| Eren Johnson | Chair, Professor of Education |
| Associate Dean, College of Education and Applied Science | |
| Teri Lesesne | Executive Chair, Associate Professor of Library Science |
| Diane Dowdey | Editor, Associate Professor of English |
| Bob Allen | Student |
| Leroy Ashorn | Professor of Finance |
| Chair, Department of General Business and Finance | |
| Marion Czaja | Associate Professor of Education |
| Betty Dunlap | Assistant Professor of Radio/Television |
| Gene Eastman | Professor of Art |
| James Johnson | Professor of Psychology |
| Joyce McCauley | Assistant Professor of Education |
| Sam Souryal | Professor of Criminal Justice |
| Philip Swicegood | Professor of Education |
Sam Houston State University’s graduate degree program was first authorized in 1936. The addition of graduate courses at the institution marked the beginning of an evolution from a teacher’s training school to a diverse multi-purpose university. During the 1960s and 1970s, new graduate programs were added, including those in Library Science and the fine arts. Sam Houston State University is now authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer seven graduate degrees in seventy-five degree programs and three doctoral degrees in three degree programs (Criminal Justice, Educational Leadership, and the newly approved Forensic Psychology).
The report from the Committee on the Graduate Program represents the concerted efforts not only of the eleven faculty members and one graduate student listed on the roster, but also of the entire faculty of Sam Houston State University. Members of the Committee, representative of all of the colleges at the University, met both collectively and in subcommittees to prepare the final report. In addition to the materials provided by the University and the SACS Self-Study Steering Committee, the members of the Committee on the Graduate Program sought information from faculty, students, and administrators in order to document the University’s compliance with the SACS imperatives. Though the task was a tremendous one, it was also an experience which led to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse graduate programs offered by the institution.
The following sections report the Graduate Program Committee’s findings in the six major areas outlined in Section 4.3 of the SACS Criteria for Accreditation: Initiation, Operation and Expansion of Graduate Programs (4.3.1), Graduate Admission (4.3.2), Graduate Completion Requirements (4.3.3), Graduate Curriculum (4.3.4), Graduate Instruction (4.3.5), and Academic Advising of Graduate Students (4.3.6). The Committee addresses "must" statements from each of the sections and, in the order in which the statements appear in the Criteria, reports on the University’s compliance or noncompliance with these imperatives. Following each series of "must" statements and findings, the Committee makes recommendations and/or offers suggestions, according to the University’s compliance status. The suggestions proposed at the end of this report were developed cooperatively and are presented so that the University might continue to provide students opportunities for learning and professional development as it approaches the new millennium.
1. The administration and faculty must be responsible for the development of new academic programs recommended to the governing board (Criteria 32).
2. A graduate program must have curricula and resources beyond those provided for undergraduate programs (Criteria 32). 3. Research, scholarly activity and/or advanced professional training must be included in graduate studies and supported by adequate resources (Criteria 32).
4. An institution must provide a competent and productive faculty, adequate library and learning resources, adequate computer and laboratory facilities, and an appropriate administrative organization (Criteria 32).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these criteria.
The graduate program at SHSU provides resources substantially beyond those for the undergraduate program. The curriculum is detailed in other sections of this chapter, in academic unit self-reports, and in the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue.
Research, scholarly activity, and/or advanced professional training included in graduate studies are supported by adequate resources.
Scholarly activity and research are essential to graduate education at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). Faculty members must be actively involved in research and scholarly activity to be part of the graduate faculty and to be considered for promotion and tenure. Research is a requirement of most graduate degrees and is a prerequisite for earning a doctorate.
Both internal and external funding provides moneys to support research. With such grants, graduate research assistants may be employed. University external funding was $2,669,094.05 for fiscal year 1997. The federal government provided 47.13% of the external funds; state agency funds amounted to 41.8%; and private sources provided 11.06%.
Internal funding is allocated by a Faculty Research Council to help initiate other research efforts. In fiscal year 1997, $188,285.93 was awarded. (See Appendices A-D for details of funding for all programs.)
In addition to these funds, moneys are allocated in the colleges through varied means for travel and professional development. Departments normally allocate money for travel from the regular Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funds and from indirect recovery costs returned from research grants.
Deans sometimes have additional funds for research and travel in such sources as the Enrichment Fund of the College of Education and Applied Science (CEAS) or a local fund financed through a fund raiser, as in the College of Business Administration (COBA). Deans also have access to moneys returned from indirect recovery costs. Typically moneys will be allocated by a committee of faculty members.
Graduate teaching assistantships and fellowships, available in most departments offering graduate degrees, are funded by the University. These often provide the graduate student with invaluable teaching experience, as well as financial support, and often provide assistance to graduate faculty to carry out their research. Some departments (Physics and English, for example) have difficulty finding enough qualified applicants for these positions. Students having such assistantships in some departments are dependent on access to additional income in order to survive.
The Committee determined that the University complies with this imperative.
Each college has adopted specific criteria for appointing faculty to graduate faculty status; these criteria are determined by each college in accordance with section 103 of Academic Policy Statement 801014:
Appointment to graduate and/or associate graduate faculty should be contingent upon sustained evidence of currency in research or creative activities; publications, performances, presentations and/or professionally acceptable public exhibitions of one’s work; and active involvement in the professional organizations of one’s chosen field.
Associate Graduate Faculty status may, in a few cases, be granted to faculty who, in lieu of academic qualifications, possess extraordinary professional qualifications. Such cases will be subject to the approval of the graduate faculty of the appropriate department and the review of the appropriate dean. Faculty to whom such an exception is granted may not be tenure-track.
Faculty members are classified and listed as either graduate faculty or associate graduate faculty in the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue (169-80). Each academic division/department chair provides to the appropriate college dean a list of the recommended minimum requirements for appointment of a faculty member of the academic unit to the graduate faculty. Each college dean, in turn, develops a statement outlining the minimum requirements for the appointment of a faculty member of that college to the graduate faculty.
While each of the four colleges follows Academic Policy Statement 801014 as its guiding principle in appointing graduate faculty, the Colleges of Business Administration and Criminal Justice have also established criteria specific to their own interests and standards.
The College of Business Administration uses the following standards to represent the minimum requirements for appointment to the graduate faculty:
A faculty member must possess at least one of the following credentials to be eligible for appointment:
A terminal degree in the area of instruction. Professional certification in the area of instruction. A master’s degree and sufficient graduate credit hours in the area of instruction. A master’s degree and sufficient professional experience directly related to the area of instruction.In making appointments to its graduate faculty, the College of Criminal Justice examines (1) research and scholarly activity, (2) publication, and (3) scholarly recognition:
(1) Research and Scholarly Activities
This category includes activities such as applying for and receiving research grants or other forms of financial assistance awarded by the University or by external sources, such as state and federal governments. The research activities should be scholarly in nature, and technical assistance and training activities may be included in this category, depending on the nature and the focus. Private consulting activities are not normally included in this category. The category is not limited to activities that derive from financial awards. Self- financed activities or scholarly activities supported by the University also fall within this category. For example, the presentation of papers at professional conferences is included.
(2) Publications
This category of activity includes the publication of books, textbooks, book chapters, monographs, research reports, journal articles, book reviews, and review essays.
(3) Scholarly Recognition
This category of accomplishment includes items that indicate that a faculty member has been recognized by the academic or professional community for his or her scholarly expertise in the field. Such recognition can be indicated by appointment to important Criminal Justice planning committees, election or appointment to administrative positions of national professional associations, receipt of awards or honors from professional, academic, scientific or governmental agencies, and appointment to the editorial and review boards of academic journals, book publishers, and governmental agencies.
A classification of graduate faculty by status and the institution granting the highest degree is seen in Table 4.3.1:
|
Category |
Total |
|||||
|
Regular Graduate Faculty |
130 |
35 |
67 |
6 |
22 |
280 |
|
Associate Graduate Faculty |
12 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
|
Highest Degree from Institution outside Texas |
94 |
19 |
27 |
3 |
18 |
161 |
|
Highest Degree from Texas Institution other than SHSU |
47 |
20 |
41 |
3 |
4 |
115 |
|
Highest Degree from SHSU |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
9. Free-standing graduate and professional schools . . . must demonstrate not only the strength of their individual programs, but also that students admitted have met undergraduate requirements specified for the program (Criteria 33).5. A graduate institution planning to initiate a program at the same level but substantially different from those already approved must inform the Executive Director of the Commission on Colleges in advance of the admission of students (Criteria 33).The productivity of the graduate faculty is evidenced in the Report on Faculty Research and Creative Accomplishments. Furthermore, Faculty Evaluation System (FES) forms detail other forms of productivity of the faculty.
