Note: The 2007 UCUES core has slightly different items for upper division students (designated by [UD]) and lower division students (designated by [LD]). The definition of upper division for this survey is undergraduates who
1. had officially declared a major, and
2. are either first-time freshmen with 60 or more semester units (exclusive of AP credit) or transfer students with any number of units.
This year's survey has three parts:
I. Time use, academic and personal development, academic engagement, overall satisfaction, and evaluation of the educational experience.
II. Background information
III. A randomly assigned module emphasizing academic experience, civic engagement, personal development, evaluation of services, or items of special interest to UC Berkeley
Part I: TIME, STUDENT DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT, SATISFACTION, AND EVALUATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Time Allocation
1. During your TYPICAL 7-day (168 hour) week during the academic term, how many hours do you spend doing the following?
0
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
More than 30
Attending classes, discussion sections or labs
Studying and other academic activities outside of class
Paid employment (include paid internships)
Of your total hours spent working for pay, about how many hours did you work on campus?
Of your total hours spent working for pay, about how many hours were related to your academic interests?
Academic and Personal Development
2. How often have you gained a deeper understanding of other perspectives through conversations with fellow students because they differed from you in the following ways?
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Somewhat often
Often
Very often
Their religious beliefs were very different than yours
Their political opinions were very different from yours
They were of a different nationality than your own
They were of a different race or ethnicity than your own
Their sexual orientation was different
They were from a different social class
3. Please rate your level of proficiency in the following areas when you started at Cal and now.
When you started here
Current ability level
Analytical and critical thinking skills
Ability to be clear and effective when writing
Ability to read and comprehend academic material
Foreign language skills
Understanding of a specific field of study
When you started here
Current ability level
Quantitative (mathematical and statistical) skills
Ability to speak clearly and effectively in English
Understanding international perspectives (economic political, social, cultural etc.)
Leadership skills
Computer skills
When you started here
Current ability level
Internet skills
Library research skills
Other research skills
Ability to prepare and make a presentation
Interpersonal (social) skills
4. Similarly, please rate your abilities now and when you first began at this university on the following dimensions.
When you started here
Current ability level
Ability to appreciate, tolerate and understand racial and ethnic diversity
Ability to appreciate the fine arts (e.g., painting, music, drama, dance)
Ability to appreciate cultural and global diversity
Understanding the importance of personal social responsibility
Self awareness and understanding
Academic Engagement
5. How frequently during this academic year have you done each of the following?
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Somewhat often
Often
Very often
Turned in a course assignment late
Gone to class without completing assigned reading
Gone to class unprepared
Skipped class
Raised your standard for acceptable effort due to the high standards of a faculty member
Extensively revised a paper at least once before submitting it to be graded
Sought academic help from instructor or tutor when needed
Worked on class projects or studied as a group with other classmates outside of class
Helped a classmate better understand the course material when studying together
0-10%
11-20%
21-30%
31-40%
41-50%
51-60%
61-70%
71-80%
81-90%
91-100%
Zero
1
2
3
4 or more
9. During an average term, how often do you use the campus libraries (including online resources)?
For research
More than once a week
Weekly
2 to 3 times a month
Monthly
Less than once a month but more than once a term
Once a term or less
For other purposes
More than once a week
Weekly
2 to 3 times a month
Monthly
Less than once a month but more than once a term
Once a term or less
Plans and Aspirations
10. What do you plan to do when you graduate?
11. What career do you hope to eventually have after you've completed your education?
Bachelor's degree (BA, BS, etc.)
Teaching credential
Business master's (MBA)
Other professional master's (MEd, MPP, MPH, MFA, MLIS, MSN, MSW, M.ARCH, etc)
Academic master's (MA, MS, etc.)
