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Perceptions Of Agriculture And Natural Resource M.S. Graduates Regarding Program Quality And Learning Outcomes Attainment, Mark D. Shelton, James J. Ahern, Douglas D. Piirto, April England

Office of the Dean (CAFES) Scholarship

Master's degree recipients from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) at Cal Poly State University were surveyed to assess 1) their satisfaction with the M.S. program, and 2) the extent to which key learning outcomes were attained. Emphasis was placed on the graduate's perception of the value of their thesis or creative project experience in developing technical competency and skills in communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and decision making.

CAFES M.S. alumni were generally positive in their perception of the graduate program, though written comments indicated dissatisfaction with various program aspects among some graduates. Most respondents felt …