The Future of
Transportation Education: A Needs Assessment of the
Copyright © 2004 by
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003115607
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Mineta Transportation Institute
This project began with a series of detailed conversations between the Education Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute, Dr. Peter Haas; the Research Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute, the Honorable Trixie Johnson; and myself. It was on the basis of these conversations that I developed the research design that would ultimately provide a solid foundation for a comprehensive needs assessment report focusing upon transportation management programs at San José State University. I would like to express my deepest appreciation for their time and the valuable information that they were able to provide-their availability enriched the report and eased the process of research.
I also want to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of my graduate student assistant Cecile Vo, without whose indefatigable efforts and good nature this project would have been more difficult and less enjoyable.
Finally, if not for all of the students, alumni, and transportation professionals who gave of their time, energy, and insight, this project would of course have been impossible. I sincerely appreciate the energy and enthusiasm with which they provided their important observations.
Additional thanks to MTI staff including Research and Publications Assistant Sonya Cardenas, Communications Director Leslee Hamilton, Graphic Designers Tseggai Debretsion and Shun Nelson, and Editorial Associate Catherine Frazier for editing and publication assistance.
sjsu program background and web-based analysis of similar programs 13
student and alumni response 47
analysis of current students-STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS 47
ANALYSIS OF CURRENT STUDENTS-ONLINE SURVEY 55
ALUMNI FOCUS GROUP ANALYSIS 93
ALUMNI INTERVIEWS ANALYSIS 101
TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS-INTERVIEWS AND ANALYSIS 113
THE STATE OF DISTANCE LEARNING 139
APPENDIX a: FOCUS GROUPS DESIGN AND
APPENDIX B: ONLINE SURVEY-STUDENT 153
APPENDIX c: FOCUS GROUP DESIGN AND
APPENDIX d: ALUMNI INTERVIEW FORM 167
APPENDIX e: TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW FORM 169
Program enrollment of respondents 60
Responses-appropriate range of courses in program 61
Responses-content relevant to career goals 62
Responses-course requirements reasonable 63
Responses-satisfaction with videoconferenced classes 64
Responses-opinion regarding online classes 65
Responses-portion of each class online 66
Responses-quality of instruction 67
Responses-knowledgeable faculty 68
Responses-faculty fair and unbiased 69
Responses-faculty consider student differences 70
Responses-faculty are accessible and available 71
Responses-faculty provide feedback 72
Responses-faculty concerned about student success 73
Responses-adequate services 74
Responses-adequate research resources 75
Responses-program valuable for career professionals 76
Responses-program reputation among transportation community 77
Responses-financial aid resources 78
Responses-MTI program met expectations 79
Responses-overall impression of Transportation Management Program 80
Responses-factors in enrolling/videoconferenced classes 81
Responses-factors in enrolling/cost 82
Responses-factors in enrolling/academic reputation 83
Responses-factors in enrolling/recommendations from colleagues 84
Responses-factors in enrolling/geographic location 85
Responses-program was first, second, or third choice 86
Responses-would you enroll here? 87
Responses-current enrollment status 88
Responses-current employment status 89
Transportation professionals organization types 113
Professional responses-preferred degree type 114
Professional responses-desired additional managerial training 116
Professional responses-desired additional coursework 123
Professional responses-need for short course continuing education 127
Professional responses-need for online course continuing education 129
Range of courses in program 61
Content relevant to career goals 62
Course requirements reasonable 63
Satisfaction with videoconferenced classes 64
Opinion regarding online classes 65
Portion of each class online 66
Faculty consider student differences 70
Faculty are accessible and available 71
Faculty concerned about student success 73
Adequate research resources 75
Program valuable for career professionals 76
Program reputation among transportation community 77
MTI program met expectations 79
Overall impression of Transportation Management Program 80
Factors in enrolling/videoconferenced classes 81
Factors in enrolling/academic reputation 83
Factors in enrolling/recommendations from colleagues 84
Factors in enrolling/geographic location 85
Program was first, second, or third choice 86
Satisfaction of professional in-house training 125
The future of transportation education will continue to be shaped by internal and external influences. Student aspirations and identified needs interact with a competitive environment, industry requirements, and advances in technology to affect the ongoing evolution occurring in the content and delivery of transportation education. The Mineta Transportation Institute and the Graduate Transportation Management Program at San José State University (SJSU) have initiated the current project to determine how they should best proceed to meet the education needs of transportation professionals. To accomplish that goal, this research includes a web-based analysis of competitors; interviews, focus groups, and online surveys of current students and alumni; interviews of transportation professionals; and a review of the latest information concerning the delivery of distance learning education.
Web-Based Analysis of Similar Programs: Findings indicate that the SJSU graduate programs in Transportation Management are unique in their determination to bridge the gap between traditional and distance learning. Findings also indicate that there are several features of other programs which could easily be incorporated into the existing curriculum to make SJSU more competitive on the national level. While moderate tuition, the flexibility of videoconferencing, and the urban location of SJSU in some ways sets it apart from local competitors such as UC Davis (UCD), the considerable institutional support of a UC environment and the presence (in the case of UCD) of an advanced practical lab present competitive obstacles that are difficult to surmount. An evaluation of similar programs indicates that a cooperative arrangement, in which some facilities are negotiated and shared, in the manner of the Southern Transportation Center Consortium (a co-op comprised of ten universities that share resources) might allow SJSU to become more competitive and to develop collaborative working relationships with Bay Area universities that offer similar transportation management programs.
The analysis of similar programs also indicates that another as yet unrealized opportunity for SJSU lies in offering modules in regional issues and specializations, including but not limited to coastal transportation, aviation, and environmental issues, thereby increasing the policy diversity of the program.
It is also recommended that SJSU consider the UC Irvine model in developing relationships with the surrounding communities to allow students to practice genuine transportation planning and develop practical skills.
From the evaluation of the University of Denver, a full low-residency program, comes the recommendation that SJSU consider offering a low-residency option to students who might otherwise be unable to attend this university-such as those currently working in other states or countries. The extremely high tuition required for most low residency programs would potentially make SJSU's more reasonable tuition quite competitive.
An evaluation of transportation planning and engineering programs indicates yet another area of potential expansion for the SJSU program. The development of stronger working relationships with engineering programs on the SJSU campus would enhance the ability of the transportation management programs to compete for students and for research grants.
Finally, the web-based analysis indicates that SJSU's transportation graduate programs would benefit considerably by the provision of joint conferences and/or jointly taught courses with an international university. The University of Swinburne in Australia and the University of New Brunswick in Canada are recommended as initial contacts. Each of these transportation management programs are innovative, competitive, and are located in fast-growing communities.
Student Experiences: Student focus groups and responses to online surveys indicate enthusiastic support and that the graduate programs are instrumental in advancing student careers. In fact, ninety-five percent of respondents stated that the program had met or exceeded their expectations. Students perceive faculty as extremely knowledgeable, accessible, and available for advising. Most students found financial aid resources to be adequate to their needs. Students did feel that the program would be greatly strengthened by the expanded use of outside speakers and an expansion in course offerings. Students would also like the program expanded to include students from other states and countries. Videoconferencing is very popular among students; however there were specific comments that professors need technological assistance and support, and the number of locations for videoconferencing should be expanded. Students also felt that international videoconferencing should be investigated as it would add dimension and depth to the program overall. Most students were not interested in courses that were 100 percent online; however, they perceived the distinct value of online content delivery as one component of a multifaceted course. In addition students would like to see an expanded online library with increased availability of online research resources.
