RIT Industrial & Systems Engineering Department | Department Profile

Department Profile

IE Program Goals & Evaluation

IE Program Objectives & Outcomes
IE Program Evaluation & Assessment

IE Program Objectives & Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives
Program Outcomes
Outcomes/Objectives Matrix

IE Program Educational Objectives: broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve.

U.1. “Systems Solutions” – Have graduates who will draw upon broad knowledge to develop integrated systems-based engineering solutions that include the consideration of realistic constraints within contemporary global, societal, and organizational contexts.

U.2. “Life-Long Learners” – Have graduates who will develop engineering solutions using the skills and knowledge acquired through formal education and training, independent inquiry, and professional development.

U.3. “Graduate Education” – Have graduates who will successfully pursue graduate degrees.

U.4. “Engineering Professionals” – Have graduates who will work independently as well as collaboratively with others, and demonstrate leadership, accountability, initiative, and ethical and social responsibility.

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IE Program Outcomes: what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire in their matriculation through the program.

U.a. “Engineering Foundations” - an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

U.b. “Experimentation” - an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

U.c. “Design” - an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

U.d. “Multidisciplinary Teamwork” - an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

U.e. “Problem Solving” - an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

U.f. “Professional Responsibility” - an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

U.g. “Communication” - an ability to communicate effectively

U.h. “Broad Education” - the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context

U.i. “Life-Long Learning” - a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

U.j. “Contemporary Issues” - a knowledge of contemporary issues

U.k. “Modern Tools” - an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice

U.l. “Systems Education” – an ability to design, develop, implement, and improve integrated systems that include people, materials, information, equipment and energy.

U.m. “Experiential Education” - an ability to immediately contribute to industrial, service, and/or government organizations based on at least one year of industrial engineering-related experiential education.

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IE Program Outcomes – IE Program Educational Objectives Matrix

This matrix indicates how the ISE Program Outcomes are linked to the required ABET outcomes and the ISE Program Educational Objectives.

Program Outcomes

Required ABET

Engineering Foundations

•

Experimentation

•

Design

•

Multi-disciplinary Teamwork

•

Problem Solving

•

Professional Responsibility

•

Communication

•

Broad Education

•

Life-Long Learning

•

Contemporary Issues

•

Modern Tools

•

Systems Education

•

Experiential Education

•

IE Program Outcomes	IE Program Educational Objectives
IE Program Outcomes	Systems Solutions	Life-Long Learners	Graduate Education	Engineering Professionals
Engineering Foundations	•		•
Experimentation	•		•
Design	•		•
Multi-disciplinary Teamwork	•			•
Problem Solving	•
Professional Responsibility		•	•	•
Communication
Broad Education	•			•
Life-Long Learning	•	•
Contemporary Issues	•
Modern Tools	•		•
Systems Education	•
Experiential Education	•

The ISE department has continued to assess and evaluate with respect to the IE undergraduate program objectives and outcomes.

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IE Program Evaluation & Assessment

Assessment of Program Educational Objectives
Assessment of Program Outcomes

Assessment of Program Educational Objectives

These assessment techniques are aimed at the direct measurement of the program educational objectives, note that they are only assessing performance at, or after, the time of graduation. The program educational objectives are also measured, and achieved, indirectly through the measurement and achievement of the program outcomes described below. The techniques used to directly measure the program educational objectives fall into five major categories:

1) Alumni Data:
Alumni Surveys - alumni are surveyed at 3 years after graduation. They rate their preparation (1-poor to 5-excellent) and the importance (1-not at all to 5-extremely) of various abilities. In addition, they are asked to comment on the value of courses and subject matter areas. They are also asked to rate their level of professional and personal development activities.

Exit Survey - each graduating 5th year student completes an exit survey in May and rates their educational experience with respect to various abilities on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). This survey is used to assess objectives, since students already have at least one year of experience at the time of graduation and it is assessing ability at time 0 after graduation

2) Employer Data:
Employer focus groups - Employer focus groups are conducted once per year, in conjunction with campus career fairs. Employers visiting the career fair, that have hired our graduates, participate in focus groups in which the various abilities of our graduates are discussed. Notes are taken. This data is qualitative in nature; however, all focus group data is reviewed and considered.

3) Graduate School Data:
Enrollment - Enrollment of our students in RIT graduate programs is tracked. These programs require a cumulative GPA of 3.0, with some requiring faculty recommendations and/or standardized test scores (e.g., GMAT).

