Expectations of graduates from SAUA

What should our graduates be able to do when they finish our program? Answer is important for Bologna Process ‘ECTS is a student-centered system based on …objectives of a program...in terms of learning outcomes and competencies to be acquired.’ Important for communication to those inside and outside higher education system in Armenia Useful as faculty continue to improve courses and overall degree program

Several types of expectations What subject areas should our graduates master? For example, chemistry, calculus, language studies At what level do we want them to understand? For example, do they only need to be able to balance chemical equations or should they be able to develop plans for synthesizing compounds? (Bloom’s taxonomy)

Focus first on the subject matter content When student graduates from veterinary medicine & animal husbandry (or other programs), what subject areas should they know? Foundation concepts such as biology, chemistry Specific concepts to program, such as nutrition, reproduction, meat science, etc.

Then determine level of understanding needed Do students need to be able to list the diseases common to plants or animals? Do they need to be able to identify these diseases? Do they need to be able to prevent and/or treat these diseases? Each requires different level of understanding Important that we and students know which level is desired

Who decides these things? In our university, it is the faculty in the department We meet together and determine what we want our students to know We obtain feedback from others Graduates of our program People who hire our graduates Others in the industry Other colleagues at different universities

Food science Our food science and technology program has a set of learning outcomes based on their interaction with these groups Also based on a national certification program This allows excellent communication among programs Graduates from any of the accredited programs should have the same basic set of competencies

Examples from their program Students should have the ability to identify and access valid sources of technical information of foods (Knowledge) They should be able to summarize the responsibilities and importance of the federal agencies that regulate food products (Comprehension) Students should be able to design flow diagrams combining unit operations related to safety, quality and product stability of food products (Synthesis)

Examples from horticulture Students should be able to identify common horticultural plants Students should be able to identify and manage common horticultural pests Students should be able to develop propagation systems for plants based on principles Students should understand plant growth and development sufficiently to be able to design profitable production systems for wholesale or retail operations

Think about expectations for your graduates After successful completion of our program, a graduate should be able to do what? First part is to define major subject areas that students should have learned Second part is to define the level