Alumni Experiences: Interviews with alumni and an alumni focus group indicated similar attitudes. Alumni felt that the program was excellent, provided valuable experience and education, was cost-effective, and proved extremely beneficial to their careers. Overall, they recommended the program for its focus, methodology, and breadth. Like current students, alumni mention that they would like to see an expansion of course subject matter. Alumni favorably reviewed videoconferencing, describing it as the "jewel of the program," and also mentioned that technology should be expanded to allow international students to participate. Alumni agreed that one important value of videoconferencing was the ability to communicate with other professionals from diverse geographic locations. In yet another similarity with current students, alumni enjoyed online instruction as one component of a class, but did not support a 100 percent online format for any course. Alumni were in agreement that the faculty was excellent, knowledgeable, professional, and responsive. Finally, alumni hoped that tuition for the program would eventually be fully supported by Caltrans for employees that take advantage of these graduate programs.
Graduate Education in Transportation Management-The View from Transportation Professionals: Telephone and online interviews conducted with transportation managers and executives from public and private sectors were used to determine how and whether the program should consider positioning itself in the higher education marketplace. A broad theme that emerged in interviews is the necessity of enhanced managerial training. In light of the continued emphasis on the acquisition of managerial skills-from transportation professionals and alumni, it is recommended that SJSU consider a joint MSTM/MBA degree as an option, facilitated by both programs and streamlined for students. This would augment their marketability in the field and increase their skill set. When considered in light of industry preference and student request, it certainly should be investigated as a possibility at SJSU.
Several transportation professionals suggested that students be required to write an "Educational Development Plan" early in their program, including academic plans and preliminary ideas for final projects. This requirement would teach students to develop personal plans of action, evaluate what it is they do not know and what they want to learn, teach students to take personal responsibility for the acquisition of skills and knowledge, and train them to visualize their future and make the decisions necessary to get them there.
Further, although a leadership course is offered in the curriculum, the concerted comments of students and professionals indicate that this component be even more strongly emphasized in the transportation management program.
Transportation professionals also suggested that a case-based curricular focus is highly valued, indicating that training should use transportation issues and policies to facilitate area-specific knowledge and the ability to apply general managerial, business, and quantitative skills to transportation problems.
Transportation professionals would also like to see transportation-specific courses that train students to develop, implement, oversee, and manage projects.
These interviews also uncovered a consistent theme-transportation professionals encourage programs to develop student writing and presentation skills. Accordingly, this report recommends that each student be assigned a mentor upon entry into the program, who would be available for assistance and consultation regarding improving these skills.
Transportation professionals mentioned the value of workshops offered by regulatory agencies. It is recommended that SJSU evaluate whether these workshops would be appropriate for advanced graduate students working on a related topic for their final project. The graduate program should also consider whether it could provide a scholarship for interested students.
Internships: It is recommended that SJSU investigate potential opportunities for collaboration with groups such as the Surface Transportation Policy Project. This would provide valuable experience and help graduates to integrate coursework into the realized needs of communities. SJSU is also encouraged to investigate international internships. If international internships are arranged for some of the best students, it would help to market the program, serve the students, and eventually benefit industry.
Short Courses: Interviews with transportation professionals indicate that a clear market for short courses exists in both private and public industry. The key is to design courses that teach skills and provide updates necessary for the successful transportation professional. Short or weekend-intensive courses focusing on emerging issues, regulatory changes, and changes in relevant law at the state and national level were mentioned by transportation professionals as extremely useful. These could be marketed to public and private organizations across the country. Transit professionals could be brought in as adjunct lecturers to run these intensive courses.
SJSU could also offer an "Update in Emerging Issues in Transportation" intensive weekend course twice a year and market this to professionals working in the field. Intensive weekend courses that develop writing skills and train managers in public speaking and the clear presentation of quantitative material would be well received and marketable to a wide variety of managers.
In addition, short courses on the use of relevant transportation software would be popular and useful for current students as well as managers from public and private industry.
Training in forecasting, benefit-cost analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and other quantitative methods in transportation policy would also be useful and relatively easy to market.
SJSU should not attempt to market a short intensive course that is 100 percent online at this time. Using online delivery as a component of a short course in which the students meet in person or teleconference will be more popular. The teleconferencing approach has support from students and professionals alike. However, if the SJSU Graduate Program in Transportation Management does decide to attempt to market an online course, it is the opinion of professionals and students alike that this course be quantitative in nature, with constrained subject matter, clear goals, and achievable objectives.
Delivery of Distance Learning Education: A review of the latest published information concerning delivery of distance learning education was conducted and synthesized for the report. Results indicate that for students and professors, real-time interaction when combined with facilitated asynchronous learning create the best environment for intellectual growth. Synchronicity in the virtual classroom maintains the ability to teach and mentor with real-time interaction between professor and student-allowing for interaction between professor and students, clear demonstration of skills, immediate feedback, networking, and exposure to other students with diverse sets of experiences and backgrounds. Asynchronous components allow students to work at their own speed through assignments as they would have done, even in the traditional classroom.
This report recommends bringing executives into the virtual classrooms as guest speakers through videoconferencing, encouraging professors to hold virtual office hours with a video camera present in their office and using current technology to facilitate two-way communication, providing incentives to professors to visit and deliver lectures from at least two video-conferenced sites during each course, building a virtual community in every course with interactivity and synchronous as well as asynchronous course content delivery, assignment of a technical assistant to every professor for every session, and consideration of using CourseWork software instead of WebCT-it is free, easier to use, more powerful, and available for download from the web.
In addition, in the interest of facilitating networking and collaboration, it is recommended that the graduate transportation management program invite all students to class orientations at the beginning of each semester, providing a venue for instruction in the use of the technology and an opportunity to encourage students to get to know one another and to develop virtual project teams.
The Graduate Program: Since most of the SJSU transportation management graduate students are currently California residents, marketing the program nationwide, and perhaps internationally, should be seriously considered. In marketing the program, it is recommended that SJSU emphasize the ongoing and high-profile research projects at the Mineta Institute and the active involvement of graduate students in these research efforts, thus raising the visibility and reputation of the SJSU program. In the presence of UC level competition, SJSU marketing should focus on its affordability and its utilization of cutting edge education technology.
If SJSU's transportation management program is able to develop stronger working relationships with the engineering programs on the SJSU campus, these connections should be emphasized in marketing materials-as they make the program more competitive, enhance content, and may provide an important theme in marketing efforts. Along these lines, either allowing students to take courses in the MBA program or offering the option of a joint MSTM/MBA would provide yet another selling point for the SJSU program while meeting the needs of current and future students that would like to market their skills to private industry.
Marketing the program internationally will require contacts with international universities that have facilities that allow participation in the videoconferenced classroom. Students are very excited about the prospect of working with, learning with, and understanding a variety of perspectives. At the very least, the SJSU program can facilitate and market the idea of global chatrooms for students to discuss transportation policy, projects, and problems with their international colleagues.
Short Courses: Short or weekend-intensive courses on emerging issues, regulatory changes, and changes in relevant law at the state and national level were mentioned by transportation professionals as extremely useful and popular. The AASHTO short courses may provide ideas for intensive courses that could be offered by SJSU. SJSU intensive weekend courses could be marketed through the webpages of professional conferences specializing in public policy, public administration, or transportation issues.
State DOTs are a ripe market for short courses such as these. It is clear that state DOTs have educational needs and often combine those needs with distributed videoconferencing facilities that emulate Caltrans. These state agencies are most often interested in short courses identified above. They usually have dedicated funds for training and travel and should represent the next foray for marketing attempts on the part of the graduate transportation management programs at SJSU. Competition for these available funds usually comes from agency workshops and/or state level provision of in-house education programs. SJSU is therefore in a unique position to differentiate itself and effectively market these short-term intensive courses as occurring in a university format.