A competent faculty relies, in part, on adequate library and learning resources:
The Sam Houston State University library system employs thirteen full-time librarians, twenty-six paraprofessionals, and a number of student assistants. The library provides reference, interlibrary loan, circulation, and acquisitions services and a fully equipped computer laboratory with Internet and campus network connections to faculty, staff, and students, as well as to visiting scholars and off-campus researchers. The library contains 1.3 million books, bound periodicals, and government documents. It subscribes to over 2,700 periodicals and is depository for selected government publications which number over 230,000 documents.
Virtually all university libraries in the United States, including the Newton Gresham Library, have had to limit journal acquisitions because of the rapidly rising costs of journals and budgetary considerations. The library staff compensates for this shortfall by assisting students and researchers in procuring articles through the OCLC interlibrary loan system and database of over thirty million bibliographic records. Students have full access to bibliographic citations on a number of other databases such as ERIC, Sociofile, Psychlit, CJ Abstracts, NCIRS, UMI Periodical Abstracts and ABI Inform. The library provides a large number of study carrels, a modern copy center, computer work stations, and public fax machine. Almost 56% of the faculty indicated in a recent survey that library resources are adequate. In a parallel survey, both graduate and undergraduate students indicated that library services adequately meet their needs as well. (For specific details, see the reports on the Newton Gresham Library and Physical Resources.)
Access to the computing facilities at SHSU continues to improve for both graduate and undergraduate students. General access labs make computing available to virtually every student on campus. Software for a variety of academic computing needs, provided by the University, is updated on a frequent basis. The University has developed a state-of-the-art fiber optic network connecting all major campus buildings. Computer accounts are available to all students. These accounts are kept active as long as a student is enrolled. Sixty-nine per cent (69%) of the faculty indicated in a recent survey that computer resources are adequate. Graduate and undergraduate responses on the survey indicated that distance learning and computer labs adequately meet their needs.
Space for the creative activities in the arts and laboratory research in the sciences and social sciences is sufficient in most areas except for Chemistry and Physics. Both of these disciplines report that the growth in enrollment over the years has created a relatively restricted environment. Even though they are experiencing crowded conditions, they will be able to continue conducting quality programs unless there is sudden rapid growth in enrollment.
In response to concerns about the administrative organization identified by the Committee on the Graduate Program in the 1988 SACS Self-Study Report, a centralized Office for Graduate Studies has been established. The Director of Graduate Studies serves part time in this office and teaches part time.
The stated mission of the current Office of Graduate Studies is "to assist graduate students in reaching their goals through recruitment, processing of applications and completion of degree programs." In working to accomplish the mission, the Director also serves to support and assist the deans as they administer graduate programs in their colleges. In making decisions about the graduate programs, the deans are directly responsible to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
6. The institution must also document that any necessary approval from state or other agencies has been secured (Criteria 33).7. Before an institution . . . attempts to expand the number of its graduate programs at the same level, it must demonstrate that it has conducted a thorough assessment of needs, market and environmental factors, and resource requirements and financial implications for the institution (Criteria 33).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that Sam Houston State University complies with these criteria.
The institution recently initiated three new graduate programs: two doctoral programs—one a PhD, one an EdD—and a master of science program. Before initiating the programs, the University notified the Commission on Colleges of these substantive changes. The University also met all state and local requirements before initiating the programs.
8. Institutions must maintain strong educational programs at the master’s and/or baccalaureate levels before attempting doctoral programs, or must justify their departure from the requirement (Criteria 33).The Committee established that the University complies with this "must" statement.
Extensive needs assessments were conducted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling and by the Department of Psychology and Philosophy prior to initiating requests for program approval. Survey results indicate that both requests were justified.
The Committee established that the University complies with this imperative.
Documentation about the strength of undergraduate and graduate programs is maintained in the Office of Institutional Research. Each department completes an evaluation cycle to improve its program continually and submits results in a report entitled Institutional Effectiveness Report. The Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling and the Department of Psychology and Philosophy have demonstrated well the strength of their master’s level programs.
This criterion does not apply to Sam Houston State University.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.1Having determined that the University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria, the Committee on the Graduate Program has no recommendations. To improve the quality of the operation of the program, however, the Committee offers the following suggestions:
Most of the research funding is granted to faculty. SHSU should consider directing more funds for student research. The University should make a concerted effort to increase the level of funding for graduate fellowships and assistantships to attract quality graduate students.6. Coursework transferred or accepted for credit toward a graduate degree must be completed at an institution accredited as degree-granting by a recognized regional accrediting body for higher education at the time the coursework was completed. Exceptions to this requirement are allowed for transfer from foreign institutions, transfer of coursework completed at a degree-granting institution accredited by a professional accrediting body responsible for free-standing institutions within a specialty, or acceptance of credit for military education (Criteria 34). 7. In these exceptions, the institution must maintain adequate documentation that credit awarded represents graduate coursework relevant to the degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the institution’s own graduate degree programs; and coursework taught by faculty members qualified to teach at the appropriate graduate level (Criteria 34).1. An institution must establish qualitative and quantitative requirements which result in the admission of students whose educational preparation indicates the potential for a high level of performance (Criteria 33).
2. Admission criteria typically include an appropriate baccalaureate degree. In cases where the baccalaureate degree is not required, the institution must demonstrate that the student has adequate educational preparation to complete the graduate program (Criteria 33).
3. Admission procedures must include the requirement that an applicant submit, as part of the formal application process, official undergraduate transcripts of credit earned from all institutions of higher education previously attended; and other appropriate documents, such as official reports on nationally recognized aptitude tests and evaluations by professionals in the field as to the readiness of an applicant for graduate work (Criteria 33). 4. When possible, an interview with the applicant should also be arranged (Criteria 33-34).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with both of these criteria.
Graduate admission policies include both qualitative and quantitative requirements at the institution and program levels. According to the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue, general admission policy requires that the applicant must "(1) hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing; (2) show promise of ability to satisfactorily pursue advanced study and research; and (3) have had adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the field chosen" (19). The applicant shall submit (1) an application for Admission to Graduate Studies; (2) official transcripts which document not only all college-level work (with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 [on a 4.0 scale] or 2.8 in the last sixty semester hours of coursework applicable to the baccalaureate degree), but also the date on which the undergraduate degree was conferred; and (3) copies of scores on the appropriate entrance examination required by each college and department. All applicants must also pay a nonrefundable application fee of $15.00. In addition to the general admission requirements, non-native speakers of English are required to earn and submit copies of scores of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 19-23).
In addition to the general admission policy, colleges and departments stipulate specific requirements in the graduate catalogue which are generally correlated with success in their particular disciplines. For example, the Department of Art requires a GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate art courses; the Department of English and Foreign Languages requires a verbal GRE score of at least 500; the Department of Psychology and Philosophy requires an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0; and the Department of Mathematical and Information Sciences requires a TOEFL score of at least 600.
A variety of qualitative indicators are used to provide additional evidence of the applicant’s potential for success. For example, most departments require letters of recommendation. Other qualitative requirements include writing samples (Department of English and Foreign Languages, Department of History, Department of Political Science) and samples of student work (Department of Art, Department of Theatre and Dance).
5. Admission criteria for all graduate programs must be published (Criteria 34).The Committee determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
General minimum admission procedures require official transcripts of all college-level work and copies of scores on the appropriate entrance examination required by each college and department. Several graduate programs require evaluations by professionals in the field through letters of recommendation (Department of Biological Sciences, College of Criminal Justice) or a review of student work by graduate faculty (Department of Theatre and Dance, Department of Music, Department of Art).
The Committee found that the University complies with this "must" statement.
General graduate admission policies and special admission criteria for individual programs are published biannually in the graduate catalogue. In addition, individual programs publish program brochures and/or handbooks (for example, the Educational Leadership Program and the Department of Agricultural Sciences).
The requirements for Graduate admission are also published on the Sam Houston State University web site.
For further discussion of University publications, see Section 4.4 (Publications) of this self-study report.
