Motivation for this Strategic Initiative:
The design of our SNS majors was guided by careful analysis of the knowledge and skills expected of college graduates in each field. We now plan to augment this discipline-based content with skill sets that are in high demand in STEM careers. Such “signature” skill sets will help distinguish our students, increase the value of our discipline-based majors to students in their careers, and highlight the depth of our collective technical skill base across all of our disciplines.
Summary of Task Force Report (see appendix for full report)
[Note that the action items for SI 4 and SI 5 were developed by a single task force and are described in a single report in the appendix but given separate narrative summaries and action item lists in this document.]
The task force identified three broad thematic groups of goals related to this Strategic Initiative with the following broad aims: 1) Assess job markets and improve career resources for SNS majors; 2) Improve or repackage existing programs to better match with job markets (see goals related to new programs in SI 5); and 3) Reorganize Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) across SNS majors to highlight signature, career-oriented skill sets. The task force identified as a key challenge the general lack of knowledge amongst the faculty about opportunities and needed skills in non-academic careers. Therefore, the key near-term goals and action items are to gather job market data and prepare a report to discuss with department chairs and/or curriculum leads, and then work with Admissions to better promote the career opportunities afforded by our existing majors. A related action item is to create a stronger link between the campus Center for Career and Professional Development and SNS.
For the second aim, the near-term goals and action items involve building better links to industry, both to get information about what skills employers are looking for, and to locate additional opportunities for internships and job fairs. Finally, the task force recommends that a working group develop sets of key skill sets both for individual majors as well as general skills for all SNS students (e.g. “critical thinking”, “statistical comprehension”, etc.) These lists will be the basis for subsequent actions to modify, where necessary, the PLOs. In addition to updating the PLOs to better align with career skills, the task force also recommended actions to focus on student learning throughout the curriculum, rather than just what is needed to pass individual courses.
Proposed Action Items (see Task Force Report for more details and metrics)
2021-2022
- Gather and analyze real-time job market data, potentially through an external vendor, and map back to current and potential future SNS majors.
- Prepare a report and present results in an SNS-wide town hall meeting with the opportunity for each department to meet with SNS leadership.
- Work with Admissions to prepare promotional/recruitment materials to reflect new and existing programs and job market focus, and possibly use career opportunities and recent alumni data to advertise careers and academic programs.
- Build a stronger bridge between the Center for Career and Professional Development and SNS.
- Compile lists of existing relationships between SNS departments and potential employers (e.g. the Advisory Board in the Physics Department), including “role model” alumni.
- Create a list of signature skillsets for SNS majors, including a description of what a successful demonstration of each skill set looks like.
- Work with the departments to identify gaps in curricula needed for high-demand careers.
- Hold an interdepartmental workshop focused on assessing the capacity of existing program learning outcomes to build skill sets and revising them as necessary.
- Regularly share retention rates by major to chairs of departments and majors
- Implement “Mentoring Mondays” as regular opportunities for informal mentorship by faculty. We note that this also helps to “personalize” faculty for students.
- Support faculty involving students in research, including use of Learning Labs for undergraduate projects, instructional funds for course-based research projects, and support for faculty to lead research training grants.
2022-2023
- Increase the flow of information from the Center for Career and Professional Development to advisors and faculty via annual to bi-annual training and workshops.
- Use information from the job market analysis to help each department work with the Center for Career and Professional Development and/or SNS career specialists to identify potential employers and propose a pathway for student interactions with employers.
- By major, propose changes in programs or addition of minors or emphasis tracks based on existing (or potentially new) courses and, where appropriate, highlight skill sets leading to career options. (See SI 5)
- Submit revised program learning outcomes to UGC.
- Organize regular workshops and panel discussions for students to hear from alumni and industry partners.
- Implement timely “Milestone Mentoring” events centered around specific student needs. An example would be an event in January focused on planning for summer jobs/internships.
- Create opportunities for faculty to learn how to effectively teach new skill sets.
2023 and after
- Incorporate career and professional training into courses that satisfy GE requirements and/or consider establishing a new course focused on career and professional development training.
- Help departments to develop and execute plans for providing student interactions with potential employers.
- Periodically evaluate signature skill sets relative to workforce needs.
