1996 Computer Science Assessment Planning Form

Intended Student Outcomes		Assessment Measures and Criteria
1.	Students completing the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of General Studies programs in computer science will compare favorably in their knowledge of computer science with those students completing a similar program nationally.	1. A. The average score of the graduates of the baccalaureate program in computer science on the MFAT subject test (which they will be required to take shortly before graduation) will be at or near the 50th percentile compared to national results. 1. B. A chapter of the computer science national honor society Upsilon Pi Epsilon will be established. Ninety percent of the junior and senior members of the society will “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement “I feel as well prepared as the majority of individuals nationwide who are enrolled in a similar degree program.”

2.	Students completing the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of General Studies programs in computer science will be adequately prepared for employment in their field.	2. A. An annual survey of alumni will ask for agreement on the statement “I was well-prepared for employment in an area related to computer science.” Sixty percent of those so employed will respond with “agree” or with “strongly agree.” 2. B. Eighty percent of alumni responding to the annual survey who graduated in the past two years will indicate they are employed in an area related to their computer science degree, or were offered such employment.

3.	Students completing the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of General Studies programs in computer science will be well prepared for graduate study.	3. A. Sixty percent of the graduates applying for graduate study in computer science will be accepted for admission. 3. B. Graduates will score at least at the 50th percentile on the computer science subject test of the Graduate Record Examination compared to national results.

1996 Undergraduate Degree Assessment

	Assessment Results	Expected Implementation Date	Use of Results
1.	A representative sampling of graduating students will begin taking the MFAT subject test during the Fall 1996 semester. A zero-credit required course is being added to the CS degree requirements to effectively require students to be candidates for this test.	Fall 1996	With the possible exception of emphasis on automata theory in the CS MFAT, we will use the scores from this examination to focus attention on curriculum areas requiring improvement. It may be necessary to utilize a different examination if the automata theory emphasis is inappropriately strong for our program.
	Application has been made to establish the UNO chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon.	Spring 1997	If results are not as expected, the chapter members will be queried to determine more precisely where they feel unprepared.
2.	Questions are being added to this year’s survey of alumni (a single survey is provided by the administration), and results will be tabulated as soon as the survey instruments are returned.	Spring 1997	For both measures, negative results will prompt us to more carefully examine the relevance of our curriculum to target employers. An analysis of the curriculum was just completed with that focus.
3.	Students in the zero-credit “data capture” course (see 1.) will be asked to report (a) if they applied for graduate study, and if so, (b) their success in gaining admission. Prior to implementation of the zero-credit course, students will be asked to voluntarily provide that information.	Fall 1996	The results will be used to profile the schools where our students are applying for graduate study. Low acceptance rates will suggest our examination of the curriculum in those areas emphasized at those schools.
	Students will be asked to include UNO in the list of schools to which their GRE subject test (CS) examination scores are reported. The university will reimburse them, if necessary, for any added costs.	Spring 1997	Negative results will indicate we need to examine the curriculum again, most significantly those courses that directly influence scores on the GRE CS subject test. These results may also suggest the GRE subject test is inappropriate for use in this effort.