Once a short course format is implemented, assessment of student satisfaction and learning outcomes could be used for additional marketing. An instrument distributed to students before they leave the course could give immediate feedback. These results are then used to market later courses.
It is recommended that transit professionals be recruited to teach the short intensive courses; this fact could be highlighted in marketing materials.
Satellite downlinks should also be considered for nationwide and international courses (budget allowing). Marketing the teleconferenced course or satellite downlinked course would be much easier and more profitable for the institute.
Overall, the SJSU Graduate Transportation Management Program is to be commended for their unique combination of traditional education and cutting edge distance learning. Implementing the recommendations in this report will allow for expansion and continued innovation.
introduction and purpose of the needs assessment
In 1996 the Graduate Transportation Management Program (GTMP) was initiated at San José State University (SJSU). With the support of the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), the GTMP now includes a Master of Science in Transportation Management and a Graduate Certificate in Transportation Management.
The current assessment of needs has been designed to determine how the program should best proceed to meet the graduate education needs of transportation professionals. The specific purpose of this needs assessment is to determine the best course for the future of the transportation program at SJSU.
This analysis addresses the extent to which instruction overlaps and/or competes with that offered by other institutions. Among the specific research questions to be addressed are the following:
In what way and to what extent are the SJSU curriculum and associated degree in transportation management unique when compared to other available programs?
To what degree have the existing configuration of strategies and resources successfully achieved the program's objectives?
What are the projections for success of the present configuration? Will it maintain a viable program?
A second major concern is the continuing financial viability of the program. To date, much of the program's financial support has come with funds secured from federal support for the MTI. Among the specific research questions to be addressed are the following:
In the event that federal support decreases or ceases, how can the program develop and expand its financial resources?
In the interest of generating additional support and enhancing existing support for the program, should the curriculum be modified and/or expanded to include private management subjects?
Either alternatively, or in conjunction with a shift toward private management subjects, should the program be modified to offer more specialized degrees or certificates that serve specific markets and education needs?
Third, with its statewide (and possibly national) foundation for student enrollment, the program to date has endeavored to embody state-of-the-art technology for distance learning. However, in this era of rapid technological change-particularly with respect to information technology-new potential means of program delivery may be practical as successors or complements to the technology currently used by the program. Among the specific research questions to be addressed are the following:
What technologies currently exist to enhance the delivery of distance learning in the GTMP?
Which of these would optimize the resources of the transportation management program?
Is the program competitive with respect to the use of emerging technologies by competitive institutions?
The findings are directly applicable to the design, management, and implementation of the program.
This study incorporates a variety of techniques and data sources, including the following:
Webpage Search/Analysis-A comprehensive search and analysis of the websites of other transportation-related education programs has been conducted. This data is used to determine the unique qualities of this program and the nature of potential competition.
Focus Groups-Focus groups were conducted with students and alumni to gain in-depth, qualitative information about student experiences with the program and applicability of the program to student careers in transportation management.
Online Surveys-Online surveys generally tend to have higher response rates than mailed surveys, and so were used in this venue. Online surveys were sent to current students to collect information with regard to the quality and appropriateness of the program's present configuration. Respondents received surveys uniquely designed to query their exact needs and determine their specific evaluations.
Telephone Interviews With Alumni-Alumni were interviewed individually to determine their experiences and perspectives regarding the transportation management graduate programs.
Interviews with Transportation Professionals-Telephone and online interviews were conducted with transportation managers and executives from the public and private sectors. These data are used to determine how and whether the program should consider positioning itself in the higher education marketplace.
Literature Review/Bibliographic Search-A review of the latest published information concerning delivery of distance learning education was conducted and synthesized for the report.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND AND WEB-BASED ANALYSIS OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS
The International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS) was created by Congress through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and established in the California State University system at the San José State University College of Business. In 1995, IISTPS was re-named as the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies, which became simply the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI). MTI continues as a University Transportation Center (UTC), reauthorized in 1998 by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).
MTI is unique among UTC's in two areas. It is the only center with an outside, internationally respected Board of Trustees, and it is the only center located in a College of Business. The Board provides policy direction, assists with needs assessment, and connects the institute and its programs with the international transportation community. The institute's focus on policy and management resulted from a board assessment of the industry's unmet needs and led directly to the choice of the San José State University College of Business as the institute's home.
The San José State University College of Business, with support from the Mineta Transportation Institute, currently offers two degree programs. The following information is from the program website in 2003:
The AACSB accredited Masters of Science in Transportation Management (MSTM) program requires the graduate student to attain 30 units via six core courses, three electives, and one cumulative experience capstone course. Admission requirements include an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 units of accredited course work, and a 500 on the GMAT. Students who do not possess either a bachelor or master's degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
The Certificate in Transportation Management (CTM) requires the student to acquire 12 units by taking any four core courses from the required six in the MSTM list, or three core courses and one elective. Students must have completed an undergraduate degree; however there are no GPA or GMAT requirements for the certificate program. However, if the students does not possess either a bachelor or master's degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction, they must receive a minimum of 550 on the TOEFL.
Technology: Two-way live video conferencing has been adapted for use by the graduate programs in transportation management. These courses originate at San José State University in the College of Business' virtual classroom and extend to 12 Caltrans district offices in California. Under particular circumstances that prevent a student from attending classes at Caltrans sites, the option of live streaming is available. Students may register online for both programs.
Cost and Financial Assistance: Tuition for the program has currently been set at $750.00 per course. Fellowship assistance of up to $4000 per semester is available for M.S. students.
Courses offered by the SJSU Mineta Transportation Institute programs (Course descriptions reprinted from the online catalog):
MTM 201: Fundamentals of Transportation Management-Provides a common core of surface transportation knowledge for further MSTM courses. Includes discussion of the historic development of transportation economics, policy, and culture. Reviews stakeholders whose commitment is necessary to create and sustain a successful transportation entity.
MTM 202: Accounting, Finance and Business Systems-Introduces financial and managerial uses of accounting information systems and concepts. Includes standard costs, cost-volume-profit relationships, contribution analysis, budgeting, performance measurement, variance analysis, working capital, valuing capital costs, and financing investment decisions. Explores use of complex information decision systems.
MTM 203: Transportation Markets and Business Development-Emphasizes positioning services to meet the needs of particular groups and market segments, and marketing the system to new users and user groups (including developing the public/private sector relationship). Examines strategies for developing the community relationship with marketing and public relations efforts (and using the media to advantage).
MTM 214: Transportation Policy and Regulation-Surveys political frameworks of governments as both customer and provider; development of transportation policy with public involvement; and performance measurement with public oversight. Reviews policy impact on intermodal development in seeking to manage public and private objectives and diverse agendas of federal, state, and local agencies.
MTM 215: Transportation Systems Planning and Development-Examines transportation system development interrelationships with land use, environmental management, and urban planning. Includes realities of politics, public administration, regulations and financing alternatives. Extends to construction administration including governmental approvals, specification development, contracting law and regulations, and fiscal control.
MTM 217: Leadership and Management of Transportation Organizations-A study of the human resource aspects of managing transportation systems, including labor/management collaboration/negotiation and consultative employee relations programs. Builds skills in leadership and team building within the context of bringing about organizational change in a complex transportation system.
MTM 290: Strategic Management in Transportation-Provides a culminating experience through an individual comprehensive project. A variety of external learning experiences (internships, field assignments, and mentoring), in-class case discussions and exercises provide a capstone seminar with practice in strategic planning to positively impact market environments in surface transportation. 3 units. Requires prior completion of 21 MSTM units.
