AAS: Tourism & Recreation

Annual Program Assessment Report

Degree Objectives

The primary objective of UMW's AAS: Tourism and Recreation program is to introduce students to the tourism industry and its various components. This program aspires to develop professionals who are able to succeed in entry-level professional positions in hospitality, tourism, and recreation.

Expected Competencies

Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Develops and manages effective customer service system including: recognizing potential problems, formulating effective solutions to service problems, calming upset customers, and training frontline customer service personnel. (BUS 202)

Establishes short- and long-term career goals. (BUS 210)

Understands and applies fundamental accounting principles, skills, and processes. (BUS 241)

Understands the fundamental concepts and practices of marketing including: global marketing management, e-commerce, e-business, and e-marketing. (BUS 347)

Possesses at least a basic working knowledge of computer hardware and software tools including: word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. (COMS 101, 102, 108, 109)

Is familiar with the tourism industry and its various components. (HTR 112)

Understands and applies leadership techniques and principles including: positive interpersonal relationships, motivation, listening, trust building, positive attitudes, delegating responsibilities, and decision-making. (HTR 204)

Identifies and can describe major tourism attractions throughout the world and particularly in the U.S. (HTR 210)

Possesses real-world experience in a tourism and recreation setting. (HTR 200)

Communication skills (especially oral and written):

Utilizes computer software and hardware tools to present information in a clear and concise format. (COMS 101, 102, 108, 109)

Understands and applies effective communication skills, both oral and written. (ENG 102)

Exhibits effective oral and written communication skills for successful interaction in a customer service environment. (BUS 202, BUS 200)

Presents a professional image through written and oral presentations and business communications. (BUS 210)

Communicates effectively in a professional business setting. (BUS 217)

Problem-solving skills (e.g., critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, analytical synthesis, decision making):

Recognizes potential service problems. (BUS 202)

Understands the history and social impact of leisure and recreation on society. (HTR 240)

Understands how economics impacts and drives business decisions. (ECON 252)

Utilizes computer software and hardware tools for problem solving and decision-making. (COMS 101, 102, 108, 109)

Has an understanding of spatial organization of human activities and settlement. (GEOG 102, GEOG 202)

Student Learning Assessment

Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities
Specific courses and assessment activities:

BUS 202, Customer Service: exams, secret shopper report, blink critique

BUS 210, Career Planning: evaluation by lifetime career database, career portfolio, class activities

BUS 241, Financial Accounting: exams, quizzes, assignments

BUS 347, Principles/Practices of Marketing: case studies, presentations, field-based audits of selected companies

COMS 101, Introduction to Computers: assignments, exams

COMS 102, Beginning Word Processing: hands-on assignments, exams, final portfolio

COMS 108, Beginning Spreadsheets: hands-on assignments, exams, final portfolio

COMS 109, Beginning Database: hands-on assignments, exams, final portfolio

HTR 112, Fundamentals of Tourism: exams, video report, tourism industry interviews

HTR 200, Internship: written periodic reports, portfolio

HTR 204, Leadership: quizzes, chapter reports, portfolio

HTR 210, Destination Geography: quizzes, exams, video report, oral report

Communication skills
Specific courses and assessment activities:

COMS 101, 102, 108, 109: assignments, quizzes, SAM CD requirements

ENG 102, Foundations of Language: writing assignments

BUS 202, Customer Service: secret shopper report

BUS 210, Career Planning: resumes, goal writing, cover letters

BUS 217, Business Communications: writing portfolio, oral presentations, collaborative writing assignments, exams, class activities

Problem-solving skills
Specific courses and assessment activities:

BUS 202, Customer Service: exams, reports

HTR 240, Leisure Services: exams, survey, reports

ECON 252 Principles of Microeconomics: exams, research papers, computerized simulations

COMS 101, 102, 108, 109: asignments, quizzes, SAM CD requirements

GEOG 102 & 202, Human Geography and Regional Geography of North America: essays, lab assignments

Program Assessment

Feedback from current students
Tourism faculty receive program feedback from current students via the following venues:

UMW graduate/exit survey

Capstone assessment: Final Summary Report of his/her internship at the end of the HTR 200 experience.

Feedback from outside constituencies:

Survey feedback from graduates one year after graduation (beginning with 2005-06 graduates)

Survey feedback from employers of graduates after one year of employment (beginning with employers of 2005-06 graduates)

Feedback from internship supervisors following completion of students' internships.

Evaluation of teaching:
During fall semester, the VCAA chooses the faculty member's course to be evaluated. Each HTR faculty member chooses a course during spring semester that s/he wants evaluated by students. Feedback is compiled and shared with the faculty member and VCAA. In addition, each faculty member also has at least one peer evaluation per year.

Curriculum Review:
The curriculum for the AAS: Tourism and Recreation degree was reviewed and revised for the implementation of block scheduling. Business & Technology faculty continue to review curriculum both formally and informally in preparation for the Business program's self-study.

Once the Business/Technology/HTR faculty begin receiving the results of current graduate, employer, and alumni surveys from the Career Services Office, they will review the information and make adjustments to the AAS: Tourism & Recreation program.

Criteria and procedures for admission and retention of students:
Currently, the criteria and procedures for admission and retention of AAS: Tourism & Recreation degree students parallel the criteria and procedures for admission to UMW.

Application

Appraisal of Annual Program Goals & Assessment of Their Success
The AAS in Tourism & Recreation program is assessed based on graduate outcomes using the following methods: feedback from current students during the capstone class; feedback from internship supervisors; compiled results from the graduate/exit survey, alumni survey, and employer survey; and retention of students in the program. Once the Business/Technology/HTR faculty begin receiving the results of employer and alumni surveys from the Career Services Office, they will review the information and make adjustments to the AAS: Tourism & Recreation degree program as necessary.

Self-study or reports from program reviews
As part of UMW's systematic academic program review cycle, a self-study of the business-related program will be prepared and completed during AY 2006-07. The review is tentatively scheduled to be conducted by an evaluator from International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

Description of program-specific curriculum development bodies & advisory groups
All faculty teaching in the AAS: Tourism & Recreation degree program assist with program-specific curriculum development. No other program-specific curriculum development bodies exist at this time.