Defining learning outcomes for a chemistry degree: The story of a process

Abstract

The Department of Chemistry at Purdue University embarked on a process of examining the outcomes of its undergraduate degree program. The Undergraduate Studies Committee for the Department embarked on a 3-year process in which feedback was gathered from faculty members, students, alumni and employers of Purdue graduates. With this feedback the committee developed a report outlining the learning objectives that should define the undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Purdue, and how our courses and curriculum should be restructured to ensure these learning objectives are met. Later, this approach to defining the Chemistry degree through its learning outcomes was instrumental in a state-level process funded by the Lumina Foundation and organized by the Indiana Commission on Higher Education. This approach to defining the learning objectives for the Chemistry Degree was approved by representatives from higher education institutions across the state of Indiana. This presentation will describe the process and the details of the recommendations made in both the Chemistry Department and Lumina project reports about the Chemistry degree.