Assessment

Learning Objectives

1. Major Program Skills: The chemistry major at UVI follows a rigorous curriculum set forth by the American Chemical Society (ACS).  Our students take a series of benchmark courses (general chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry) that will allow them to pursue graduate degrees or employment upon graduation. 
   1. Theoretical skills: stoichiometry, bonding and structure, physical properties, chemical reactions, chemical species, nomenclature, equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics.
      1. i.    Benchmark courses: CHE 151-152 ; CHE 251-252; CHE 253-254; CHE 341-342; CHE 348; CHE 432
      2. ii.    Proficiency at all levels is measured using ACS examinations.
   2. Laboratory skills: synthesis, structure determination, spectroscopic skills.
      1. i.    Benchmark courses: CHE 251-252 Laboratories; CHE 253-254 Laboratories; CHE 341-342 Laboratories; CHE 348 Laboratory; CHE 432 Laboratory
      2. ii.    Proficiency is measured by written laboratory notebooks, laboratory reports, external internships and independent research.
   3. Communication skills: oral scientific communication and written scientific communication.
      1. i.    Benchmark courses: CHE 397-398; CHE 497-498;
      2. ii.    Proficiency is measured by the students work in the two seminar sequences.  Students are required to do both written and oral projects in both sequences.  Students assess other student’s projects and are themselves assessed by faculty and students.  The presentations are 20 minutes at the junior level and 40 minutes at the senior level.  Students are expected to answer questions in both the junior and senior seminars
   4. Mid-level and exit-level assessment: The seminar courses will be used to judge abilities at the junior and senior level.  In these courses students are asked to integrate material from some or all of the chemistry courses they have taken to that point and disseminate information to faculty and other students.

1. Transferrable Skills
   1. Written and oral communication
      1. i.    CHE 251-252 Laboratories; CHE 253-254 Laboratories; CHE 341-342 Laboratories; CHE 348 Laboratory; CHE 397-398; CHE 432 Laboratory; CHE 497-498
      2. ii.    Proficiency is measured using written laboratory notebooks, laboratory reports, written seminar work and oral seminar presentations.  Students are expected to write keep a scientific notebook, collect data, and write scientific reports.
   2. Critical thinking: Working independently, analyzing results, and research.  All chemistry courses within the curriculum provide a mechanism for students to develop independent, critical thinking skills.
      1. i.    The benchmark courses used to evaluate critical thinking skills are: CHE 341-342; CHE 397-398; CHE 495; CHE 496; CHE 497-498
   3. Quantitative thinking: Data assessment, data manipulation, and data analysis.
      1. i.    The benchmark course sequences for evaluating student performance in quantitative thinking is: CHE 251-252, CHE 253-254, CHE 341-342 and CHE 432. 
      2. ii.    Students perform experiments, collect laboratory data, perform spectroscopic analyses, synthesize compounds, analyze data using statistical means, graph or plot the data and submit their results for comparison to actual values.  The criteria used to judge depends on the class and the experiment.

Assessment Methods

1. Students will take American Chemical Society standardized examinations for General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Instrumental Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry
2. Students will take the Diagnostic of Undergraduate Chemical Knowledge (DUCK) examination.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize and characterize materials, analyze data, and interpret experimental results.
2. Students will demonstrate that they can use an NMR, chromatographs, electrochemical equipment, optical and atomic spectrophotometers and can interpret the experimental results.
3. Students will demonstrate they can effectively use computer software for structural rendering, modeling, and data acquisition and analysis.
4. Students will communicate effectively in oral and print form by presenting to both chemists and non-chemists at seminars and professional meetings
5. Students will graduate with skill necessary to find gainful employment in industry or government, or be accepted at graduate or professional schools or find employment as an instructor in either public or private school systems.
6. Students will demonstrate abilities in problem solving, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking.
7. Students will be able to pass standardized ACS examinations in analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.