MTM 283: Research Internship-With approval of the program administrator and the Research Director, students may apply for an internship with MTI. A research team, consisting of a student cohort group and/or MTI Research Associates, will conduct research related to a specific aspect of surface transportation management. (An opportunity exists to incorporate this internship with research related to the student's employment.)
MTM BUS 286: Project Management-Introduces Project Management and identifies the tools and techniques to resolve problems associated with bringing projects in on time and within an established budget. Discussion will include topics such as project scheduling, PERT/CPM resource leveling, team dynamics and cost estimates. The student will learn how to develop project proposals and project reports.
MTM 296A: Transportation and the Environment-This class examines the relationship between transportation and the environment with an emphasis on legal issues. Among the topics class sessions will address, are the Clean Air Act, vehicle inspection programs, land use planning, transportation demand control techniques, vehicle mileage standards, environmental impact reports, diesel engine controls, and contaminated property.
MTM 296B: Labor Relations in Transportation-This class provides grounding in labor laws and the development of public sector unions. It also emphasizes contract negotiation and managing under a union contract. To these latter ends, the class contains a negotiation simulation, and students are asked to examine a variety of arbitration cases involving: the right to organize, management rights, established practices, the necessity to arbitrate and the test of individual grievances.
MTM 297: Current Topics in Transportation-Guest speakers introduce key issues facing California transportation leaders-from land use decisions and funding, to the tasks facing city, county and state officials. Speakers will present their talks for 30-40 minutes at the start of class, followed by a question-and-answer session.
The Mineta Transportation Institute 2003 Comprehensive Needs Assessment begins with an analysis of the websites of other transportation-related education and distance-learning education programs. Transportation-related education programs are evaluated based upon the following attributes:
The nature of potential competition
Unique qualities of Mineta Transportation Institute's Transportation Management Program
Characteristics of selected programs that might be considered for adoption
Details for all selected programs follow the Summary of Findings and Recommendations.
The SJSU transportation management graduate programs represent a unique combination of traditional education and cutting edge distance learning. They are, in fact, quite unusual in this regard. No other program found has made such a determined attempt to bridge the gap between traditional and distance learning. However, it is also clear that there are several features of other programs which could easily be incorporated into the existing curriculum to make SJSU more competitive on the national level.
The moderate level of current tuition and the physical location of SJSU in some ways sets it apart from local competitors such as UC Davis. Although SJSU's program is primarily one of distance learning, the perception that the university is located in an urban area has a very positive impact. In addition, students who receive the high level of flexibility offered by videoconferencing programs will not need to address the issues of cost-of-living that traditional Bay Area students face. UC Davis remains one of the main threats to this program, through their similar levels of cooperation with Caltrans and considerable institutional support. UCD is desirable to many as a transportation management program because of the presence of an advanced practical lab that allows students to work with solar technology and state-of-the-art traffic modeling. Obviously, it would be very difficult for SJSU to construct its own lab, particularly considering the focus on distance learning. However, it may be possible to work with UCD to provide students access to their lab after the manner of cooperation visible in the Southern Transportation Center (STC) consortium.
The STC is a co-op comprising ten southern-region universities, shared resources, and similar institutional, corporate, and government support. Because SJSU students need not be physically present at the university, were SJSU to attempt to develop such a cooperative program within the western region of the United States, the resources of several universities could be pooled. Interestingly, none of the members of the STC have the level of distance-learning technology that SJSU has developed, nor do any of them offer the kind of liaison with state level agencies such as Caltrans. Only the University of Florida approaches the kind of non-traditional learning technologies that SJSU offers. Therefore, a joint effort among western, or even San Francisco Bay Area universities, has the potential of creating powerful competition for other programs across the country.
Another distinct area of opportunity for SJSU lies in the fact that several of the examined universities focus on regional specialties vital to their respective areas. It would be beneficial for SJSU to offer modules in regional issues and specializations, including coastal transportation issues, aviation, and other areas of interest to students and industry, thereby increasing the policy diversity of the program.
UC Irvine also has an innovative approach which should be studied for possible adaptation to the SJSU programs. The college itself has a relationship with the multi-racial suburb of Costa Mesa, allowing students to practice genuine urban planning and practical skills. This would be a simple matter-SJSU could establish such a relationship with any number of San Francisco Bay Area suburbs.
The three UC-level schools herein considered all have the advantage of UC-level funding and name recognition. In marketing its own program, SJSU should focus on its affordability and focus on cutting edge education technology in order to compete in a market that includes the University of California system.
The University of Denver comes closest to rivaling SJSU in distance-learning technology. It is, however, a full low-residence program, different from SJSU's technique of videoconferencing within the pre-existing structure of Caltrans. It requires five seven-day residencies, which is, incidentally, quite high for a low-residency program. Most similar programs of study require only bi-annual residencies. SJSU's students are generally located within the state of California, whereas UDenver's students may reside anywhere, so long as they travel to Colorado for the required residencies. It is an interesting approach, and is perhaps worth noting that SJSU could consider offering this as an option in the future, specifically as an alternative to the current quasi-residential program, but not a replacement. The extremely high tuition for this 15-month program-over $42,000-will deter many students. It is, therefore not in competition for the same student pool; however, the distance-learning aspect of their curriculum is worthy of further attention.
In addition, the University of Denver, no doubt in part because its professors are not burdened with daily lectures, takes part in a number of unusual research projects. One example is their study of human fatigue patterns as they relate to transportation planning. If SJSU could involve more of its professors and students in high-profile research projects such as this one, it would raise the visibility of the SJSU program, as well as allow students more opportunities to explore high-level research in transportation management.
In the area of corporate sponsorship, the University of Arkansas has taken the concept to a unique level. As the headquarters of Wal-Mart Inc. are nearby, UA Fayetteville has been taken almost entirely under the wing of that corporation, to the extent that they have named their program for Sam Walton, the company's founder. Their program is predicated and dependent upon the financial support of Wal-Mart. While corporate sponsorship is an excellent source of revenue, the UA lacks the sort of corporate sponsorship diversity that would lead an applicant to believe they were being trained objectively. The Silicon Valley area provides an ample number of possible public and private sponsors, and SJSU is in a position to benefit from this multiplicity of financial opportunities. Accordingly, care should be exercised in order to avoid the situation in which UA has placed itself, dependent primarily upon one sponsor and the appearance of having become a feeder for Wal-Mart management positions.
The University of Wisconsin at Madison has chosen to focus its program in large part on finding environmentally friendly methods of transportation planning and management. There is hardly a better area in the country for this kind of research and interest than the Bay Area, which is politically supportive of such attempts, as well as in need of results in this arena. The weakness of UW Madison is the extent to which it focuses on this problem. Creativity and diversity in the SJSU transportation programs should be encouraged. SJSU has the opportunity to incorporate the specialties of a variety of programs including Wisconsin's environmental approach, Iowa's rural focus, and Florida's concern with creative coastal transportation.
Transportation engineering programs are included here because many of the finest transportation planning programs are found under the auspices of engineering. At some date it may become advantageous for SJSU to develop stronger working relationships with the engineering programs on the SJSU campus. This would enhance the ability of the transportation management programs to compete for students and funding.
This study also found, but did not include for analysis, several international universities which offered solid programs with viable distance learning or low-residency options, such as the University of Swinburne in Australia, and the University of New Brunswick in Canada. Both of these programs are innovative, competitive, and are located in fast-growing communities. They represent programs that should be studied for potential in two areas. First, SJSU's graduate transportation programs would benefit considerably by the provision of joint conferences and/or jointly taught courses with an international university. This opportunity exists and should be thoroughly investigated-the indicated programs are naturals for initial contacts in this regard. Second, keeping track of innovations in these international programs could provide ideas for innovation at SJSU in either curriculum or methods for distance learning.
