Northern Illinois University
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

1. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

SLOs establish quantifiable performance targets for the Ph.D. candidate and provide a framework for graduate curriculum revision and program improvement. View the complete list.

2. Assessment Timelines

Assessments are applied throughout the student's degree timeline to collect data aligned with the Ph.D. SLOs. The timeline documents linked below use a graphical format to show when the Ph.D. assessments are applied. They also provide comprehensive information, semester‐by‐semester, on all other graduate program expectations, including deadlines and links to departmental and Graduate School forms.

Timeline prior to defending semester/term

Fall Entry

Spring Entry

Timeline for defending semester/term

December Graduation

May Graduation

August Graduation

3. Assessment Tools

Assessment tools consist mostly of rubrics and surveys designed to collect performance data aligned with the Ph.D. SLOs (section 1). Rubrics/surveys are checkbox‐based to enable ease‐of‐use for faculty while providing clear performance expectations for the student. The assessment tools are applied according to the timelines in section 2. Whenever possible, students should provide faculty with the assessment tools linked below and ask that they complete them. Faculty should discuss outcomes with the student, but should turn in any rubrics they complete to the DGS or Ryan Damhoff for processing and archiving. Person(s) responsible for applying the rubric/survey tools are listed under each SLO. The DGS or Ryan Damhoff will convert all submitted rubric/survey data to proficiency ratings (PRs), which students then enter into their Individual Development Plans (section 4). PR values of 3.00 or better are generally required to meet SLO targets. These values are also used to construct aggregate internal and external reports. Students may see the DGS or Ryan Damhoff to obtain their PR values or other data (such as ACS background scores).

• SLO Tools
  • SLO 2A | TA Lab Safety Rubric, RA Lab Safety Rubric
    Applied by members of the Laboratory Safety Committee (Andy Small, Michele Crase, Jim Gable).
  • SLO 2B | TA Evaluation Rubrics (lab/recitation) and Instructions. First indicator in lab rubrics is aligned with SLO 2A
    Applied by undergraduates assigned to the TA.
  • SLO 3A | Seminar Rubric (CHEM 615)
    Applied by seminar coordinator and, optionally, other faculty attending presentation.
  • SLO 5A | ACS Standardized Exam Rubric. 60^thth percentile composite norm expectation.
    Applied by faculty.
  • SLO 5B | Qualifying Examination Rubric
    Applied by members of the Qualifying Examination Committee.
  • SLO 5C, 5D | Candidacy Examination Rubric
    Applied by members of the Candidacy Examination Committee.
  • SLO 5B, 5C, 5D | Oral Defense of Dissertation Rubric
    Applied by members of the Dissertation Committee.
  • SLO 5B, 5C, 5D | Written Dissertation Rubric
    Applied by research advisor(s) to first draft of dissertation or its sections, especially the introduction.
  • SLO 5E, 6A | Relevant data are entered by the student into the IDP (instructions found there).
  • SLO 6B, 7A | Professional Conduct and Mentoring Survey. Data from questions 1 through 5 is aligned with SLO 6B; data from question 6 is aligned with SLO 7A; data from question 7 is aligned with SLO 2A.
    Applied by undergraduates assigned to graduate student mentors.
• Non‐SLO Tools
  • General Education Rubrics
    (Developed at the University of South Carolina)
  • CHEM 615 Semester 1 Project
  • Third Semester Research Review
    (Notes and Guidelines)

4. Individual Development Plan (IDP)

IDPs are recommended by the ACS Presidential Commission Report, Advancing Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences (p.13, item 1.6). Our department's Ph.D. IDP has been designed as an electronic portfolio for tracking assessment progress and showcasing academic and professional progress. Students update their IDPs regularly as they obtain new data aligned with the Ph.D. SLOs, engage in or achieve something new (such as manuscript/grant proposal writing, a publication, workshop training, or presenting a poster). Beginning semester 2, students schedule Advisory Committee meetings, per departmental policy, to discuss their IDP data with faculty, especially in areas where intervention/support are needed. More generally, the primary objectives of these meetings and the IDP are to:

1. Increase interaction between students and faculty.
2. Discuss diverse M.S. career options and assist students in building mentoring networks/expanding skills.
3. Provide timely conflict resolution, if needed.
4. Establish a robust and consistent framework for evaluating and tracking academic/research progress and professional engagement across the program.

Ph.D. IDPs are shared on the student's NIU OneDrive with the DGS and members of the Advisory Committee.

• Ph.D. IDP Template file
  (Requires login ID to access and Microsoft Word to edit)
• Instructions: Using the NIU OneDrive to update and share your IDP

Laboratory Safety

• Please visit the department Safety page for Safety Resources and the Lab Safety Meeting Schedule.

Other Documents

• Graduate Student Handbook