Communication
Results of Assessment
2003-2004
(submitted 10/18/04)
Alumni Surveys
An alumni survey was designed by the
department (see 2002 Assessment Report),
piloted during the 2002-03 academic year and then was mailed in July,
2004 to 1,126 Communication department majors graduating between 1974
and 2003. To date we have received almost 200 surveys back in response.
Data from these surveys are still being analyzed but it appears that
they will be a rich supply of information for assessment purposes. One
of our Communication 3100 Research Methods classes has created a
database using the surveys and will have some results using the numbers
data in the survey by the end of fall semester, 2004. The open-ended
comments are being recorded as well. Some of these comments have already
been helpful in department curriculum discussions.
Alumni were asked to tell us what jobs, careers or positions they have
held and presently hold since graduation. This kind of information is
helpful as the department considers how our curriculum “matches” up with
the actual careers our majors are performing. A sample of some of the
positions our graduates presently held is:
| Year Graduated |
Department
Concentration/Emphasis |
Position and
Employer |
| 1981 |
Public Relations Vice
President |
Petersen Inc. |
| 1978 |
Journalism Technical
Writer |
Honeywell (NM) |
| 1998 |
Public Relations Event
Planner |
Sundance Film Festival |
| 1990 |
Public Relations Press
Secretary |
Senator Orrin Hatch |
| 1986 |
Broadcasting/Elec Media
Graphic Designer |
Comcast (OR) |
| 1989 |
Journalism Mgr./Senior
Editor |
U.S. Marine Corps
History and Museums Division (Wash.DC) |
| 1996 |
Oral/Comm Studies
Internet Recruit. Consultant |
Monster.com |
| 1985 |
Public Relations Analyst |
Central Intelligence
Agency (Wash) |
| 2002 |
Broadcasting/Elec Media
Producer |
KUTV News |
| 1999 |
Public Relations
Marketing & Sales Mgr |
National Center on
Shaken Baby Syndrome |
| 2001 |
Public Relations
Marketing & Public Relations Director |
Utah State Fair Park |
| 1981 |
Journalism Senior Writer |
Golf Digest, (CT) |
| 2002 |
Oral/Comm Studies Field
Supervisor |
MS Construction, SLC |
| 1997 |
Public Relations Account
Manager |
Datamark, SLC |
| 2003 |
Public Relations Student |
BYU Law School |
| 2002 |
Oral/Comm Studies
Volunteer Coordinator |
Treehouse Museum |
| 2001 |
Public Relations State
Tax Accountant |
McAfee Inc. (TX) |
| 1989 |
Public Relations
Marketing Dir. |
A&K Railroad Matl, Inc. |
| 1987 |
Oral/Comm Studies
Aerospace Engineer |
OCMA ATK. Thiokol |
| 2000 |
Public Relations Senior
Instructional Specialist |
Southwest
Research Institute, (HAFB) |
The Alumni Survey also asked the
following questions and a sample number of answers are included here.
Please describe any competencies,
skills, or knowledge that you think should be added to the Communication
major. In other words, is there anything you needed in your career for
which your major did not prepare you well? Why would you recommend this?
“I wish I would have had
better computer skills. Along with this would be better computer
communication skills as well. I realize times have changed a great
deal and it is a given that students today are better prepared for
the computer world.”
“Better writing skills.”
“Practical human interaction skills, dynamics in communicating
cross-culturally. Outside of Utah, cross-cultural dynamics in
communication is a HUGE factor. Education in those areas should be
given because one does encounter them in such a multi-racial
society. I think it should be REQUIRED.”
“I returned to WSU after earning my B.A. to pick up an Associate of
Science degree in Electronics. This enabled me to transition into
technical writing, a career that has served me for many years and
has taken me around the world many times (I have spent one out of
every ten days out of the U.S. since 1999 on work assignments
related to technical writing.)”
“More concentration on very hands-on internships. More creative
writing courses. More courses on gender, race. More business courses
to strengthen sales techniques. More analytically based courses.”
“Greater emphasis on writing and oral communication.”
“Technical writing, group facilitation, negotiation.”
“You need more grammar/AP style classes, especially for those
interested in becoming an editor. I took English dept. grammar and
found it EXTREMELY helpful. Good reporters should value good grammar
also.”
