The University of Minnesota has a nationally recognized program in Evaluation Studies and has been offering advanced degrees in program evaluation for over 20 years. The Evaluation Fellowship Program will provide Ph.D. students with an intellectually challenging program that not only emphasizes the theoretical aspects of program evaluation, but also provides first hand experience in science and mathematics evaluation. The deadline for applications is June1, 1998. The Science and Mathematics Evaluation Fellowship Program's approach to evaluation is utilization focused and recognizes the critical importance of creative problem solving and interpersonal skills in an effective evaluator. The Program emphasizes both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as content area expertise.
Course work in various methodologies is required as well as internship experiences.
Sponsoring the yearly evaluation conference and participating in the summer institutes also offer unique learning experiences for students. Students participate in an ongoing colloquium to offer a common ground for the discussion of the latest developments in the theory and practice of program evaluation while building a professional community among the students and others engaged in evaluation. Each evaluation situation is viewed as a unique problem with its own constraints and opportunities, and evaluation plans are developed to address the needs of the audiences involved. Minnesota has one of the most active state affiliates of the American Evaluation Association. Evaluators come not only from the many academic settings in the Twin Cities area but also from the large numbers of private foundation evaluators and from independent evaluation consultants.