8. Graduate credit must not be awarded for portfolio-based experiential learning which occurs prior to the matriculation into a graduate program and which has not been under the supervision of the institution (Criteria 34). 9. Justification for an exception must include adequate documentation that the institution: (a) awards credit only for documented learning which ties the prior experience to the theories and data of the relevant academic field; (b) awards credit only to a matriculated student, identifies such credit on the student’s transcript as credit for prior experiential learning, and is prepared, upon request from another institution, to document how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded; (c) takes steps to ensure that credit for prior experiential learning does not duplicate credit already awarded for courses in the student’s academic program; (d) adopts, describes in appropriate institutional publications, implements, and regularly reviews policies and procedures for awarding credit for experiential learning; and (e) clearly describes, and establishes the validity of the evaluation process and criteria for awarding credit for prior experiential learning (Criteria 34-35).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
All applicants to graduate studies must hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing. There are no exceptions allowed. According to a recent survey of deans, most colleges expect that the transferred credit be completed at an institution which was accredited at the time that the coursework was completed; however, there is no system in place to ensure this.
Presently, the Graduate Studies Office processes a student’s application and $15 fee. When the application and fee have been submitted, the information is sent to the appropriate college where the student is reviewed for admission. Colleges and/or individual programs may or may not check the accreditation status of the institution awarding credit.
The graduate catalogue states that the number of transfer credits allowed varies among departments. According to a recent survey, all graduate programs will accept six hours of appropriate transfer credits toward a degree. This number may vary, however. The Department of Psychology and Philosophy, for example, accepts up to twelve credits. Information on a specific number of transfer credits is stated in the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue only under the requirements for completion of the PhD Program in Criminal Justice: "Transfer credit of up to a maximum of six hours of post-master’s coursework may be allowed toward electives, at the discretion of the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs" (117).
The Committee found that the University complies with these criteria.
No graduate credit is awarded for portfolio-based experiential learning prior to the matriculation into a graduate program. There are no exceptions allowed. While this has always been the rule, written documentation for this policy does not exist.
10. Separate admission criteria must be formulated for each level of graduate work offered (Criteria 35).11. Policies must clearly define probation or conditional admission, if any, including the requirements for conditional admission and how long a student may remain in that status (Criteria 35).The Committee determined that the University complies with this criterion.
All departments that offer two or more graduate degrees describe the admission criteria for each degree in the graduate catalogue as well as in departmental brochures. The Sam Houston web site is another source that can provide information on this topic.
12. Admission criteria for each graduate program must be established with representation by the faculty responsible for instruction in that program (Criteria 35).The Committee found that the University complies with this "must" statement.
According to the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue (22), conditional admission may be granted until all records are complete and all Regular Admission requirements are fulfilled. The catalogue states that a student is permitted to take up to six hours as a Conditional Graduate Student. However, there is some variation among departments on the number of credits a student may take as a Conditional Graduate Student. The Department of Agricultural Sciences, for example, permits students to remain in a conditional status for one semester. And the Colleges of Business Administration and Criminal Justice do not allow any type of conditional admission.
Nondegree status may be given to graduate students who failed initially to qualify for admission. A maximum of fifteen credit hours completed in a nondegree status may be applied to a graduate degree program at the discretion of the departments. Nondegree status must have prior written approval of the appropriate dean.
13. An institution must publish both the general criteria for admission and any special admission criteria for individual programs (Criteria 35). 14. It must regularly evaluate its admission policies (Criteria 35).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this criterion.
According to a recent SACS Survey of Deans, admission criteria for individual programs were established by the faculty within some of the departments.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.2The Committee determined that the University complies with these criteria.
As stated above, in response to Imperative #5, the University publishes both the general criteria for admission and special admission criteria for individual programs, both in the graduate catalogue and in brochures and handbooks for some individual programs.
According to a recent SACS Survey of Deans, most colleges regularly review graduate policies and procedures. However, there is no record of admission policies being reviewed by the Graduate Council. (See minutes of Graduate Council meetings, April 1995 through March 1996.)
Having determined that the University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria, the Committee on the Graduate Program has no recommendations. However, to improve the quality of the graduate studies at the University, the Committee has a number of suggestions:
General admission policies for graduate students should be consolidated into one area in the graduate catalogue. Since letters of recommendation are used to assess the preparedness of the applicant for graduate school, degree programs should request letters from qualified individuals which attest to the individual’s ability to work in the department or program.
More degree programs should consider arranging personal interviews with applicants when possible.
The graduate catalogue should specify that the degree-granting college or university be a recognized institution at the time the applicant’s coursework was completed.
Accreditation of institutions from which transfer work is requested should be verified. The guide published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers should be used to evaluate transfer credit.
The Graduate Council should consider establishing a written policy on credit for portfolio-based experiential learning in accord with the most recent SACS regulations and guidelines and publish it in the graduate catalogue.
The graduate catalogue should state clearly the length of time a student may remain as a Conditional Graduate Student.
The Graduate Council and individual programs should establish and implement a systematic method of evaluating graduate admission standards. Within this general framework, emphasis needs to be placed on adequate representation by the faculty involved in the program.
The Graduate Council and each individual graduate program should establish and implement a systematic method of evaluating graduate admission standards.
The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this imperative. The requirements for graduate degrees are determined by the Graduate Council, an advisory body working with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies with revisions and changes recommended by the faculty within a given department or division. In addition, the deans of each college serve as unofficial representatives of the graduate faculty to the Graduate Council. In a recent survey, the majority of the faculty indicated that they participate in determining degree requirements. The Committee determined that the University complies with this criterion. The completion requirements for master’s degrees differ greatly from those for doctoral degrees. The 1998 survey of Graduate Advisors indicated that the median number of hours for the master’s degree is 36; for the doctorate degree the median number of hours is 60. These requirements are determined by the individual department or division and are published in the current (1997-1999) graduate catalogue. Included also in the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue are residency requirements (25), thesis and dissertation requirements (29-30), the minimum acceptable grade point average (22), candidacy requirements (28-29), and qualifying/exit examination requirements (31). Satisfactory academic progress is determined to be a 3.0 GPA for all graduate coursework attempted. Semester hours required and the time limits for completion are indicated in Table 4.3.3: Table 4.3.3 Completion Time Limits for Graduate Studies
4.3.3 GRADUATE COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
1. General completion requirements for graduate degrees offered by an institution must be determined by the faculty or an appropriate body representing the faculty (Criteria 35).
2. Policies governing these requirements must include the following: the specified period of time for degree completion, requirements governing residency, thesis and dissertation requirements (when applicable), the minimum number of credit hours required for the degree, the minimum acceptable grade-point average, standards for satisfactory academic progress, the level of academic progress at which the student should apply for candidacy, and the types of qualifying and exit examinations the candidate must pass (Criteria 35-36).
|
Semester Hours Required |
Completion Time Limit |
|
36 semester hours |
2 years full time status |
|
6 years part time status |
|
|
37-60 semester hours |
6 years |
3. These requirements, along with any others developed by the institution, must be published and distributed to all incoming graduate students and be appropriate to the degree and program being offered (Criteria 36). 4. If individual academic units develop special completion requirements for their graduate programs, these requirements must be published in the official catalog (Criteria 36).RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.35. All courses offered by an institution for credit must be accepted as requirements or electives applicable to at least one of its own degree or certification programs or must be clearly identified on transcripts as not applicable to any of the institution’s degree or certification programs (Criteria 36).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these "must" statements.
All of the above requirements are published in the graduate catalogue, which is distributed to all students accepted into a graduate program at the University. The graduate catalogue undergoes periodic review and revision so that course offerings, course descriptions, and admission and completion requirements reflect those of the individual division or department. The curriculum requirements for individual programs are acceptable to national accrediting agencies, such as NCATE for programs in teacher education.
The graduate catalogue contains all completion requirements for each department or division.
The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
Course descriptions in the current (1997-1999) graduate catalogue indicate which courses are required for degree and which may serve as electives for the degree or certification programs for each division/department. One hundred percent (100%) of the faculty who responded to the SACS survey agreed that transcripts clearly indicate which hours are applicable and which are not.
Having determined that the University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria, the Committee on the Graduate Program has no recommendations. The Committee makes the following suggestion:
In order to help both students and faculty understand completion requirements better, the definitions and descriptions of these requirements across the disciplines should be made uniform in the graduate catalogue.