“Communication law and ethics. Discussion on copyright, libel and
slander laws, First Amendment needed for all TV journalists and
future managers in the communication field.”
“Class on negotiating and communicating with others from/in a
confrontational situation.”
“Project management/campaign management for multiple PR campaigns
occurring simultaneously with other events. Web development.”
Please list courses or requirements
for the major that you think should not be required. Why would you
recommend eliminating these courses or requirements? (Please see
attached page of current course offerings.)
“With some exceptions, I don’t
see the need to know in detail the history of communication
evolution.”
“No, all have been of at least some use in my career so far.”
“I don’t recall any I would drop, but I enjoyed the entire
experience and may not remember those I struggled with justifying.”
“All the theory stuff is ok so long as it’s being taught in a way
that shows students how they can use it in real world/practical way.
Many of us communicators work in business world where theory doesn’t
help our credibility at the table. We need to show how integral
communication is to company success.”
“Debate – I don’t believe it’s necessary for a PR degree/emphasis.
Also, if you still include media law in the course requirements,
it’s worthless in a career.”
“Math courses.”
“Intro to Mass Communication. This is too obvious in this day and
age.”
“Unless you expand the advertising course to cover multiple areas
(basics, creation, concepts, print, radio, tv, internet), it’s
probably useless. For Utah students, VOICE TRAINING is critical for
losing accents!”
“Listening theory, I feel the class did not help in my career
development, maybe keep as an elective.”
“My research methods class was important, but at the time I didn’t
recognize or feel its importance was emphasized. To me it was just a
class I had to take to graduate. At the time it was in the Sociology
department. The course needs a communication emphasis more so
students understand its value.”
“Research methods was disliked by many students, has been critical
for me.”
Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the
Communication major at Weber State University?
“I thought the program was excellent and I use the skills I learned
at WSU every day. It prepared me well for business communication and
public speaking that my job requires.”
“The department needs to diversify its instructors. The department
needs to look at other disciplines such as the English department
for some additions to the communication department.”
“Enhance intern placements into corporate communications.”
“Signpost experience and an internship were some of the most helpful
parts of the program that prepared me for a career. Since the
journalism field is so hard to break into (many papers are on hiring
freezes), it is important for students to network with those in the
field. You need more guest speakers or an on-campus journalism club
for these reasons.”
“Keep up the good work! I appreciated the personal advisement.”
“There needs to be more faculty who have experience in print
journalism, it seems most professors are broadcast or even
theory-oriented. Print students don’t have enough options for
courses and professors. Likewise, there needs to be more courses for
student to choose from that will help their careers. This could be
done through adjuncts. It would be cool to have a class where
working professionals talk about issues in the field and real-world
assignments. Maybe even use them as adjuncts.”
“It helped me to jumpstart a career that had peaked at that time.
New doors were opened to a new and fulfilling career.”
“The internship piece was very worthwhile! Add more business related
topics. I loved the program. It was so hands-on and very
informative.”
“I had a fantastic experience with the communication major.
Demanding but wonderful professors!”
“Simply ensure students understand the incredible power they will
have as a member of the media, and that it carries even more
responsibility to ensure they present balanced, honest information
to the public.”
“One of the best parts of the program is the close contact and
availability of professors. Being on a first-name basis with
instructors was encouraging and influential when it came to
learning, approaching teachers, and gaining their trust and
respect.”
“Integrate with other departments or work with/team teach a few
courses together on topics/focuses that interrelate – such as
business, marketing, e-commerce, sales. Require membership in a
national professional organization such as IABC, PRSA, WICI, AMA,
etc. Strong student chapters will help on the job search front
(networking)–get alumni or local business folks to help guide. Where
is the Ethics course? Law is great, but with recent journalists
being busted for plagiarism, poor corporate governance, etc. this
needs to be taught early and hammered home. Overall, Weber State did
an excellent job of preparing me for a successful communication
career. . . I would be happy to mentor students in their job search
or in choosing a major. Let me know how I can help.”
The above comments represent only a
small number of the those received. Many of the respondents provided us
with their contact information and urged the department to follow up
this survey with personal communication. Hopefully, time and resources
in the future will be available to do so.