Each evaluated program is compared to SJSU with a modified SWOT framework so as to identify strengths and weaknesses of the evaluated program. The framework then evaluates opportunities for SJSU that become apparent after study of the strengths and weaknesses of the selected program. Finally, the modified SWOT analysis allows an evaluation of threats that exist for SJSU transportation management programs with specific reference to the competitor program.
Strengths and Weaknesses-The Evaluated Program. Strengths and weaknesses are evaluated as internal factors within each evaluated competitor program. Accordingly, strengths indicate areas of program excellence, while weaknesses point to areas where the evaluated program is potentially vulnerable.
Opportunities and Threats-San José State University. The notions of opportunity and threat are identified as external influences that SJSU's Transportation Management programs may respond to. Opportunities might be markets that are susceptible to development, areas of potential alliances, or other possibilities for growth within the SJSU program. Threats are indications of potential competition, specifically areas in which innovation or change might move SJSU into a more advantageous position.
The first section includes Masters of Science in Transportation Management programs and Certificate Programs in Transportation Management or Policy. The second section includes programs that offer a specialization in Transportation Engineering and Management.
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville-Strengths and Weaknesses
Fayetteville, while a small community, has been energized by the presence of the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart in the near vicinity. Students will have a chance to take part in the rapid growth of a new urban center, a unique experience.
Accelerated one-year program available.
Member of the Southern Conference of Graduate Schools.
UAF is extremely dependent on Wal-Mart. The School of Business is named for Wal-Mart's founder and leans heavily on the company for corporate funding and internships.
Wal-Mart is almost exclusively responsible for external sources of funding at this university.
Fayetteville, while proximal to a rapidly growing area, is not itself a high-growth zone. It is a small town that relies on the dynamism of its surrounding areas for much of the resources a student of transportation would require.
No certificate programs available.
UAF appears to be a very isolated program with few connections outside of Wal-Mart and the partnership of Southern Universities. Accordingly, there are few, if any, ways in which SJSU can cooperate or learn from its program.
None appreciable. SJSU offers a vastly superior program with wider ranges of government and corporate opportunities with a much more economic tuition plan, and is located in a more viable center for the study of transportation.
University of California, Davis-Strengths and Weaknesses (Transportation Planning and Design)
Has developed a practical lab to explore "research on behavioral implications of ITS technology, a pavements laboratory, a laboratory to conduct experiments of fuel cell and other electric vehicle propulsion systems, a driving simulator laboratory to test safety consequences of in-vehicle devices and a fleet of battery powered vehicles used for field testing." (Civil Engineering Department Website)
Location in Davis provides practical access to both suburban and urban centers.
Receives federal support from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Program is nested within the highly ranked Civil Engineering Department.
Proximity to and established relationship with Caltrans offices.
While UCD is located near the state capital of Sacramento, it is considerably further from the large urban center of San Francisco, to which many Bay Area universities, including SJSU, have easier access.
While UCD has implemented a program to develop a highly accessible distance learning program by 2006, this program is still developing for transportation students.
UCD must compete with Berkeley, CSU Sacramento, San José State University, Stanford, and many other area schools for qualified applicants. The Central Valley/Bay Area of California is saturated with highly-ranked universities.
The geographical proximity of the programs allows for, if SJSU elected to pursue such a program, the development of a consortium along the lines of the STC.
Since both programs are affiliated with Caltrans, there are opportunities for cooperation between departments.
SJSU and UCD offer a similar program, but SJSU has a substantially lower tuition. However, this is partially balanced by the higher cost of living in the Bay Area.
UCD is a higher-tier university than SJSU.
The practical laboratory is an impressive addition and will draw many applicants. SJSU might consider working with its Engineering department to create a similar program.
The fact that UCD is geographically nearby, when coupled with the similar emphasis of programs, means that SJSU is likely in competition with UCD for the best students.
Offers a M.S. and Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering, Transportation Policy, and Urban Planning and Development.
Functions within the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), which combines students and faculty from the "School of Engineering, the School of Social Sciences, the School of Social Ecology, the Graduate School of Management, and the Department of Information and Computer Science." The Institute also hosts visiting scholars from the U.S. and abroad to facilitate cooperative research and information exchange, and sponsors conferences and colloquia to disseminate research results." (ITS website)
Proximity to the Los Angeles area and surrounding suburbs provides practical experience for students.
UCI has a community outreach program with the city of Costa Mesa wherein students work at exactly the sort of projects which they can expect in post-graduate employment.
Few appreciable distance learning programs. While UCI has a developed Distance Learning Center, there are few courses which apply to transportation management.
High tuition and cost of living.
Again, were SJSU to pursue the same consortium-style program as the STC, UCI could be a valuable link to Southern California. At any rate, a resource-sharing program could be extremely beneficial as Los Angeles poses several unique transportation dilemmas.
SJSU could also benefit from association with the resources of the ITS, and perhaps imitate its broad multi-discipline format.
Again, SJSU can compete with lower tuition cost and relationship with Caltrans.
UCI is a higher-tier university than SJSU.
Those students wishing to study the unique issues of Southern California transportation will naturally prefer this program.
The ability to offer Ph.D. programs increases viability as a complete program which can provide for the entirety of students' educational needs.
The relationship with Costa Mesa supplies exactly the kind of practical experience that employers will later value, and this program is unique in its close cooperation with a small community.
Affiliation with the Connecticut Transportation Institute.
Offers a thesis-based M.S., Ph.D., and various graduate internship programs.
Located in the midst of New England, which poses many transportation issues, providing practical experience for students.
Offers separate master's programs for students wishing to go on to doctoral work.
Runs the Technology Transfer Center which uses the program participants to benefit the surrounding community and several hands-on laboratories.
While one type of distance learning is available, UConn has opted to focus their non-traditional teaching techniques on in-classroom technology and satellite teleconferencing, rather than online education.
Though UConn is located in the busy center of New England, it is located in a very small town which is quite far from the urban centers of New York, Boston, and Providence.
There are many other universities in the area which will compete and likely win, if only through their name recognition, the lion's share of qualified applicants. Harvard and MIT are only two.
The variety of tailored master's degrees is a very attractive aspect of this program. It provides a feeling of individuality.
SJSU has a far more developed distance learning program.
Tuition is a factor here, as well. SJSU is able to offer a very inexpensive program.
Many of these programs have multiple laboratories and outreach programs.
Additionally, the sheer diversity and creativity of the East Coast universities makes them in some ways more competitive.
Accelerated 15-month program combines on-site learning with distance programs in a dynamic fashion. The program is designed for students who are already full or part-time employed.
Proximity to the Denver civic area and practical experience to be gained therein.
Functions within the Intermodal Transportation Institute (ITI), a support institution similar to the Mineta Transportation Institute.
Interdisciplinary degree combines engineering and business with urban and regional planning.
Has a special research program designed to study patterns of human fatigue as they pertain to transportation systems.
Extremely high tuition for a publicly-funded university-approximately $42,000 for the 15-month program.
Low-residency program may not attract younger students who have not yet made an entry into the private sector.
High focus on unusual research projects mean that professors are not necessarily focused on the development of their students, who are at any rate only present for five seven-day residencies.
Such a deliberate low-residency program is a good option for universities such as SJSU to offer students with the intent of diversifying a program, but should not replace traditional learning, as it has done at UD. There is no full-residency option for transportation students.
