Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats A SWOT Analysis of Your Geoscience Program

SWOT Analysis A way to examine the internal (inside your geoscience program) and external factors (beyond your geoscience program) that help or hinder your program in achieving its goals. Keys to a successful SWOT analysis use it in the context of a particular objective. get input from a wide variety of perspectives. Can be used as a brainstorming tool, in early stages of program assessment, and setting the stages for strategic planning. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/departments/degree_programs/swot.html

Do a SWOT analysis of your geoscience program using your visualization and considering the three project strands Take a few minutes to think about the strengths and weaknesses of your geoscience program, and external opportunities and threats. Using a Sharpie, write ONE point per sticky note If a team includes more than one campus or more than one institution, use different color sticky notes for different campuses / different institutions. Place each of your sticky notes into the appropriate SWOT space on the big post-it note. Note: all four quadrants are equally important Review and discuss to identify commonalities and differences. Helpful Harmful Internal Strengths Weaknesses External Opportunities Threats You may be able to use your results to strategic advantage. For example, matching your strengths to opportunities. Some programs have grown significantly by identifying employment needs, revising their curricula to meet those needs, and advertising this match to prospective students. Or you could actively work to convert threats or weaknesses into strengths or opportunities.

SWOT analysis: Next steps Use sticky dots to identify elements in your SWOT as they apply to the three project strands of the SAGE 2YC project. Do any trends emerge? Are there any additions to be made? Supporting student success (red) Broadening participation (blue) Facilitating students professional pathways (yellow) Scatter and look at other SWOTs. Then add other sticky notes to your SWOT analysis if you want. Pair off in teams to share a focused set of conclusions about how this analysis can or should inform your action planning. Helpful Harmful Internal Strengths Weaknesses External Opportunities Threats You may be able to use your results to strategic advantage. For example, matching your strengths to opportunities. Some programs have grown significantly by identifying employment needs, revising their curricula to meet those needs, and advertising this match to prospective students. Or you could actively work to convert threats or weaknesses into strengths or opportunities.