1. An institution offering graduate work must be able to demonstrate that it maintains a substantial difference between undergraduate and graduate instruction (Criteria 36).RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.42. Graduate study must be at a level of complexity and specialization that extends the knowledge and intellectual maturity of the student (Criteria 36). 3. It must require students to analyze, explore, question, reconsider and synthesize old and new knowledge and skills (Criteria 36). 4. The graduate curriculum must afford the depth of education, the specialized skills, and the sense of creative independence that will allow the graduate to practice in and contribute to a profession or field of scholarship (Criteria 36).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that Sam Houston State University complies with this criterion.
The SHSU 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue states that a graduate course is an advanced course requiring critical analysis and study (13). All graduate courses are identified by a higher numbering system; a number of 500 and above in the catalogue indicates a graduate-level course. Graduate courses are taught by members of the graduate faculty while undergraduate courses are taught by tenure, tenure-track, adjunct faculty, and assistant instructors. The minimum enrollment in graduate courses is five students and ten students in undergraduate courses. These numbers are required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The average enrollment in graduate courses at Sam Houston State University is twelve (SHSU Graduate Advisors Survey 1998). The small class size of graduate courses make more personalized instruction possible.
5. Combined instruction of graduate and undergraduate students, if permitted at all, must be structured to ensure appropriate attention to both groups (Criteria 36).The Committee determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
The graduate catalogue states that students applying for admission to graduate studies at SHSU must hold baccalaureate degrees from colleges or universities of recognized standing and have had adequate preparation to enter graduate studies in their areas of specialization. In addition, the University requires that an individual admitted for graduate studies have taken a graduate entrance examination appropriate to his or her prospective field of study: the Graduate Record Examination, the Graduate Management Admission Test, and/or the Miller Analogies Test. The University requires that non-native speakers of English take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Most departments also require that an applicant submit letters of recommendation, a writing sample of scholarly writing, and/or slides of art work. Some departments require auditions, while some conduct personal interviews to determine applicants’ abilities to pursue graduate studies. Stem work is required of students exhibiting inadequate preparation in their undergraduate work.
All departments at SHSU offer courses which require the graduate student to conduct research and use analytical thinking. Many departments at SHSU offer courses and seminars in research methods and in evaluating and synthesizing information. According to the survey of graduate advisors, 95% of the programs require a specific research or bibliography course. Programs such as the "hard" sciences require laboratory testing and verification; social sciences require field research and statistical analysis; and humanities research requires document analysis. In other programs, creative exploration and skills are developed through performances and exhibitions; for example, graduate students in the arts enter juried competitions and perform in professional music and dance recitals. In yet other programs, students gain expertise through practica. For example, many business administration graduate students actively work in private business enterprises, and kinesiology students gain practical experience in medical clinics. "The Master of Science degree program in Criminal Justice Management is designed for persons in mid-management positions in a criminal justice agency or have a reasonable expectation of being promoted to such a position" (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 114). This program allows the graduate student to practice and contribute to a profession.
In most departments, a master’s thesis is either required or is an option. All of the doctoral programs require a dissertation.
Every department offers in-depth courses in particular areas which help to extend the knowledge of the graduate student. For example, the Department of Agricultural Sciences has a graduate course in Capital Management in Agricultural Business, which is narrowly focused to provide in-depth knowledge of the field. And the Department of Political Science has a graduate course in Legal Parameters of Public Administration. Courses in related areas help to broaden the student.
All master’s level programs require a minimum of thirty credit hours. Master’s programs range from thirty-six to sixty hours. Doctoral degrees require sixty to seventy-two hours.
6. The curricular offerings must be clearly and accurately described in published materials (Criteria 36).The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
According to the survey of graduate advisors, 45% of the departments at SHSU allow graduate students to enroll in selected senior (400-level) courses in which they are given instruction along with the undergraduates. Students enrolled in many of the master’s programs are allowed to take a maximum of six hours of senior-level courses toward their degree (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 15-17). Master of Fine Arts students in the Department of Art are allowed to take a maximum of twelve semester hours of 400-level courses. Graduate students are required to complete extra work and solve more complex problems in the combined classes. Most graduate advisors and faculty members believe that the extra work required and the added complexity involved for graduate students warrants the awarding of graduate credit in the combined classes.
7. Curricula must be directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the degree program, and to the financial and instructional resources of the institution (Criteria 36).The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
The graduate catalogue is published by the Division of Academic Affairs every two years. The catalogue clearly and accurately describes current curricular offerings at SHSU. The catalogue designates and lists all courses offered for graduate credit (that is, those numbered 500 and above). Senior courses which can be taken for graduate credit are also listed. The catalogue is available to all graduate students and is sent to all prospective graduate student applicants. Departmental publications available from many departments provide additional information.
8. The institution must have a clearly defined process by which curriculum is established, reviewed and evaluated (Criteria 36). 9. The faculty and administration are responsible for implementing and monitoring the general curriculum policy and the academic programs approved by the board (Criteria 36-37). 10. There should be an institution-wide process to coordinate programmatic and curricular changes (Criteria 37).The Committee on the Graduate Program found that the University complies with this criterion.
Before any course may be offered, it must be screened through the channels of the University administration and approved by the Board of Regents and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Sam Houston State University mission states that to fulfill its mission the University is committed to: maintain excellence in instruction, research, and public service. To fulfill its commitment to excellence in instruction, the University seeks to: offer a wide range of academic studies in both undergraduate and graduate programs to prepare students for meaningful careers that will contribute to their personal welfare and to the cultural and economic development of the state, the nation, and the world. (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 59)
The new doctorate in Educational Leadership, first offered in 1997 in the College of Education and Applied Science, exemplifies the University’s commitment to excellence in instruction and research by providing students "doctoral curricula for which there are needs" and by providing "academic, pre-professional, and career curriculum research opportunities" (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 59).
Graduate students in all departments are required to take courses in research. Faculty research is also encouraged by the University. The financial resources of SHSU are largely determined and allotted by the Texas Legislature. Capital equipment, instructional resources, and the development of the curriculum must stay within the limits of the budget.
11. The governing board must be responsible for approving the number and types of degrees; the number and nature of departments, divisions, schools or colleges through which the curriculum is administered; and the extent to which the institution should offer distance learning programs (Criteria 37).The Committee determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
The dean of each college of SHSU organizes curriculum committees in every division/department. It is the responsibility of these committees to review the curriculum, to make suggestions for changes in existing curricula, and to present recommendations for new courses and degree programs. Each dean also organizes a college-level curriculum committee whose function is to review all requests which originate in the departments under the college’s administration. The Vice President for Academic Affairs appoints eight members to a University Curriculum Committee; the University Faculty Senate nominates one additional member. This Committee is charged with the responsibility of carefully reviewing the curriculum submissions before they are sent to the Academic Affairs Council for their approval and recommendations. The Vice President for Academic Affairs endorses and presents the curriculum to the President for inclusion in the President’s Report to the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System. Graduate advisors report that 65% of the departments at SHSU review graduate curricula annually.
12. An institution must make a distinction between a course of study leading to the master’s or specialist degree and a course of study leading to the doctorate (Criteria 37).The Committee on the Graduate Program found that the University complies with this criterion.
Recommendations for all of the following require final review and approval from the Board of Regents of the University: degree programs; the number and nature of departments, divisions, schools, or colleges; off-campus programs; and distance learning programs. All centers, institutes, and departments that house academic degree programs must be formally approved by the Board of Regents of The Texas State University System. Ultimately, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) controls the number of degree programs; departments, academic units, colleges, or schools; and centers or institutes that house academic degree programs. New courses cannot be offered or advertised until they are approved by the Board of Regents of The Texas State University System and the THECB.
13. A program leading to a master’s or to a specialist degree must be the equivalent of at least one year of full-time graduate study (Criteria 37).The Committee on the Graduate Program established that the University complies with this "must" statement.
Departments that offer both the master’s degree and doctoral degree ensure that the graduate requirements for the doctoral degree are substantially more stringent than those for the master’s degree. This distinction is emphasized not only with the completion of different courses, but also with different expectations of performance and/or grade requirements in similar courses. The distinction between the master’s and doctoral degree requirements is further made by an increased number of credit hours needed for graduation, by longer residency requirements, and by more rigorous examination policies and research methods and statistics requirements, as well as by ensuring that the dissertation reflects an increased level of professional competency expected of a doctoral candidate in the discipline. A candidate for a doctoral degree must complete sixty hours of credit beyond the master’s degree. In comparison, master’s degree candidates must earn thirty or more hours of credit beyond the bachelor’s degree, depending on the specific requirements for the degree sought. In addition, a dissertation is required of all candidates for the doctorate.
