Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and Objectives: Improvement of education quality of a university depends on the quality improvement of its departments. Therefore, internal evaluation of the department is an effective step in the quality growth of higher education system. The present study was performed aiming at internal evaluation of the Department of Environmental Health Engineering of the Qom University of Medical Sciences in 2010 took place.

Methods: This study was done using a descriptive cross-sectional method. Four questionnaires, including department manager, faculty members, students, and graduates were used to collect the data. In completing these questionnaires, interviews, observations and review of documents were also done, and they were interpreted and concluded by employing descriptive statistics in the form of frequency distributions and measures of central tendency and dispersion.

Results: The scores obtained for the goals and mission, management, and development of the department were 2.2, 2.1, and 2.82, respectively; the ratio of the number of faculty members to students, faculty members’ research activities, and satisfaction of the department were 2.23, 2.1, and 1.12, respectively; the ratio of the number of the students to the existing facilities, and awareness of the goals and missions of the department were 2.1, 1.75, respectively; and the ratio of the courses to the need of the graduates, satisfaction of the educational programs, and satisfaction of the content of the department programs were 1.68, 1.84, and 2.1, respectively.

Conclusion: According to the results of this research, there is necessary that university departments attempt to protect and promote the factors, which are in ideal conditions and plan to improve the adverse factors. University officials should provide necessary conditions and resources to improve the present situation and achieve the most desirable level.