Nevertheless, the distance learning programs are extremely advanced, of necessity, and bear some scrutiny.
While UD does not have a full-residency program, SJSU does not have a fully integrated low-residency program. This fundamental difference means that the two universities will attract different kinds of students and do not compete on the same level.
Offers an advanced distance and web learning program.
Transportation specialization is nested in larger Policy Studies Department. It exists as a focus within master's degrees offered in various urban planning and public administration fields. This provides flexibility in post-graduate employment-the applicant is able to demonstrate skills in multiple fields.
GSU is located in downtown Atlanta, in the midst of the largest urban center in the South. This provides instant practical access to multiple transportation management cases and issues.
Offers certificate programs and specializations in Aviation Transportation, a field not often covered in traditional transportation programs.
GSU offers the equivalent of SJSU's Transportation Management program, but does not provide a separate course of study per se. The class offerings are virtually identical, but the degree in question is urban planning and public administration with a specialization in transportation.
No federal connective programs.
Location in such a large city center means there are far fewer opportunities for community programs such as SJSU's liaison with Caltrans or UTK's partnership with the community of Knoxville.
There appears to be little extra-academic support or corporate assistance for the program, with the exception of the resources of the STC.
The Certificate in Aviation is an interesting way to diversify a traditional Transportation Management program, one which might be considered by SJSU.
The WebCT program, GSU's distance learning department, is completely integrated into the rest of the university and widely utilized by all departments. SJSU should strive for this level of cooperation between Internet technology and traditional learning techniques.
The cooperation between Policy, Urban Planning, and Human Resources Departments serves to further diversify a unique program.
SJSU and GSU are both state universities; when competing for the same students, GSU's diverse program may be attractive to some of these applicants.
Membership in the STC consortium provides a network that allows GSU to shore up its deficiencies in corporate and federal sponsorship with connections to other universities that possess these assets.
Atlanta is to the South what San Francisco is to the West Coast. SJSU will have a difficult time attracting students from the South when such a competent program exists within this urban center.
Georgia Tech's program is actually cross-integrated with GSU's, so the two universities are geographically proximal and extremely cooperative, providing huge resources for students.
The graduate program at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering ranks number 5 nationally in the field of Civil Engineering and number 8 in Environmental Engineering. The Georgia Institute of Technology ranks number 4 nationally among graduate engineering schools.
This program is aligned with the Georgia Transportation Institute, very similar to the alignment between the Mineta Transportation Institute and SJSU degree programs in transportation management.
A joint-degree program resulting in a Master of City Planning and a Master of Science in Engineering is available. This, in essence, serves the same purpose as a transportation management degree and adds a strong preparation in science.
As a technical university, Georgia Tech's reputation enhances the expectations for technical expertise in graduates.
Advanced distance learning center with individual proctors assigned to oversee Internet coursework.
Several universities that offer comparable programs are clustered in the Atlanta area, and therefore saturate the market.
No certificate programs available.
Considering the creativity of some of the other programs in the STC, Georgia Tech is a rather straightforward program that will likely lose some students to the more progressive departments.
The proctor system which provides an overseer for each distance student's educational experience lends a gravity and discipline to online learning which should be considered and possibly used to enhance the online experience in SJSU's program.
The concept of the close, cooperative, circuit of area universities would be a great benefit to Bay Area campuses, especially when utilizing the same urban center for the provision of practical experience.
Many of these universities, including Georgia Tech, have a great deal of communication between the Engineering Departments, Departments of Civic or Urban Planning, and Transportation Management. Multi-departmental programs provide a great deal of curricular diversity and in turn produce more marketable graduates.
This is a campus highly comparable to SJSU, and includes institutional support similar to Mineta. SJSU offers more individual programs, and in this way remains competitive with Georgia Tech.
This university is nested in the Atlanta area, and provides more immediate access to practicum than the San Jose area.
Access to the resources and challenges of a rural planning area is a contrast to urban programs.
Interdepartmental major drawing from both engineering and business schools.
Opportunities available to design an independent program for the master's degree.
Joint degrees are offered with the College of Business and Public Policy and Administration Program.
Affiliated with the CTRE (Center for Transportation Research and Education), similar to the Mineta Transportation Institute and in partnership with Iowa Department of Transportation.
For students uninterested in rural transportation issues and subsequent employment in such an area, ISU offers little incentive to locate in the area.
Interdepartmental major means that there are few, if any, faculty exclusively devoted to transportation management.
As most of the programs thus far considered are on either coast of the U.S., ISU offers the opportunity to study rural transportation management, something SJSU does not provide.
UM ranks number 17 in U.S. News and World Report's national ranking system.
Extensive online coursework provides access to course materials, virtual classroom discussions, feedback to instructors, as well as online assessment.
Proximity to the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. urban areas.
Affiliation with the National Defense Transportation Association.
While courses are integrated with and supplemented by online materials, there are no full courses available online.
Program is a minor part of a larger business school.
SJSU already surpasses UM in distance learning technology.
SJSU should continue to develop affiliations, such as UM's association with the National Defense Transportation Association.
Proximity to and long-standing relationship with the capitol and federal programs.
Impressive ranking places UM on the top of publicized lists, providing a great deal of exposure.
Extremely high name recognition factor.
Affiliation with Northwestern Transportation Center, which provides a hub for interdisciplinary studies and executive training as well as federally-funded research.
Proximity to the major urban area of Chicago. O'Hare Airport is the busiest in the world, providing a unique opportunity for those students interested in air transportation planning.
A board exists within the Northwestern Transportation Center of 75 top transportation executives from the U.S. and abroad that guides the program and to which students can turn for advice.
High tuition and difficult admissions policies. The transportation management faculty are within the Civil Engineering Department, and, like all engineering departments, this one requires a level of calculus and physics proficiency that many aspiring students will not possess.
Distance learning focuses on undergraduate and extension courses rather than substantial graduate work.
The panel within Northwestern's advisory center could be adapted for SJSU to include transportation officials from Caltrans, executives from Mineta, IT specialists from the Bay Area, and local policymakers to provide an invaluable and dynamic group to shape the future of the San Francisco Bay Area and guide the program for students.
SJSU has an advantage over the big-name universities like Northwestern in that SJSU tuition is much lower, financial aid is easier to obtain, and the program is smaller in size. It is unlikely that SJSU will be able to achieve comparable name recognition; however, recruitment can be focused on the many advantages of the CSU system.
As stated, SJSU does not have an equal reputation with schools of this type.
SJSU does not currently offer doctoral programs in this or related fields and therefore does not have the same level of research opportunities or funding as a school of Northwestern's size.
Centered in the largest urban area in the United States, New York City. This presents innumerable transportation-specific case studies for the practical student.
Affiliated with TRI (Transportation Research Institute), an institute similar to MTI, and also has partnerships with NYSDOT, the New York Department of Transportation, and many international departments.
Advanced distance learning center with resources for all aspects of the Civil Engineering Department.
Polytechnic does not have the international reputation of many of the other schools in the area, such as NYU or Columbia.
High cost of living--the highest in the United States.
While there are many distance learning options so far as research goes, there are no online courses at this time.
TRI has excellent international liaisons, partnering with sister organizations in nations such as France. This sort of global networking is always a great advantage to any campus and should be pursued by SJSU.
A link between New York area schools and California programs might prove beneficial in exploring bi-coastal transportation issues. However, a more prestigious program would prove a better partner for SJSU.
Universities located in New York have a unique draw for students interested in large urban centers.
As a private university, Polytechnic has more access to corporate funding and partnerships.
