V. Missions and Strategic Plan
Relation of Program Outcomes to College and Department Mission Statements and to Department Strategic Plan

The mission statements of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and of the Department of Physics both state a broad commitment to provide quality educational opportunities for undergraduate students (see excerpts below). The objectives of the Physics BS program as stated in the Assessment Plan are compatible with and elucidate the general statement made in the Physics mission statement. Those objectives closely parallel the items emphasized in the College mission statement.

The Physics Department has recently published a strategic plan (2000) and a compact plan (2002) which enunciate goals for undergraduate instruction (Physics majors and students in service courses, respectively). For example, the strategic plan lists the following guiding principles for instruction and student development:

1. We will remain aware of the needs of the students and provide learning opportunities that make our students maximally competitive upon graduation.
2.  We will seek to improve teaching effectiveness through the use of innovative approaches and the implementation of new technologies.

Department Mission Statement (excerpted):  
The Physics Department faculty is committed to providing outstanding educational and research opportunities.  Our highest priority is to help all students achieve their educational objectives.  We serve the people of the State of North Carolina by:

• providing educational opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students in physics, through high quality curricula, faculty, and research facilities.

College Mission Statement (excerpted):  
The mission of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is to seek knowledge and educate students. ... Specifically, the principal purposes are 1) to provide a high quality instructional program in the physical and mathematical sciences both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, ... In the instructional and research programs both the basic and applied aspects of the physical and mathematical sciences are stressed so as to prepare students

• for scientific and technical careers in industry, government, and academia,
• for entry into programs of study leading to advanced degrees within the physical and mathematical sciences, ...

Sources:
Department Mission Statement:
http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/department/Files/bylaws.html
Department Strategic Plan (2000):
http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/links/links.html?/department/strategicarchive.html
Department Compact Plan (2002):
http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/department/compact_2002_combined.html
College Mission Statement:
http://www.pams.ncsu.edu/about/vision.php

 

NC STATE PHYSICS

Undergraduate Program Review (2002 - 2004)

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