14. A master’s or specialist degree must provide the following: an understanding of research and the manner in which research is conducted; an understanding of the subject matter, literature, theory and methodology of the discipline; an association with resident faculty sufficient to permit their individual evaluation of the candidate’s capabilities; and demonstrated means of certifying the knowledge and skills the candidate has acquired (Criteria 37). 15. A non-research-oriented professional master’s degree requires an understanding of the accepted professional practices in the field (Criteria 37).The Committee on the Graduate Program found that the University complies with this criterion.
All master’s level programs require a minimum of thirty-six semester hours of graduate credit, depending on the requirements for the degree sought. The normal load for a full-time graduate student is nine to twelve hours per semester (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 24).
16. The institution must demonstrate that an effective relationship exists between curricular content and current practices in the field of specialization (Criteria 37).The Committee determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
In almost all cases, programs which lead to a master’s degree require that students take a specific course in research methodology; in the survey of graduate advisors, 95% responded that such a course was required. All degree programs require a distribution of courses across the discipline to ensure that breadth of knowledge about the discipline is obtained. The 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue states that "at least one-third of the semester hours required for the degree program for any student enrolling in any of the proposed courses will be completed in coursework on the campus. Additionally, each student is subject to the residency requirements as stated for each degree program" (25). The means of certifying the knowledge and skills the candidate has acquired vary according to the degree program. Most programs require a written comprehensive examination; 85% of graduate advisors stated that such an examination is required in their programs. Alternatives include an oral examination, given in place of or in combination with the written examination; this option is used by 35% of the programs.
The 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue states that "in the College of Business Administration, a minimum grade of B in the capstone course, Management 567, is required to satisfy the comprehensive examination requirement" (31). According to the survey of graduate advisors, six programs have capstone courses as a means of evaluating students. Forty percent of programs use a thesis as a means of evaluating students. Portfolios are employed by half of the graduate programs, and exhibitions and performances are used by one-fourth of graduate programs to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills. Students are also encouraged to gain an understanding of accepted professional practices in the field through practica and internships: 55% of graduate programs provide practica, and 50% provide for internships. Seventy percent of graduate programs encourage students to engage in field research or field work experience. For example, the MA degree in Health requires that a student complete "six [semester] hours of field work preparation and six [semester] hours of field work experience with an approved health agency or organization" ( 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 133). The Master of Arts in Psychology-Clinical Psychology requires "9 hours of practicum experience" (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 143).
17. The institution must demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for its master’s and specialist degrees and any other credential it offers (Criteria 37).The Committee determined that the University complies with this imperative.
A significant 80% of faculty teaching graduate courses engage in consulting work which exposes them to current practices in their fields of specialization. Ninety percent of them are involved in research which keeps them current in their fields. Since 70% of graduate programs require or encourage students to engage in field research or field work experience, the students have many opportunities to learn about the current practices in the field of specialization. The research done by graduate students is being acknowledged by the wider discipline and professional fields; 85% of graduate programs report having students who present papers at conferences, and 65% report having students’ work published.
18. A doctoral degree program must be of sufficient duration to provide for substantial mastery of the subject matter, theory, literature, research and methodology of a significant part of the field, including any language or other skills necessary to its pursuit, and independent research as evidenced by a doctoral dissertation (Criteria 37).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this criterion.
The amount of class contact hours per credit hour is also regulated by the Texas Legislature. Program length is monitored by THECB and the Board of Regents of The Texas State University System. Comparison with other institutions shows that numbers for our programs fall within normal ranges.
Because tuition is established by the Texas Legislature, as described in the Rules and Regulations for Texas Colleges, it is not controllable by either the University or any college within it. Fees are established by the Board of Regents of The Texas State University System, of which Sam Houston State University is a member; like tuition, they are not controllable by the University. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board sets out-of-state tuition each year.
19. A substantial period of residence must be included to provide student access to a wide range of support facilities, including a research library, cultural events and other occasions for intellectual growth associated with campus life, significant faculty/student interaction, opportunities for student exposure to and engagement with cognate disciplines and research scholars working in those disciplines, and significant peer interaction among graduate students (Criteria 37-38). 20. It should provide the opportunity for a mentoring apprentice relationship between faculty and students as well as adequate time for in-depth faculty evaluation of students (Criteria 38).The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
Every candidate for the doctoral degree must complete the prescribed residence requirement at SHSU. A doctoral candidate must be enrolled as a full-time student for at least two consecutive long semesters, during each of which he or she must take at least nine hours. Doctoral programs require sixty to seventy-two credit hours. Each doctoral program requires fifteen credit hours of research methodology. All doctoral degree programs require a dissertation which is "the product of original scholarly research and is of such quality as to represent a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field" (1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue 117).
21. For appropriate professional programs, a project may be substituted for the research dissertation. In such cases, the institution must demonstrate a substantial level of competency appropriate to a doctoral degree (Criteria 38).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
The doctoral program in Criminal Justice requires on-campus enrollment as a full-time student for at least two consecutive long semesters. "Full time" is defined by the current graduate catalogue as nine semester credit hours. The doctoral program in Educational Leadership requires that students in the program attend on a full-time basis either three summers or consecutive semesters for one calendar year. Students in the doctoral programs have access to all of the facilities and resources of the Newton Gresham Library and computer facilities in a number of locations on the campus. All students at Sam Houston State University have access to cultural events scheduled by the University. The University also schedules lectures by such distinguished individuals as former President George Bush, to which all students are invited.
The program in the College of Criminal Justice is a multidisciplinary study of all facets of the criminal justice system. The disciplines of criminology theory, police science and administration, law, court management, corrections, public administration, social welfare, psychology, sociology, political science, and systems analysis are built into the program. According to a College of Criminal Justice Graduate Policy dated November 11, 1994, a doctoral student may take up to nine hours of graduate courses outside of the College of Criminal Justice. The Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs must approve the substitution course or courses that the student has proposed in a written statement indicating how the course(s) will fit into the student’s program. The dissertation process, classroom work, and research internships provide the students in the program with adequate interaction with the scholars in this area. The Graduate Student Handbook of the College of Criminal Justice encourages students to avail themselves of faculty counsel and advice, not only in regard to specific courses, but also in regard to vocational goals.
The doctoral program in Educational Leadership is a multidisciplinary program with twelve hours in content fields and twelve hours of cognate electives that are generally offered outside the College of Education and Applied Science. In addition to doctoral seminars in which the students learn team building and leadership, students in the Educational Leadership program progress through their program in cohort groups that allow for maximum peer interaction. Interaction with the faculty is achieved through the normal classroom contacts, advising sessions, and research courses in which faculty act as sponsors. Additionally, the faculty encourage co-authorship of publications and presentations at scholarly meetings.
The recently approved doctorate in Forensic Psychology has not yet published its degree requirements.
22. There must be appropriate and regular means for determining candidacy and the fulfillment of degree requirements (Criteria 38).Because none of the current PhD programs at Sam Houston State University offers an alternative to the dissertation, this criterion does not apply to the institution.
Both the Criminal Justice and Educational Leadership doctoral programs require dissertations. The recently approved doctorate in Forensic Psychology has not yet published its degree requirements.
23. The institution must demonstrate that an effective relationship exists between curricular content and current practices in the field of specialization (Criteria 38).The Committee on the Graduate Program found that the University complies with this "must" statement.
A course of study ("degree plan") beyond the master’s degree, which will, upon successful completion, lead to the Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice, is designed in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs. The program will follow as closely as possible the curriculum described in the Graduate Student Handbook; the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs may substitute courses on an individual’s curriculum. The Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs must advise all doctoral students each semester to ensure that academic requirements are being met. The Graduate Student Handbook for the College of Criminal Justice specifies all of the requirements for completion of the doctoral degree, including hours, grades, comprehensive examinations, candidacy, dissertation, and dissertation defense. Admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice is granted only after the student passes a written comprehensive examination following the completion of, or while in the process that semester of completing, at least thirty-three credit hours of classroom work beyond the master’s degree (not including dissertation hours); these hours must include all courses required for the doctoral program. The process for determining candidacy is applied to all doctoral students according to the timelines established in the Graduate Student Handbook of the College of Criminal Justice.
