This site is for the use of the College of Arts and Sciences Assessment Committee in preparing thier majors and graduate student assessment plans.
SOME INTERESTING LINKS
University of Wisconsin - On Measurement techniques
University of Colorado at Bolder - Outcomes
North Central guidelines for assessment
WMU GUIDE for Departmental Assessment
http://assessment.gmu.edu/AcadProgEval/index.shtml
http://assessment.gmu.edu/AcadProgEval/guide.shtml
http://www.bsu.edu/web/assessment/index.htm
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/
http://www.aahe.org/assessment/
http://www.iport.iupui.edu/about/about_sites.htm
http://www.siue.edu/~deder/assess/
http://assessment.gmu.edu/
University Assesment Review Committee Information This site will help those with departmental assesment plans get ready for the review by the University committee.
with a link to Bloom's taxonomy at:
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/bloom.html
For the November 22, 2002 meeting of the committee department representatives were asked to report on the goals and objectives for their majors.
GOALS FOR UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH MAJORS
A. All English Majors
1. Students will be able to write effectively for multiple audiences and purposes.
2. Students will be adept at revising and editing their own and others' writing..
3. Students will be able correctly and cogently to use critical literary and linguistic terms to analyze texts.
4. Students will be able to discuss the salient features of the various genres of literature (poetry, short fiction, non-fiction, novels, film and drama) using examples from actual texts.
5. Students will be able to think critically about a variety of texts in various media so they can carry their skills in critical analysis to a wide range of settings
6. Students will be able to employ a number of theoretical approaches to reading literature
7. Students will read literature from a wide range of historical periods and understand the ideas inherent in traditional historical literary periods, as well as some of the limitations of textual periodization
8. Students will understand the history and structures of the language as well as how varieties of expression operate within speech communities.
B. English Education Majors
1. Students will use accepted pedagogical concepts and literary theories to teach literature at the secondary level.
2. Students will know core concepts of teaching writing and will be able to translate those concepts into classroom practices.
C. Creative Writing Majors
1. Students will be able to write creatively in at least one genre (poetry, fiction, drama, creative non-fiction).
D. Practical Writing Majors
1. Students will be able effectively to write and analyze the forms of non-fiction prose such as research papers and reports, personal writing and professional writing within an organizational setting.
Department of English
Western Michigan University
Graduate Program
Mission Statement and Competencies, by Degree Level
Fall 2002
The Graduate Program in English at Western Michigan University provides learning, research, and service opportunities for graduate students enrolled in the MA in English, the MA in the Teaching of English, the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and the PhD in English. In addition to supporting Western Michigan University's Mission as a student-centered research university, the Graduate Program:
" Provides a faculty/student ratio that encourages strong mentoring relationships
and encourages students to feel connected to the profession
" Offers a wide variety of coursework that deepens students' knowledge
of literature, language, and pedagogy
" Fosters professionalism by presenting workshops that prepare students
to enter academic and non-academic employment
" Supports a graduate student organization that fosters collegiality among
students and provides them with governance opportunities
In order to deliver the objectives listed above, faculty in the Department of English have identified the following competencies and have used them as part of their curricular and programmatic planning:
Master's Degree Competencies
Scholarship
" Identify and discuss the dominant historical and rhetorical dimensions
of a text in one's field (and in related fields), with additional emphasis on
the history and current state of scholarship concerning that text
" Recognize, locate and use the appropriate and relevant print and electronic
research sources for both primary and secondary materials
" Practice a variety of academic writing assignments pertinent to the field,
including annotated bibliographies, conference paper abstracts, paper proposals,
and well-developed and sophisticated scholarly papers of varying lengths.
Professionalism
" Deliver a paper at an appropriate regional or national conference
" Submit a book review or an article for publication in a scholarly journal
" Develop and maintain a curriculum vitae and become familiar with academic
and non-academic job markets and conventions
Teaching/Pedagogy
" Develop an awareness of scholarly work that supports good pedagogy
" Demonstrate the ability to transfer pedagogical theory into practice
in a classroom setting
" Compile and maintain a teaching portfolio that includes teaching evaluations
and reflections upon various teaching practices
" Learn to review textbooks in your field
Doctoral Degree Competencies
In addition to the competencies listed above, doctoral students should also demonstrate ability in the following ways.
Scholarship
" Develop a polished academic writing style
" Learn to write a dissertation proposal and to carry through the dissertation
to a successful defense
Professionalism
" Participate in departmental hiring, especially by attending job candidate
talks
" Tailor one's graduate school experience towards the type of academic
or non-academic job that one hopes to obtain
" Develop familiarity with departmental governance by serving on departmental
committees and attending department meetings
Teaching/Pedagogy
" Teach English Department courses in the area of one's specialization
in a successful manner
" Put together a rationale/proposal and a syllabus for reasonable and interesting
courses at the upper-division for both:
o Core course (Such as ENGL 321, American Literature II)
o Special topics courses
The Department's Goals are:
1. Provide high quality program offerings for the major, minor, and other students
taking economics courses.
