Department of Physics and Geosciences:
Our department set out to answer these three questions about best practices that are aligned with our national professional organization, the American Association of Physics Teachers:
- What are the goals and characteristics of our students?
- What support does our program provide to help students outside of classes/labs?
- Does the climate effectively support and energize students?
In conjunction with the ASU Office of Institutional Research and Accountability, the Physics and Geosciences Department developed a survey of these best practices and administered it to physics graduates. The detailed responses are available, but the basic answers to the above questions are:
- Our students agree that their choice of major was challenging, they were adequately prepared for their major, they plan to continue their education after graduation and they plan to take a graduate entrance exam. Therefore, our students are adequately prepared for a major in physics with goals to attend graduate programs.
- The Department of Physics and Geosciences provided support through academic and career advising outside of classes/labs. Students are satisfied with the academic and career advising they received in the Department of Physics and Geosciences. Our students also participated in undergraduate research.
- The climate effectively supports and energizes students through faculty/student social activities, the Society of Physics Students, community outreach and faculty tutoring. Most students plan to stay in contact with the department after graduation.