Upon entering the Educational Leadership doctoral program in the College of Education and Applied Science, a student is assigned an advisor. The advisor and the student develop a preliminary plan of study at that time and the student is assigned to a cohort group. After the student completes twelve hours of doctoral-level coursework, a doctoral program committee reviews the academic progress of the student and determines whether the student should be allowed to continue in the program. Upon full admission to the program, the student’s doctoral dissertation committee is assigned. After the student completes all of the coursework in the doctoral program, the candidate must pass a written comprehensive examination to become an official candidate for the EdD.
24. The institution must demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for its doctoral degrees (Criteria 38).The Committee on the Graduate Program found that the University complies with this imperative.
Faculty in each doctoral program are actively engaged in research in their areas of expertise to ensure that they maintain currency in their field. According to the survey of graduate advisors, 90% of the faculty who teach graduate courses are engaged in research. This currency is carried to their classroom presentations and is used in the development and modification of programs and curricula. Additionally, the program in Educational Leadership uses an advisory board consisting of practitioners in the education field and industry to provide input on the content of courses and the structure of programs. This advisory board generally meets three times each year. Students in this program also help to maintain currency in the field because they are themselves practitioners—teachers, principals, or superintendents in educational institutions.
The University publishes an annual list of all scholarly and creative accomplishments of the faculty.
25. The institution must conduct frequent systematic evaluations of graduate curricula offerings and program requirements (Criteria 38).The Committee determined that the University complies with this criterion.
A comparison of the requirements for the PhD in Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University and the requirements for other Criminal Justice doctorates shows that the SHSU doctoral program is in line with similar programs. The new EdD in Educational Leadership was established after review of outstanding models of other such degree programs. Input was also provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in its consultation with the faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling during the time that the proposed program was being evaluated.
Because tuition is established by the Texas Legislature, as described in the Rules and Regulations for Texas Colleges, it cannot be controlled by either the University or any college within it. Fees are established by the Board of Regents of The Texas State University System, of which Sam Houston State University is a member; like tuition, they cannot be controlled by the University. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board sets out-of-state tuition each year.
26. An institution must integrate research with instruction (Criteria 38).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that Sam Houston State University complies with this imperative.
SHSU has a curriculum review process that is applied to all programs. The review or evaluation begins at the department level with a department curriculum committee that meets in the fall to determine whether courses need to be added or deleted from the current curriculum. The committee also recommends the addition of new programs and the deletion, if appropriate, of old programs. The recommendations of the department curriculum committee are then taken to the college curriculum committee for approval, modification, or denial. From the college curriculum committee the report goes to the University Curriculum Committee for review and approval or denial.
The College of Education and Applied Science is in the process of developing an additional plan for the evaluation of the curriculum for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership.
The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
Research is an integral part of each of the doctoral programs offered by Sam Houston State University. A required research component of fifteen hours of various types of courses is required in both doctoral programs. In addition to the research courses, other graduate classes require research of some type as a part of the classes. Additionally, all candidates for a doctorate in each of the programs must complete a research dissertation that is supervised by the graduate faculty in those programs.
Having determined that Sam Houston State University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria, the Committee on the Graduate Program makes no recommendations. To improve the quality of graduate education at the University, however, the Committee makes the following suggestions:
All departments should review graduate curricula annually. Programs which evaluate students through capstone courses should clearly label those courses as such in the graduate catalogue.
1. The institution must provide an environment which supports and encourages scholarly interaction and accessibility among the faculty and students consistent with the qualitative intent of the Criteria (Criteria 38).2. Instructional methods and delivery systems must provide students with the opportunity to achieve the stated objectives of a course or program (Criteria 38).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this criterion.
Sam Houston State University’s The Faculty Handbook states that the workload for faculty members be twelve semester hours of undergraduate instruction and nine semester hours of master’s level graduate instruction (Appendix V, APS 790601). At SHSU, many faculty teach a combination, such that teaching loads are typically nine or twelve hours.
Faculty at Sam Houston State University keep regular office hours and engage in extensive academic advisement. The SHSU 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue states that "[a]cademic advisement is required prior to each registration" (24). Graduate faculty are expected to hold office hours equal to or greater than the number of hours in their semester teaching loads.
Graduate students are provided opportunities to meet with faculty to consider and design courses of study, individual course projects, research proposals, and research studies. Interaction between students and faculty also occurs through student representation on departmental, college, and university-wide committees.
The Committee found that the University complies with this imperative.
Faculty utilize a range of instructional approaches and instructional delivery systems. Formats include traditional lecture/discussions, seminars, and performance-based classes. It is the responsibility of departmental faculty to state course objectives and content which are in keeping with standards of current viable theory and practice in the respective disciplines, are consistent with current research findings in the disciplines, and concur with external standards of state licensing and certification bodies. The types of instructional methods and processes involved should be appropriate to the contents and goals of the courses and programs. Sample graduate syllabi provide further details.
3. Students must be informed of the goals and requirements of each course, the nature of the course content, and the methods of evaluation to be employed (Criteria 38-39).
4. Methods of instruction must be appropriate for students at the specified level of graduate study (Criteria 39).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this imperative.
Course requirements and criteria for performance are clearly stated on each graduate syllabus. Each graduate course offered at SHSU contains a set of specifically stated objectives. These detail the scope, nature, and goals of the course.
The SHSU graduate catalogue contains course descriptions which explain the content and instructional goals for each course.
5. Experimentation with methods to improve instruction must be adequately supported and critically evaluated (Criteria 39).The Committee found that the University complies with this "must" statement.
The 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue states that "five types of graduate instruction are recognized: (1) lecture courses requiring organization by the instructor of material on an advanced level; (2) supervised laboratory courses; (3) seminars for the critical study of an organized field through reports presented by students or instructors; (4) research by individual students under the direction of members of the Graduate Faculty; and (5) professional internships" (13).
A variety of methods are used in graduate coursework at Sam Houston State University. The type of instruction varies according to the nature and projected instructional goals of the course. These methods include traditional lecture-discussion formats, as well as simulations, multimedia presentations, seminars, and in-class activities and projects.
6. The institution must use a variety of means to evaluate student performance (Criteria 39). 7. This evaluation must reflect concern for quality and properly discern levels of student performance (Criteria 39).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this imperative.
Academic freedom and responsibility afford graduate faculty the opportunity to reconfigure instructional methods and pedagogy. However, faculty are responsible for ensuring that experimental procedures are clearly aligned with the content and objectives of the course and are directed toward the fulfillment of specific learning outcomes.
The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these criteria.
A variety of evaluation methods are utilized in graduate coursework at SHSU. These include written examinations (objective and essay type), class presentations, field-based projects, research reports and papers, laboratory performance, portfolios, and performance measures, among others. Course syllabi specifically state the means of evaluation utilized for each course.
Graduate students are required to take written and/or oral comprehensive examinations. Students in a master’s degree program select a thesis option which is monitored (including topic approval) and evaluated by a departmental committee prior to completion of the program.
A survey of graduate advisors revealed a wide variety of methods used to evaluate the knowledge and skills of graduate students at Sam Houston State University (Table 4.3.5):
Methods of Evaluating Graduate Students: Graduate Advisor Survey
|
Method of Evaluation |
Percentage of Respondents who Indicated that their Programs Employ Each Method |
|
Written Comprehensive Examination |
85% |
|
Oral Comprehensive Examination |
35% |
|
Capstone Course |
30% |
|
Thesis |
40% |
|
Thesis Defense |
35% |
|
Portfolio |
50% |
|
Exhibition/Performance |
25% |
|
Doctoral Prospectus |
30% |
|
Dissertation |
35% |
|
Dissertation Defense |
35% |
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.58. An institution must publish its grading policies, and its grading practices must be consistent with policy (Criteria 39).The published grading system for SHSU is designed to communicate varying levels of student performance. Students are also informed of the evaluation of their written and oral comprehensives and other performance measures.
9. Courses offered in non-traditional formats, e.g., concentrated or abbreviated time periods, must be designed to ensure an opportunity for preparation, reflection and analysis concerning the subject matter (Criteria 39). 10. At least one calendar week of reflection and analysis should be provided for each semester hour, or equivalent quarter hours, of graduate credit awarded (Criteria 39).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this criterion.