Review of Student Writing
Every semester fifteen Communication
4990 final writing projects are randomly selected and read by a
three-member reading committee. They are then evaluated using the
department’s writing rubrics tool. The information gained from this
evaluation is then reported back to the department. We hope to do some
comparisons with data collected across the last six semesters at the end
of the 2004-05 academic year.
Department Assessment Outcomes and Actions
Including Major Curriculum Revisions
The curriculum Renovation Initiative has
energized and challenged the entire faculty of the Department of
Communication for over two years. The process took shape in the Fall of 2002
as the Communication Curriculum Committee began an examination of the
Assessment Plan as well as a review of the Department’s "post-semester
conversion" curriculum. The Curriculum Committee identified four "reasons"
or "needs" which it believed warranted a comprehensive "Curriculum
Renovation":
1) A need to strengthen the common
core of Communication courses for all of our majors.
2) A need to create a better mix of theory and praxis for all of our
majors.
3) A need to improve short- and long-term career marketability and
versatility for all of our majors
4) Our current curriculum with only 12 credit hours of common core
courses, creates too many real and artificial divisions between
Communication majors (and faculty) within the department both
conceptually and practically.
In January, 2003 the Curriculum Committee
designed and facilitated a one-half day Department retreat to focus on an
"Ideal Core" of courses that all Communication majors should take.
Throughout Spring, 2003 Curriculum Task Forces developed arguments for the
addition of new and existing courses to the Core. In April, 2003, the
Department conducted a "straw vote" to rank and assess the degree of
agreement regarding the addition of up to six courses to the Department
core.
In Fall and Spring, 2004, the Department Curriculum Committee and four
sub-committees have worked weekly on the development of a future curriculum
in an attempt to fulfill all four "needs" outlined in the Curriculum
Renovation initiative. That future curriculum which is now taking shape
includes recommendations for some sweeping changes to the curriculum.
The Department of Communication Curriculum Committee recommends that the
department move from one Communication major with four concentrations
(Communication Studies, Electronic Media, Journalism, and Public Relations)
with a required minor to a Communication major with multiple "integrated"
concentration options which require a broad range of interdisciplinary
courses, two of which will have minor options but the majority will not have
minors. We also added a Communication Theory course to our core and made
Research Methods and Internships a requirement for every concentration. We
unanimously concluded that the change is the best way to transform our
curriculum for the following reasons:
1) It fulfills our goal "to
strengthen the common core of Communication courses for all of our
majors" by allowing us to strengthen the core significantly, without
necessitating the elimination of essential courses from individual
concentrations
2) It fulfills our goal "to create a better mix of theory and praxis for
all of our majors"
3) It fulfills our goal "to improve short- and long-term career
marketability and versatility for all of our majors"
4) It fulfills our goal to narrow any "real and artificial divisions
between Communication majors (and faculty) within the department both
conceptually and practically"
5) It makes our Communication major more interdisciplinary than is
allowed for with our current curriculum
6) It correlates with the University’s emphasis on undergraduate
research by ensuring that all our majors have a research methods course
early in their educational careers
7) It connects sometimes under-enrolled courses to specific career
applications (i.e., Rhetorical theory with a "Civic Advocacy"
concentration; Advanced Small Group Communication with two
"Organizational Communication" concentrations (Training & Development
and Technical Writing concentrations).
8) It provides the opportunity to systematically increase the standards
(rigor) for our department
9) It requires cross-departmental alliances which can increase our
connection with and relevance to other University departments
10) It has the potential of increasing our number of majors
11) It could eventually lead to new "areas of certification" (beyond the
Bachelor's degree) that could be worthwhile to the department
12) It has the potential to increase the quality of our majors by
attracting students like the forensics stars who major in Political
Science for pre-law but who might instead major in Communication with a
concentration in "Civic Advocacy."
Seven Interdisciplinary concentrations
are currently being developed and will shortly be finalized and presented to
the Arts and Humanities Curriculum committee and then to the University
committee, with final approval we anticipate coming from the Faculty Senate
in December of 2004.
Mission
Statement / Student
Learning Outcomes / Curriculum
Grid / Assessment Plan
/ Contact Person
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