Joint program exists between Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Transportation, called the Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), which culminates in a large yearly conference known as "Road School."
Proximity to the Indianapolis urban area.
Some distance learning opportunities.
High tuition and stringent admission policies. The program is referred to as Transportation and Infrastructure Systems Planning, and is somewhat more complex than traditional transportation management.
Distance learning is almost exclusively video and correspondence based and does not utilize the Internet to its full potential.
No distance learning program exists for the Master's in Transportation and Infrastructure Systems.
The university is physically located in a fairly small town; though urban areas are accessible, it is not comparable to the Bay Area or Chicago region.
The "Road School" program, a major yearly conference for students, city planners, and experts of all areas of civil engineering and management, is an excellent notion and could be adapted for use in the Bay Area and promoted by SJSU.
SJSU's distance learning focus provides a much more flexible program.
SJSU's ability to compete with schools of this size resides in its smaller program, lower tuition, innovation, and location. The larger schools very often cling to traditional learning and neglect the innovations that SJSU encourages.
As with Northwestern, SJSU will have difficulty competing with Purdue with regard to the prestige factor.
The JTRP is very large and impressive and has a long-established tradition which rivals the SJSU program.
Rutgers University-Strengths and Weaknesses (Certificate in Transportation Studies)
Proximity to New Jersey and New York area urban centers.
Any graduate student may pursue this certificate.
Diverse institutional resources (from Rutgers' website): "In 1991, the National Transit Institute (NTI) was started at Rutgers as a congressional mandate under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. In 1998, the Board of Governors established the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, combining NTI with a newly formed Transportation Policy Institute to create a focal point for transportation research and outreach at the university. The School of Engineering, through the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering, has created the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), a U.S. Department of Transportation research center, focusing on technology-based solutions."
Cross-disciplinary program encompasses work from Engineering, Public Policy, and Planning Departments.
Certificate program only-no M.S. available.
Distance learning focused on continuing and adult education programs, not graduate studies.
For a certificate program, the curriculum is rather broad, encompassing technology and design as well as policy and planning. Therefore, a student might not get enough experience in their chosen specialty within transportation studies.
With time, SJSU will be able to build the kind of tiered institute system of which Rutgers boasts.
SJSU, by offering an M.S. as well as a certificate, has a better program with more resources; however, Rutgers has better name recognition, and thus will draw students easily, whereas SJSU must advertise its program's superiority in order to win over those same students.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville-Strengths and Weaknesses
Logistics and Transportation Department ranked number 1 in the nation by a Foster Partners study.
Has a unique joint M.S./MBA program within an integrated Marketing, Logistics, and Transportation Department.
Community of Knoxville is integrated into the program through conferences and extensive practicum projects.
Offers a doctoral program in Marketing, Logistics, and Transportation.
Knoxville is a smaller community, and thus does not offer the same opportunities for large-scale practical experience as universities in larger urban areas. This could, however, be turned into a strength, as experience in suburban management is also necessary.
While there are many off-campus (community liaison) and independent study courses, there are currently few, if any, distance learning opportunities.
There appears to be much corporate support for the program, however, it is mainly in the field of recruiting, rather than funding or integrated training.
SJSU offers a considerably more flexible program than UTK.
The integrated M.S./MBA program is a good opportunity for these students and draws a great deal of corporate attention. SJSU should also consider facilitating this option for their students.
SJSU has far superior location value, however, community liaisons with smaller cities might contribute needed transportation management experience that is broader than the traditional urban focus.
UTK is a considerably larger campus than SJSU, and thus is able to draw corporate interest.
The ability to offer a Ph.D. program is a heavy draw for qualified applicants.
The integration of Marketing and Transportation Departments provides a fresh and attractive approach to transportation education.
Three semesters of cooperative experience with an outside company is required.
A concurrent certificate in Business is available with the M.S. in Transportation.
Housed within one of the largest departments in the university-Civil Engineering- funding and resources are more easily available to students.
Financial aid is ample and easily available.
Functions within the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), which is very similar to the ITS at UC Irvine.
Located in a small town with low cost of living, but near the urban hub of Houston.
Though distance learning is available for many subjects, it is not available for transportation studies. Some civil engineering courses offered online may prove applicable to a student, but on the whole the program is not accessible through the current distance learning center.
University is located in College Station, TX, which is a small town with few opportunities for practical experience. Students will have to travel to Houston for corporate and federal experience, some 100 miles away.
No certificates in transportation are available, though the concurrent certificate in business is an asset.
Due to distance and difference in relevant local transportation issues, there is little to be gained in cross-campus programs with Texas A&M.
The concurrent certificate program in business could be adapted to the needs of SJSU, and would fulfill some of the needs of students and industry for more specific business skills.
Higher name recognition factor.
A&M University is better able to cater to business and engineering students than a traditional university.
University of Wisconsin, Madison-Strengths and Weaknesses (Certificate in Transportation Management and Policy)
Proximity to both rural and urban (Madison and Milwaukee) areas of civic development.
Focus on environmentally-friendly transportation options within the Nelson Institute, an organization that oversees civic development and environmental sciences.
Certificate program only-there is no M.S. available.
The program is overwhelmingly focused on environmental aspects of transportation management, which may interest some students, but is narrow enough to exclude many.
This is a very new program, implemented only within the last two years, and thus has no history to recommend it.
University of California, Berkeley-Strengths and Weaknesses (Transportation Engineering)
Name Recognition-Berkeley is a renowned institution with an international reputation for excellence and a highly respected degree program.
Concurrent degree program is available with the City and Regional Planning Department and Logistics Certificate Program.
Encourages cross-listed courses in Economics, Logistics, Intelligence Systems, and Environmental Planning.
Choice between terminal thesis or exam is available.
Location in the Bay Area provides access to a large urban sector wherein practical experience in transportation management can be obtained.
No certificate in transportation management or engineering available.
Tuition is considerably more expensive than SJSU levels.
Less than 50 percent of students go on to doctorate level work.
Admission requirements are considerably more stringent than SJSU-background in physics, calculus, and statistics plus higher scores for TOEFL students.
Proximity to SJSU provides opportunities for cross-campus cooperation.
Proximity to the Bay Area and Caltrans offices provides practical experiences for developing students.
Berkeley focuses on traditional education techniques, thus, SJSU has the opportunity to offer a more holistically advanced program through distance learning and the utilization of Internet technology.
Berkeley will always have an extremely high name recognition factor-far above that of any CSU level university.
Proximity to SJSU means that the two campuses may be in competition for certain qualified applicants.
Berkeley has greater access to private funding and therefore is able to provide more services to their students.
University of Florida, Gainesville-Strengths and Weaknesses (Transportation Engineering)
Part of the STC (Southeast Transportation Center) consortium which links the programs of ten different universities together.
Unique coastal transportation problems in the Florida Keys create the opportunity to teach from local cases. Practical experience can be gained in these unusual systems.
Has an advanced distance learning program-FEEDS (The Florida Engineering Education Delivery System) which includes CD-ROM, streaming Internet video, and video cassette technologies.
Four semester Master's in Transportation Engineering available, also a Certificate in Traffic Operations is offered.
Terminal theses can be submitted, revised, approved, and published electronically.
Program puts emphasis on coastal transportation issues since they are relevant to the university's location. However, this may not be a transferable skill once students enter the workforce in locations that do not face the same challenges as Florida.
Although its membership in the STC is an asset, such consortiums also spread the resources of a single program between many campuses, making individual programs weaker.
This program, while linked to several other universities, does not have obvious government or corporate links to the practical market of transportation technology.