The 1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue describes the four grades given in graduate courses: "A denotes academic excellence; B denotes acceptable performance; C denotes insufficiency in achievement, although it is a passing grade; and the grade F denotes failure" (32). The following designations describe other classifications: IP (In Progress), WP (Withdrew Passing), WF (Withdrew Failing), and X (Incomplete). By academic policy, a student must complete the course requirements for an incomplete by the end of the following semester or the grade automatically changes to an F.
The catalogue further states that a minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required in all coursework. A grade of C must be balanced by a grade of A in an equivalent course taken in the same academic program.
For students who wish to appeal grades or who feel that grading policy is inconsistent with published policy, Academic Grievance Procedures are published in the Academic Policy Manual and Student Guidelines.
11. The institution must demonstrate that students completing these programs or courses have acquired equivalent levels of knowledge and competencies to those acquired in traditional formats (Criteria 39).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
Accelerated courses, intersession classes, and other offerings which deviate from routine scheduling still require at least one calendar week of reflection and analysis for each semester hour.
12. There must be provision for assigning students to their advisors or directors, appointing their graduate committees, and monitoring their academic progress (Criteria 39).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with this criterion.
Nontraditional formats such as accelerated course are subject to departmental and college scrutiny in order to determine that the course meets equivalency standards of the traditional.
The Graduate Program in Teacher Education contains the state-requirement that students pass the ExCET Examination appropriate to their area of teacher certification.
13. There must be frequent, systematic evaluation of graduate instruction and, if appropriate, revision of the instructional process based on this evaluation (Criteria 39).The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
Each graduate program has a graduate advisor who accepts students into the program, advises them during the program, appoints all committees necessary for the completion of the student’s individual program, and monitors academic progress.
The Committee found that the University complies with this criterion.
Graduate students at SHSU participate in the Faculty Evaluation System, as do undergraduates. The students’ ratings numbers are compiled and sent to the faculty members being evaluated. Faculty are encouraged to use these ratings analytically, to recognize both areas of strength and areas for improvement. Evaluation of graduate instruction also falls within the purview of the annual Faculty Evaluation System (FES) review which each graduate instructor receives from her or his chairperson, as does each member of the undergraduate faculty.
In several programs, students must pass certification and licensing examinations in addition to completing degree requirements. Students’ performances on these examinations assist the graduate faculty in evaluating and revising instruction.
The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria; there are no recommendations. To help assess the value of a graduate education at Sam Houston State University, however, the Committee makes the following suggestion:
Each graduate program should institute an effective and systematic way to track former students in order to judge adequately the effectiveness of graduate instruction.
1. Each institution must conduct a systematic, effective program of graduate academic advising (Criteria 39).RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: SECTION 4.3.6
2. A qualified advisor should be assigned early in the student’s program and should recognize the individuality of students and their particular needs and goals (Criteria 39).
3. Advisors should be proficient in using data to help determine students’ major fields of interest, should have access to each advisee’s records, and should have appropriate training or background to carry out their responsibilities effectively (Criteria 39-40).
4. An institution must ensure that the number of advisees assigned to faculty or professional staff is reasonable (Criteria 40).
5. An effective orientation must be made available to all full- and part-time graduate students (Criteria 40).
6. Orientation and advisement programs must be evaluated regularly and used to enhance effective assistance to students (Criteria 40).The Committee on the Graduate Program determined that the University complies with these imperatives.
Each department/division assigns one or more of its faculty to serve as the program’s graduate advisor. It is the duty of the graduate advisor to assist students in the successful completion of their degree programs. Advisement generally occurs mid-semester, once the course offerings for the following semesters are made available. Students meet with their advisors on a regular basis to plan their graduate degrees and/or certification programs. A temporary degree plan is formulated; ultimately, a final degree plan is drawn up and filed with the Registrar. Advisors have access to student records either on-line or within the department/division or both. Some departments/divisions utilize the entire faculty during advisement. For example, all members of the graduate faculty of the Library Science Department advise students regularly. Student survey items #1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and facilities question #2 indicate that the majority of students at Sam Houston State University find that the advisement process works effectively for them. Moreover, in a recent survey, 100% of faculty respondents indicated that they regularly advise students. The FES asks each graduate faculty member to document his or her participation in advisement of students.
The average number of advisees varies from program to program. However, university-wide the number of advisees per person is thirty. Advisors have an average of fourteen years of experience working with graduate students.
The graduate catalogue discusses the need for ongoing academic advisement. Graduate advisors maintain special office hours during advisement to meet the needs of the full- and part-time students, especially the nontraditional students who may not be able to avail themselves of advisement during normal business days.
The SACS survey indicated that students viewed orientation and advisement as valuable and effective. However, there is not currently a system of periodic evaluation in place to determine the continued effectiveness of these programs.
Having determined that the University complies with all of the imperatives in this section of the Criteria, the Committee on the Graduate Program has no recommendations. To improve the effectiveness of graduate advising, however, the Committee makes the following suggestion:
SHSU should develop a plan for the periodic review of orientation and advisement programs.
4.3.1: Initiation, Operation and Expansion of Graduate Programs
|
Imperative |
Statement of Compliance |
Supporting Documentation |
|
1. The administration and faculty must be responsible for the development of new academic programs recommended to the governing board. |
Compliance |
Interviews with Chair of Psychology Department and Director of Educational Leadership Program Conducted by Members of the Committee on the Graduate Program |
|
2. A graduate program must have curricula and resources beyond those provided for undergraduate programs. |
Compliance |
Academic Unit Self-Reports |
|
3. Research, scholarly activity and/or advanced professional training must be included in graduate studies and supported by adequate resources. |
Compliance |
Informal Survey of Department Chairs Conducted by Members of the Committee on the Graduate Program Informal Survey of Graduate Course Syllabi Conducted by Members of the Committee on the Graduate Program Items 13, 16, 18, and 19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
|
4. An institution must provide a competent and productive faculty, adequate library and learning resources, adequate computer and laboratory facilities, and an appropriate administrative organization. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (169-80) Faculty Evaluation System (FES) Documents Academic Policy Statement 801014, Section 103 Annual Reports on Faculty Research and Creative Accomplishments |
|
5. [A] graduate institution planning to initiate a program at the same level but substantially different from those already approved must inform the Executive Director of the Commission on Colleges in advance of the admission of students. |
Compliance |
Letters of Approval for New Programs on File in Respective Colleges/Departments |
|
6. The institution must also document that any necessary approval from state or other agencies has been secured. |
Compliance |
Letters of Approval for New Programs on File in Respective Colleges/Departments |
|
7. Before an institution . . . attempts to expand the number of its graduate programs at the same level, it must demonstrate that it has conducted a thorough assessment of needs, market and environmental factors, and resource requirements and financial implications for the institution. |
Compliance |
College and Departmental Records Located in Offices of Deans and Department Chairs |
|
8. Institutions must maintain strong educational programs at the master’s and/or baccalaureate levels before attempting doctoral programs, or must justify their departure from the requirement. |
Compliance |
Institutional Effectiveness Reports, Located in Offices of Deans and Department Chairs |
|
9. Free-standing graduate and professional schools . . . must demonstrate not only the strength of their individual programs, but also that students admitted have met undergraduate requirements specified for the program. |
Not Applicable |
4.3.2: Graduate Admission
|
Imperative |
Statement of Compliance |
Supporting Documentation |
|
1. An institution must establish qualitative and quantitative requirements which result in the admission of students whose educational preparation indicates the potential for a high level of performance. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (19-21, 23) |
|
2. Admission criteria typically include an appropriate baccalaureate degree. In cases where the baccalaureate degree is not required, the institution must demonstrate that the student has adequate educational preparation to complete the graduate program. |
Compliance |
|
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3. Admission procedures must include the requirement that an applicant submit, as part of the formal application process, official undergraduate transcripts of credit earned from all institutions of higher education previously attended; and other appropriate documents, such as official reports on nationally recognized aptitude tests and evaluations by professionals in the field as to the readiness of an applicant for graduate work. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (19-20, 23) Departmental Graduate Brochures |
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4. When possible, an interview with the applicant should also be arranged. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (19-23) |
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5. Admission criteria for all graduate programs must be published. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (19-23) |
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6. Coursework transferred or accepted for credit toward a graduate degree must be completed at an institution accredited as degree-granting by a recognized regional accrediting body for higher education at the time the coursework was completed. Exceptions to this requirement are allowed for transfer from foreign institutions, transfer of coursework completed at a degree-granting institution accredited by a professional accrediting body responsible for free-standing institutions within a specialty, or acceptance of credit for military education. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (117, etc.) Departmental Graduate Brochures |
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7. In these exceptions, the institution must maintain adequate documentation that credit awarded represents graduate coursework relevant to the degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the institution’s own graduate degree programs; and coursework taught by faculty members qualified to teach at the appropriate graduate level. |
Compliance |