Law degree (LLB or JD)
Medical doctorate other than MD (DO, DDS, DVM, etc)
Medical doctor (MD)
Doctorate (PhD, EdD, etc)
Multiple doctoral degrees (MD/PhD)
I don't know yet
Overall Satisfaction and Agreement
13. Please rate your level of satisfaction with the following aspects of your Cal education.
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Satisfied
Very satisfied
UC grade point average
Overall social experience
Overall academic experience
Value of your education for the price you're paying
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Disagree somewhat
Agree somewhat
Agree
Strongly agree
I feel that I belong at Cal
Knowing what I know now, I would still choose to enroll at Cal
[LD] Evaluation of the Educational Experience
[UD] Evaluation of the Major
[UD] The next section of this questionnaire asks you to evaluate your major based on your experience. Below are listed your major(s) according to University records. Please select the major that you will evaluate. If you have changed majors and would like to evaluate your new major, please write your new major in the space provided and select that major.
(write in new major to evaluate, if applicable)
[UD] What factors were very important to you in deciding on your major?
[UD] Answer the following questions about courses in your major.
[LD and UD] 14. Thinking back over your coursework this academic year, how often were you REQUIRED to do the following?
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Somewhat often
Often
Very often
Recognize or recall specific facts, terms and concepts
Explain methods, ideas, or concepts and use them to solve problems
Break down material into component parts or arguments into assumptions to see the basis for different outcomes and conclusions
Judge the value of information, ideas, actions and conclusions based on the soundness of sources, methods and reasoning
Create or generate new ideas, products or ways of understanding
15. Thinking back on this academic year, how often have you done each of the following?
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Somewhat often
Often
Very often
Used facts and examples to support your viewpoint
Incorporated ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments
Examined how others gathered and interpreted data and assessed the soundness of their conclusions
Reconsidered your own position on a topic after assessing the arguments of others
[UD] Indicate your past, current, or planned involvement in the following research activities.
Doing now or have done
Plan to do
Completed a research project, creative activity, or paper as part of your coursework
Completed at least one student research course (e.g., course 99)
Completed at least one independent study course (e.g., 199)
Assisted faculty in research, with course credit
Assisted faculty in research for pay, without course credit
Assisted faculty in research as a volunteer, without course credit
Worked on creative projects under the direction of faculty, for example in the visual or performing arts
[UD] 16. Please answer the following questions about your major.
Yes
No
Occasionally
Somewhat often
Often
Very often
Do you understand how the requirements of your major combine to produce a coherent understanding of a field of study?
Are the program requirements well defined?
Are department rules and policies clearly communicated?
Is the description of the major in the catalogue accurate?
[LD] 16. Please answer the following questions about your educational experience overall.
Yes
No
Are there open channels of communication between faculty and students regarding student needs, concerns, and suggestions?
Are students treated equitably and fairly by the faculty?
Do faculty clearly explain what constitutes plagiarism and its consequences?
[LD] 17. How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your educational experience?
[UD] 17. How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your educational experience in the major?
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Satisfied
Very satisfied
Advising by student peer advisors on academic matters
Advising by college staff on academic matters
Advising by departmental staff on academic matters
Advising by faculty on academic matters
Quality of faculty instruction
Quality of teaching by graduate student TA's
Availability of courses for general education or breadth requirements
Availability of courses needed for graduation
Access to small classes
Access to faculty outside of class
Ability to get into a major that you want
Opportunities for research experience or to produce creative products
Educational enrichment programs (e.g., study abroad, UCDC, internships)
Variety of courses available in your major
Quality of lower-division courses in your major
Quality of upper-division courses in your major
Accessibility of library staff
Availability of library research materials
Zero
1
2
3
4 or more
18. What are the three most important things Cal could realistically do to create a better undergraduate experience for students like you?
PART II: YOUR BACKGROUND
I was born in the U.S.
1991 or earlier
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005 or later
English is my native language
Before I was 5 years old
When I was 6 to 10 years old
When I was 11 to 15 years old
After turning 16 years old
3. To the best of your knowledge, where were these relatives born?
Outside U.S.
In U.S.
My mother
My father
My mother's mother
My father's mother
My mother's father
My father's father
None (did not receive any education in a foreign country)
Less than the equivalent of high school in the U.S.
U.S. high school equivalent
Equivalent of a U.S. associate's or postsecondary certificate