2. Impart a thorough understanding of economic theory, methods, and their applications.
3. Offer students a diverse menu of courses.
4. Develop critical thinking by our students.
5. Develop writing and speaking skills of our students.
6. Prepare our students for graduate and professional schools, and appropriate
career opportunities.
Students must have:
1. Knowledge and understanding of core concepts and relationships in microeconomic
theory.
2. Knowledge and understanding of core macroeconomic relationships and the divergent
views of these relationships taken by economists.
3. Knowledge and understanding of how economic theory contributes to the analysis
and evaluation of public policy.
4. Working knowledge of the mathematical concepts used in economic analysis.
5. Knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply statistical and econometric
methods to data sets.
6. Ability to apply economic theory to real world problems.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Assessment Goals and Objectives
[Goals (broader statements) are italicized. Objectives (measure-able) are indented.
These are not presented in any particular order.]
PRIMARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Demonstrate an understanding of sociological theory and methods.
Understand problems in the functioning of societies and comprehend how
social units change.
Understand empirical research of human behavior, including the limitations of
this way of knowing about the world. This includes understanding of both
qualitative and quantitative methods of research.
Apply sociological understandings of human behavior to practical, everyday
situations.
Be able to define theory and describe its relationship to sociological knowledge
and research.
Compare and contract basic theoretical orientations.
Identify assumptions underlying particular theoretical and methodological orientations
or arguments.
Read statistical reports of research and analyze them.
Critique an empirical social science study, including recognition of strengths
and
weaknesses of the methodology and of the data analysis.
Read critically and think independently about social issues and social policy.
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of groups, organizations,
and institutions.
Understand how institutions and organizations work, including interdependence
of social systems and conflicts of interests within and between social units.
Understand how both people and social structures influence the perceptions,
attitudes, and actions of individuals and institutions.
Demonstrate an ability to think critically about social processes and systems.
Comprehend and summarize existing knowledge.
Apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge about social processes and
systems.
Present opposing viewpoints and alternative hypotheses on various issues.
Show how historical context illuminates understandings of a social process or
system.
Understand and explicate the interdependencies of interpersonal, organizational,
national, and global processes or systems.
Demonstrate an understanding of the sociological approach to the analysis of
values.
Understand how personal and cultural values result from social forces and
structures.
Understand the complex and sometimes conflictual relationships between
beliefs and behavior.
Recognize the unintended social consequences of one's own social policy
preferences.
Understand issues of ethics regarding research on human subjects.
Understand how to use one's own personal history and identity as starting points
for sociological reflection and as a way to understand why one is attracted
to a
particular sociological paradigm.
Demonstrate an understanding of cross-cultural/comparative perspectives as
they relate to an understanding of sociological concepts and principles.
Understand the causes and consequences of prejudice and inequalities rooted
in
gender, ethnicity, age and class in U.S. society.
Understanding cross cultural variations and global interdependencies.
Explain the relevance of cross-cultural comparative data in examining human
behavior within a system.
SECONDARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
We list these as secondary because they relate to skills and knowledge which we want our majors to acquire. However, we see the University as having primary responsibility in meeting these goals and objectives. Our work is to reinforce these goals and objectives.
Demonstrate competent writing skills.
Communicate ideas clearly and effectively in writing.
Demonstrate proper citation and referencing techniques.
Write a clear thesis statement which addresses a sociological topic, problem,
or issue.
Be able to review theoretical and research literature and communicate clearly
how this literature relates to a sociological topic, problem, or issue.
Be able to present a logical argument that leads to a clear conclusion.
Be able to describe procedures and results of a research study.
Demonstrate competent oral presentation skills.
Communicate ideas clearly and effectively in an oral presentation.
Be able to review theoretical and research literature and communicate clearly
how this literature relates to a sociological topic, problem, or issue.
Be able to present a logical argument that leads to a clear conclusion.
Be able to describe procedures and results of a research study.
Demonstrate technological competency.
Use current technological search mechanisms to access scholarly materials.
Communicate via the internet.
Master at least one word processing program so as to be able to produce a
written report on the computer.
Enter quantitative data into SPSS and conduct an analysis of those data using
the computer as a research tool.
Leaning Objectives and Outcomes for Undergraduate Major
Department of Comparative Religion
1. Knowledge
a. Students should have an expertise in two or more religious traditions.
b. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the history of the study of religion.
c. Students must demonstrate an ability to apply basic cross-cultural categories
in
the study of religion.
2. Skills
a. Students should have critical thinking skills.
b. Students should be proficient in appropriate comparative methodologies.
c. Students should be able to write an academic essay.
3. Attitudes
a. Students must display respect and tolerance of peoples of diverse religious
and cultural
backgrounds.
b. Students must display an awareness of and sensitivity for the heterogeneity
of
perspectives and concerns within individual religious traditions.