1997-1997 Graduate Catalogue (117, etc.) Departmental Graduate Brochures |
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8. Graduate credit must not be awarded for portfolio-based experiential learning which occurs prior to the matriculation into a graduate program and which has not been under the supervision of the institution. |
Compliance |
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9. Justification for an exception must include adequate documentation that the institution: (a) awards credit only for documented learning which ties the prior experience to the theories and data of the relevant academic field; (b) awards credit only to a matriculated student, identifies such credit on the student’s transcript as credit for prior experiential learning, and is prepared, upon request from another institution, to document how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded; (c) takes steps to ensure that credit for prior experiential learning does not duplicate credit already awarded for courses in the student’s academic program; (d) adopts, describes in appropriate institutional publications, implements, and regularly reviews policies and procedures for awarding credit for experiential learning; and (e) clearly describes, and establishes the validity of the evaluation process and criteria for awarding credit for prior experiential learning. |
Compliance |
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10. Separate admission criteria must be formulated for each level of graduate work offered. |
Compliance |
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11. Policies must clearly define probation or conditional admission, if any, including the requirements for conditional admission and how long a student may remain in that status. |
Compliance |
1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue (22) Departmental Graduate Brochures |
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12. Admission criteria for each graduate program must be established with representation by the faculty responsible for instruction in that program. |
Compliance |
SACS Survey of Deans |
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13. An institution must publish both the general criteria for admission and any special admission criteria for individual programs. |
Compliance |
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14. It must regularly evaluate its admission policies. |
Compliance |
SACS Survey of Deans |
4.3.3: Graduate Completion Requirements
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Imperative |
Statement of Compliance |
Supporting Documentation |
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1. General completion requirements for graduate degrees offered by an institution must be determined by the faculty or an appropriate body representing the faculty. |
Compliance |
1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue (13) Items 29 and 56, Self-Study Faculty Survey |
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2. Policies governing these requirements must include the following: the specified period of time for degree completion, requirements governing residency, thesis and dissertation requirements (when applicable), the minimum number of credit hours required for the degree, the minimum acceptable grade-point average, standards for satisfactory academic progress, the level of academic progress at which the student should apply for candidacy, and the types of qualifying and exit examinations the candidate must pass. |
Compliance |
1997-1999 Graduate Catalogue (22-31) Items 21, 25, and 54, Self-Study Faculty Survey Items 2, 3, 4, 5, and 19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey
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3. These requirements, along with any others developed by the institution, must be published and distributed to all incoming graduate students and be appropriate to the degree and program being offered. |
Compliance |
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4. If individual academic units develop special completion requirements for their graduate programs, these requirements must be published in the official catalog. |
Compliance |
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5. All courses offered by an institution for credit must be accepted as requirements or electives applicable to at least one of its own degree or certification programs or must be clearly identified on transcripts as not applicable to any of the institution’s degree or certification programs. |
Compliance |
4.3.4: Graduate Curriculum
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Imperative |
Statement of Compliance |
Supporting Documentation |
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1. An institution offering graduate work must be able to demonstrate that it maintains a substantial difference between undergraduate and graduate instruction. |
Compliance |
Items 6-10, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey Item 54, Self-Study Faculty Survey Sample Graduate Syllabi Graduate Textbooks |
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2. Graduate study must be at a level of complexity and specialization that extends the knowledge and intellectual maturity of the student. |
Compliance |
Items 6-10, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey Sample Graduate Syllabi |
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3. It must require students to analyze, explore, question, reconsider and synthesize old and new knowledge and skills. |
Compliance |
Items 10, 13, and 16, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey Sample Graduate Syllabi |
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4. The graduate curriculum must afford the depth of education, the specialized skills, and the sense of creative independence that will allow the graduate to practice in and contribute to a profession or field of scholarship. |
Compliance |
Items 13, 16, 18, and 19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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5. Combined instruction of graduate and undergraduate students, if permitted at all, must be structured to ensure appropriate attention to both groups. |
Compliance |
Items 7-12, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey Sample Graduate Syllabi Item 54, Self-Study Faculty Survey |
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6. The curricular offerings must be clearly and accurately described in published materials. |
Compliance |
Departmental Graduate Brochures |
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7. Curricula must be directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the degree program, and to the financial and instructional resources of the institution. |
Compliance |
Rules and Regulations, The Texas State University System |
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8. The institution must have a clearly defined process by which curriculum is established, reviewed and evaluated. |
Compliance |
Item 15, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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9. The faculty and administration are responsible for implementing and monitoring the general curriculum policy and the academic programs approved by the board. |
Compliance |
Item 15, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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10. There should be an institution-wide process to coordinate programmatic and curricular changes. |
Compliance |
Item 15, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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11. The governing board must be responsible for approving the number and types of degrees; the number and nature of departments, divisions, schools or colleges through which the curriculum is administered; and the extent to which the institution should offer distance learning programs. |
Compliance |
Rules and Regulations, The Texas State University System |
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12. An institution must make a distinction between a course of study leading to the master’s or specialist degree and a course of study leading to the doctorate. |
Compliance |
Graduate Student Handbook, College of Criminal Justice Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Handbook |
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13. A program leading to a master’s or to a specialist degree must be the equivalent of at least one year of full-time graduate study. |
Compliance |
Item 2, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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14. A master’s or specialist degree must provide the following: an understanding of research and the manner in which research is conducted; an understanding of the subject matter, literature, theory and methodology of the discipline; an association with resident faculty sufficient to permit their individual evaluation of the candidate’s capabilities; and demonstrated means of certifying the knowledge and skills the candidate has acquired. |
Compliance |
Items 2, 13, 14, and 16-19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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15. A non-research-oriented professional master’s degree requires an understanding of the accepted professional practices in the field. |
Compliance |
Items 2, 13, 14, and 16-19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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16. The institution must demonstrate that an effective relationship exists between curricular content and current practices in the field of specialization. |
Compliance |
Items 15-18, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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17. The institution must demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for its master’s and specialist degrees and any other credential it offers. |
Compliance |
Rules and Regulations, The Texas State University System Comparisons with Catalogues of Other Comparable Institutions |
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18. A doctoral degree program must be of sufficient duration to provide for substantial mastery of the subject matter, theory, literature, research and methodology of a significant part of the field, including any language or other skills necessary to its pursuit, and independent research as evidenced by a doctoral dissertation. |
Compliance |
Graduate Student Handbook, College of Criminal Justice Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Handbook |
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19. A substantial period of residence must be included to provide student access to a wide range of support facilities, including a research library, cultural events and other occasions for intellectual growth associated with campus life, significant faculty/student interaction, opportunities for student exposure to and engagement with cognate disciplines and research scholars working in those disciplines, and significant peer interaction among graduate students. |
Compliance |
Graduate Student Handbook, College of Criminal Justice Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Handbook |
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20. It should provide the opportunity for a mentoring apprentice relationship between faculty and students as well as adequate time for in-depth faculty evaluation of students. |
Compliance |
Graduate Student Handbook, College of Criminal Justice Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Handbook |
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21. For appropriate professional programs, a project may be substituted for the research dissertation. In such cases, the institution must demonstrate a substantial level of competency appropriate to a doctoral degree. |
Not Applicable |
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22. There must be appropriate and regular means for determining candidacy and the fulfillment of degree requirements. |
Compliance |
Item 19, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey Graduate Student Handbook, College of Criminal Justice Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Handbook |
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23. The institution must demonstrate that an effective relationship exists between curricular content and current practices in the field of specialization. |
Compliance |
Items 16-21, Self-Study Graduate Adviser Survey |
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24. The institution must demonstrate that program length, credit hours, and tuition and fees are appropriate for its doctoral degrees. |
Compliance |
Rules and Regulations, The Texas State University System |
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25. The institution must conduct frequent system |