The Transportation Engineering and Traffic Operation degree programs are nested in the much larger Coastal and Civic Engineering Department, and thus less focus is placed on these specializations within the parent field.
The University of Florida has an excellent distance learning program; however, courses are not always consistently offered through FEEDS. Programs with consistent offerings of online and distance learning courses could position themselves to compete.
The electronic thesis option, if available at SJSU, should be marketed as an opportunity for students.
SJSU has not been as successful when drawing qualified applicants from the East Coast. UFL is much more accessible to these potential students.
SJSU does not currently have programs which deal in coastal transportation issues to the extent that UFL does.
The distance learning program at UFL is well-developed and inexpensive, all in all, comparable to and competitive with SJSU. Simultaneously, UFL is in a higher tier of universities, comparable to the UC system, and therefore has a higher prestige factor.
North Carolina State University, Raleigh-Strengths and Weaknesses (Transportation Engineering)
Located in the Raleigh-Durham Triangle, the most populated and developed part of North Carolina, providing access to the large urban center as well as to traffic patterns exiting the area-no other part of the state has so many opportunities for unique practical experience.
Consistently ranks among the top 20 engineering programs.
Affiliated with the Center for Transportation Engineering Studies, which is funded by NCDOT, the equivalent of Caltrans in North Carolina.
While distance learning is available for many programs, it does not encompass Transportation Engineering.
There appears to be a cluster of schools with similar programs in the South, which will reduce the number of top-notch students at each university.
Students interested in Urban Planning and Transportation Systems may gravitate towards larger city centers than the Raleigh-Durham area.
SJSU may consider a link with area universities similar to the STC's model. However, as noted, there are drawbacks to this level of cooperation.
Students can obtain a similar level of education and network access at NCSU.
SJSU's more developed distance learning facilities make it a more viable option for a market trying to integrate IT into the traditional education/civil engineering fields.
University of Washington, Seattle-Strengths and Weaknesses (Transportation Engineering)
Proximity to the urban center of Seattle, the largest city in the Northwest.
UW is one of the best programs in civil and transportation engineering in the country. In 1975, the Transportation Engineering program received the third largest university level grant in history from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration's Office of University Research.
Affiliated with TRAC, the Washington State Transportation Center, similar in function to Caltrans.
In its region, UW has no real competitors. One must go to California and the Bay Area before equivalent programs are found. Therefore, the pool of qualified candidates is likely to gravitate towards this one program, allowing UW to be more selective and host some of the best qualified students.
No certificate programs currently available.
While some lectures and special events are available online, there is currently no coursework at the graduate level which can be accessed online in this field.
High tuition-UW has recently raised its tuition and now has the highest publicly-funded university tuition on the West Coast.
Cost of living in Seattle is very high, and UW is located downtown, an excellent area for a transportation student, but with very high rents.
The UW program may serve as a model for aspiring departments elsewhere-they are able to draw great amounts of corporate funding and public monies. SJSU is in an area that is somewhat similar to Seattle, simply in that there are many technological leaders based in the vicinity. In the next decade or so, SJSU could take advantage of the corporate sponsorship made possible by such proximity and grow into a very prestigious program.
As with many of these programs, SJSU can offer a cheaper degree and much more advanced distance learning.
A student focus group was conducted in Professor Brown's MTM 217 course on Monday, April 14, 2003. In this particular focus group we interviewed four students in the CTM program and nine students in the MSTM program (the focus group questionnaire used for current students can be found in Appendix A).
A self-administered qualitative questionnaire was sent to Professor Ron Sylvia's MTM 296B Labor Relations in Transportation Management course on May 8, 2003. Professor Sylvia distributed the questionnaire via e-mail to all registered students in that course.
General Analysis of Student Focus Group Results
Overall, students are enthusiastically in support of the program and see it as instrumental in advancing their careers. They have a few specific complaints as detailed below, however these complaints are mild compared to their overall satisfaction. In brief, from the student's perspective, the program would be greatly strengthened by the expanded use of outside speakers and an expansion in course offerings that would include geographic or spatial planning, public participation, implementation, and global issues. Students would also like the program expanded to include students from other states and countries.
There was general agreement that courses are very valuable and relevant to career goals. The videoconferencing in particular is very popular among students, and despite some pointed comments that the professors need technological assistance and support, the students enjoy the ease, accessibility, and flexibility afforded by the videoconferencing format. In fact, they would like to see more locations for videoconferencing.
Online instruction seems popular as one component of a course, however the vast majority of students were against any 100 percent online format for any course. It is clear that students would like to see an expanded online library with increased availability of online research resources.
Faculty members are perceived as extremely knowledgeable, accessible, and available for advising if the need should arise. Overall, faculty members take students' backgrounds into consideration when they teach courses, and the variety of students in the program is a significant "plus."
Detailed Report of Focus Groups
The focus group began with queries about course offerings in the CTM and the MSTM programs.
When asked whether there were an appropriate range of courses offered in the program, students generally responded that yes, there were an appropriate range to choose from. In response to the self-administered qualitative questionnaire; one student stated that "the courses appear to be specific and focused."
When asked which courses had been most valuable, students indicated that Professor Peter Haas' course, MTM 201: Fundamentals of Transportation Management, had been extremely valuable, one student stated that the course "made me want to stay in the program."
Students also agreed that MTM 215: Transportation Systems Planning and Development, is a valuable course, with one student offering that the "open discussions provided valuable perspectives from students."
When students responded that there were not enough courses offered in the programs, they cited a variety of reasons including:
Students felt that there should be a wider range of electives beyond the core courses, in particular they would like to see courses in geographic or spatial planning, courses emphasizing public participation, courses in implementation of transportation policies, and more courses on the global aspects of transportation.
Students agreed that the marketing course should be geared more toward transportation and the public sector-the current emphasis was not on transportation issues.
Several students felt that the capstone course should be offered more often.
When asked whether the content of the available courses was relevant in their present jobs, the consensus of students was that yes, the courses are relevant to their present jobs. Their reasons included the following:
"The courses give me an understanding of how my work ties in with the strategic scheme."
"The MTM program coincides with the organization that I am working for... a public transportation organization."
"The courses gave me an understanding of how funds are allocated and how projects were put together."
"Courses have helped me to understand in a broad sense how my work ties into the big picture."
"The mission statement of Caltrans is now understandable."
"The MTM 215 course offered by Nick Compin helped me to learn a lot about things I wasn't aware of. It presented a broad overview and explained the relevance of transportation, with theory and application combined."
When asked how courses might be improved, students stated that:
They wanted to learn more about other segments of transportation rather than just government agencies.
They wanted more on international issues including ocean transportation, air traffic issues, and trucking.
They also expressed the feeling that the planning course required more emphasis on implementation.
Students agreed that project management needed to be combined with development, construction, and implementation-and that these components were critical.
In the area of marketing, students would like to see more emphasis on marketing in transportation-especially with specific focus on the public sector.
Several students mentioned that they would like to see more speakers from the field and exposure to lots of different perspectives.
Transportation Management
Program at San José State University
Mineta Transportation Institute
San José State University
San Jose, CA. 95192-0219
Tel (408) 924-7560
Fax (408) 924-7565
E-mail:
mti@mti.sjsu.edu
http://transweb.sjsu.edu
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UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATENESS WITHIN THE FIELD
POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF THE CURRICULUM
teaching technology
SJSU's CURRENT TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
WEB-BASED ANALYSIS OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
detailed breakdown of individual programs
Modified SWOT Analysis of Competitive Transportation Management Programs
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Programs with Transportation Engineering Specialization
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analysis of current students-Student Focus Groups
Course Offerings
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Relevance of Course Content
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