6
credits in a program area to be selected with approval of advisor]
·
Program areas
include, but are not limited to:
o
Adult education
(EDUC 670, 699, 883)
o
Community
development (UAPP 608, 639, 645)
o
Family services
(HDFS 670, 850, 855, 870, 875)
o
Management (UAPP
819, 684).
o
Policy analysis
(UAPP 806, 652)
ROUTING
AND AUTHORIZATION: (Please
do not remove supporting documentation.)
Department Chairperson See
attached letters of support from the Chairs of the 3 participating programs
Dean of College Date
Chairperson, College Curriculum
Committee___________________________________Date_____________________
Chairperson, Senate Com. on UG or GR Studies Date
Chairperson, Senate Coordinating Com. Date
Secretary, Faculty Senate Date
Date of Senate Resolution Date
to be Effective
Registrar Program
Code Date
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & International
Programs Date
Provost Date
Board of Trustee Notification Date
Revised
10/23/2007 /khs
Master of Science in Evaluation Program
Program Policy Statement
The Master of Science in Evaluation is an interdisciplinary
degree intended to prepare students to contribute to human service, education,
and other program and policy areas through the thoughtful, effective, and
ethical use of evaluation models and methods.[1]
The Professional Education Initiative outlined in the
The program serves a need for education in evaluation approaches
and skills in the region and beyond.
Although there is no comparable program in the region, there are two
thriving affiliates of the American Evaluation Association (the Eastern
Evaluation Research Society and the Washington Evaluators) and many major
employers of evaluators nearby. The
program will raise the visibility of the
The successful graduate of the MS in Evaluation will:
a) Be able to explain the historical and philosophical underpinnings of evaluation and their implications for evaluation practice;
b) Be able to apply the ethical standards and guiding principles of the profession, including striving for cultural competence;
c) Be able to explain the logic of evaluation/research design, including mixed-method designs;
d) Have basic skills in the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data individually, and intermediate skills in at least one;
e) Develop specialized knowledge of a program/policy area (e.g., welfare, education, health) or context (e.g., government, nonprofit), or advanced technical skills (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, multivariate data analysis, ethnography);
f) Have intellectual humility in the form of an understanding of the programmatic and methodological areas in which s/he does not have expertise; and
g) Be able to conduct an evaluation, including negotiating evaluation questions, developing program theory, matching evaluation plan to questions and resources (money, time, staff), collecting and analyzing data, interpreting and reporting results, and disseminating and encouraging the use of findings.
The admissions criteria identify those applicants who are likely to be successful evaluation professionals. Specifically, the program seeks to attract applicants who have: (1) a demonstrated commitment to social change and betterment through effective programs and other interventions, and (2) an academic and/or professional background that indicates the ability to successfully complete the program. Acceptance to the program is based on a composite of the applicant’s scholastic record, standardized test scores, letters of reference, and personal statement. Relevant work experience may also be taken into consideration. Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities.
University policy on admissions: Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Applicants for the Master of Science in Evaluation will apply to the Office of Graduate Studies. The deadline for applications for Fall matriculation is February 1.
The specific criteria are:
Both full-time and part-time students will be admitted. Admissions and course requirements are the same for full- and part-time students.
The Master of Science in
Evaluation requires 37 credit hours of coursework at the 600 and 800 level. The
30 credits of coursework must include 25 credits of required courses, and 12
credits of advisor approved coursework.
Credit Requirements:
Core Credits (Areas A + B) .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. 25
Area of Emphasis. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Electives (advisor approved)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Total number of required
credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
A. Courses Required Within Evaluation
Total Credits from Area A . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
B. Courses Required From Other Programs
·
Measurement
(3) [EDUC 865 Educational Measurement
Theory or HDFS 655 Measurement Techniques for Children & Families]
·
Research Methods
(3) [EDUC 607-Educational Research
Procedures; HDFS 815: Research Issues
& Designs; UAPP 800-Research Methods & Data Analysis]
·
Statistics (3)
[EDUC 665-Elementary Statistics or
UAPP 815-Public Management Statistics]
·
Qualitative
Methods (3) [EDUC 850: Qualitative
Research in Educational Settings]
·
Survey Design (1)
(UAPP 676 – Survey Research)
Total Credits from Area B…………………………….13
C.
