Effective Undergraduate Program Self Study, Evaluation, and Resources

As students and faculty aim to build thriving undergraduate programs, effecting change can be assisted through self-study and/or external review processes. Several resources have been developed to assist programs and students affect change within their programs, departments, and local communities. This presentation is intended for faculty and students from undergraduate programs of all sizes who are looking for ways to develop strategies for improving curriculum, their student clubs (SPS), diversity, and student success. The findings, results, and suggestions from a wide variety of source will be touched on: Effective practices for Physics Programs (APS/AAPT), AAPT Recommendations for the Undergraduate Physics Laboratory Curriculum, AAPT Recommendations for Computational Physics in the Undergraduate Physics Curriculum, Phys21: Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers report (APS/AAPT), and The Career Pathways Project (AIP). These resources will be used as guides for program self-study and/or an external review process. Special attention will be given to the role of student clubs, department culture, alumni, and student-faculty collaborations. The aim is at developing a strategy for incorporating these community-endorsed guides into physics programs, and how these strategies might be used in developing long term goals.