Developing And Assessing An Undergraduate Nuclear Engineering Program At The U.S. Military Academy

In 2002 the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point established a nuclear engineering (NE) major beginning with graduates of the Class of 2005. The major represents a significant broadening of the West Point academic program and will provide the Army with additional nuclear trained officers as leaders in homeland defense, health physics, and the development of national nuclear defense and policy. A four-step evaluation and assessment process has been developed to assess accomplishment of program goals. Through the use of concept maps, block learning objectives, rubrics, and embedded evaluation instruments, changes to the program can be made while ensuring that USMA continues to graduate outstanding officers and leaders.