Graduate Faculty Feedback - feedback is solicited from other graduate schools on the preparation and quality of our undergraduate students in graduate school. This input is qualitative in nature; however, input is recorded, reviewed, and considered.

4) Placement Data:
Placement percent - the percentage of students that are placed each year within six months of graduation.

Average Starting Salaries - the average starting salaries of undergraduate students.

5) Advisory Board:
Advisory board review that the achievement of the program outcomes will allow for the achievement of the program educational objectives. Other advisory board input is qualitative in nature; however, input is recorded, reviewed, and considered.

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Assessment of Program Outcomes

The assessment techniques below are aimed at the direct measurement of the program outcomes, note that they are only assessing performance at, or before, the time of graduation. The program educational objectives are also being measured, and achieved, indirectly through the measurement and achievement of the program outcomes. The assessment techniques fall into five major categories (metric goals have been defined for each technique within each category):

1) Employer Data:
Employer co-op reports - each co-op employer must complete a co-op evaluation report of each student. They rate the student on various abilities on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Each student must review their employer co-op evaluation report, along with their student evaluation, with their advisor after each co-op experience in order to receive credit for their co-op. The defined metric goals of employer co-op reports are:
* 90% of students rated three or greater on each rated ability
* mean is > 3.0 (above average) on each rated ability

2) Course Materials:
Mapping - All course objectives and overall course are mapped to outcomes by ISE faculty.

Quantitative Assessment Against Outcomes - Specific materials within a selected set of courses across the curriculum (across year levels) that strongly support program outcomes are assessed (i.e., mean values, % of students passing (> 60%) on each piece of material that strongly supports each program outcome. The defined metric goals of course materials to satisfy program outcomes are:
* 90% of students receive 60% or greater on each piece of material
* Mean > 75% on each piece of material

Co-op Orientation Training Sessions - a series of three sessions that students must complete in order to co-op. The defined metric goal of co-op orientation training sessions is "required" for every student.

3) Standardized Tests:
College Writing Exam - In accordance with the Institute Writing Policy (RIT Policies and Procedures Manual, D16.0), the Kate Gleason College of Engineering (KGCOE) evaluates all undergraduate students in terms of their writing proficiency to ensure that every student graduating from RIT demonstrates competence in writing skills as established in, and through, the Institute Writing Policy. The ISE department administers a writing exam, developed by the Learning Development Center, three times per year. Students are given a copy of the article that is used during the writing exam that they are able to read ahead of time. They are given a choice of two questions to write a 250- to 400-word response. One of the questions is based on the article and the other is more general in nature. The exam is graded by Learning Development Center staff according to the following expectations:
Writing must maintain focus on the topic and follow a logical plan of organization - related ideas in the sentences within each paragraph and clear transition from one paragraph to the next. Strive for sentence clarity, utilizing variety in length and choice of words. Words should be chosen carefully to convey the intended meaning. Writing must show correct mechanics: sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation.
The exam is graded according to the following scale:
P = pass; writing requirement satisfied
F = fail; student must take an extra course: College Writing I
CF = conditional fail; student must work with instructors at the Learning Development Center until writing competency satisfied.
The defined metric goal on the writing exam is "pass" for every student.

4) Student Data:
Exit Survey - each graduating 5th year student completes an exit survey in May and rates their educational experience with respect to various abilities on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The defined metric goals of exit survey data are:
* 90% of students rated three or greater on each rated ability
* mean is > 3.0 (above average) on each rated ability.

Student Co-op Report - each student must complete a co-op report for each co-op experience that is reviewed, along with their employer co-op evaluation, and signed by their faculty advisor in order to receive credit for co-op. Each student rates their opportunity (1-poor to 5-excellent) and preparation (1-none to 5-extensive) related to various skills. The defined metric goals for student co-op report data are:
* 90% of students rated three or greater on each rated ability
* mean is > 3.0 (above average) on each rated ability.

Student Focus Groups - focus groups are conducted once per year on various topics related to the ISE program (e.g., curriculum, advising, etc.). Notes are taken. This data is qualitative in nature; however, all focus group data is reviewed and considered.

5) Advisory Board:
Advisory board review of course materials, in conjunction with the faculty, using curricular review worksheet that includes a quantitative assessment of the course materials in satisfying outcomes on a scale from one to five (1=poor, 3=adequate, 5=excellent) is quantitative in nature. Other advisory board input is qualitative in nature; however, input is recorded, reviewed, and considered.

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