Area of Emphasis [6 credits to be selected with approval of advisor]
Qualitative
Methods
·
UAPP 804
Qualitative Methods for Program Evaluation
·
EDUC 858 Advanced
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative
Methods
·
EDUC 812 Regression and Multivariate Models in
Education
·
EDUC 856 Introduction to Statistical Inference
·
EDUC 862 Design
and Analysis of Experiments
·
EDUC 874
Multivariate Data Analysis
Economic Evaluation
·
UAPP 834 Economics in Public and Nonprofit Sectors
·
UAPP 827 Program and Project Analysis
D. Electives [6
credits in a program area to be selected with approval of advisor]
·
Program areas
include the following:
o
Adult education
(EDUC 670, 699, 883)
o
Community
development (UAPP 608, 639, 645)
o
Family services
(HDFS 670, 850, 855, 870, 875)
o
Management (UAPP
819, 684).
o
Policy analysis
(UAPP 806, 652)
Students may need to alter approved programs of study once they have entered the program for reasons such as scheduling conflicts or the creation of new courses directly related to the students’ goals. Students who wish to make changes to their program of study should first obtain permission from their advisor. The student must then make a written request to the Faculty Governance Committee to revise the program of study. Because most degree requirements can be met by more than one course (i.e., different courses in the participating units may be used to meet the requirements), variance in degree requirements is expected to be a rare event.
To graduate from the program, each student will write a competency analysis paper, describing their level of achievement on a set of core competencies (evaluation theory, research methods (including measurement and data collection methods), program evaluation design and management, program evaluation implementation, data analysis, and communication of evaluation results. The competency analysis paper will be accompanied by a portfolio supporting the student’s assessment of his or her competencies.
Each student will be required to have a committee for his or her Portfolio Review and Competency Exam. The committee will be comprised of two graduate faculty members, the chair of which must be a core or affiliated faculty member in the Evaluation Program. To provide guidance on the development of the portfolio, the committee will be developed one calendar year before the expected date of graduation, and the chair will be responsible for advising the student, including guiding the selection of and approving electives.
Students are unlikely to be involved in research projects. However, approval of all research projects involving humans, even administration of a survey, must be obtained prior to beginning any study. Information about obtaining approval may be found on Human Subjects in Research (http://www.udel.edu/OVPR/humans/humans.html). If a project involves animal subjects, an Animal Use Proposal must be completed and submitted to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (http://www.udel.edu/OVPR/animals/animals.html).
The curriculum is designed to be completed in 2 years of full-time study (a minimum of 9 hours/semester). However, there are no full-time residency requirements.
Students will be assigned an advisor upon entering the program. By the end of the first semester, the student, in consultation with the advisor, will have established a proposed plan of study. At the midpoint in a student’s program, the advisor will review the student’s program of study to determine if he or she is making satisfactory progress through the program. Students who are not making satisfactory progress will be placed on academic probation for one semester. If performance has not improved by the end of the probation semester, the student may be terminated from the program. A minimum average of B (GPA of 3.0) is required for successful completion of the program.
Although there will be no separate part-time track, the program will be open to part-time students. Courses will be offered in the evening or in block schedule format to increase access by working students. Part-time students are expected to complete the program within four years.
The competency paper and portfolio will be completed by April 30 of the student’s final semester so that the committee has sufficient time to review and respond before the end of the semester.
Program Sequence
|
Year One |
|
|
Fall (9 credits) ·
Program Planning, Assessment & Evaluation (IFST637) [3] ·
Research Methods [3] ·
Intro Qualitative [3] |
Spring (9 credits) ·
Evaluation Models & Approaches [3] ·
Intro Statistics [3] ·
Measurement [3] |
|
Year Two |
|
|
Fall (10 credits) ·
Advanced Seminar [3] ·
Area of Emphasis [3] ·
Elective [3] ·
Survey Research [1] |
Spring (9 credits) ·
Portfolio and competency paper [1] ·
Special projects [2] ·
Area of Emphasis [3] ·
Elective [3] |
*Requirements
in italics can be met by more than
one course.
The University policy for students entering a master’s degree program is ten consecutive semesters to complete the degree requirements. An extension of the time limit may be granted for circumstances beyond the student’s control. Requests for time extensions must be made in writing and approved by the student’s advisor and the director of the Evaluation program. The director will forward the request to the Office of Graduate Studies. The Office of Graduate Studies will determine the student’s eligibility for a time extension and will notify the student in writing of its decision to grant an extension of time.
Students must have a minimum overall grade point average of
3.0 to be eligible for the degree. In
addition, the grades in courses specific to the Evaluation program must equal
at least 3.0. All graduate-numbered
courses taken with graduate student classification at the
Financial assistance for students in the Evaluation program is obtained from a variety of external sources and will therefore vary in form and availability. Assistance will be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants best fitting the needs of the granting agencies and sponsoring faculty. Students receiving full stipends will be expected to work up to 20 hours per week on projects and to maintain full-time status. Financial aid is not guaranteed.
Students are expected to notify program administrative staff
of any change in address. Students will
be expected to have access to a personal computer. There are no other required expenses beyond
the traditional books and supplies. Student mailboxes will be in the offices of
the
[1] The American Evaluation Association (www.eval.org) defines evaluation as the assessment “of the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness.”