Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2019-2020 Level: Undergraduate
Campus Department: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Major [UG] / Program [Grad]
Program Name: Philosophy BA
Description of Data Collection:
Indirect Assessment:
1. Beginning in Fall 2017, all senior majors are invited to complete an exit survey on completion of the major. Students are asked to assess how well our curriculum meets our stated learning objectives, how well they as students have achieved our learning objectives, and how well our program meets their needs more broadly. We also used the exit survey to generate feedback on revisions to the structure of the major, and the introduction of major tracks, both introduced in 2015. The Class of 2018 was the first class to complete the major under the new requirements. Surveys collected in 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 indicate a high level of student satisfaction with our program. They report high achievement in outcomes (i), (ii), (iv) and (v), and good achievement in outcomes (iii) and (vi). Thus, we have identified outcomes (iii) and (vi) as areas for improvement. In AY2019-2020, we added several courses related to contemporary issues, including The Ethics of Peace & War, Mass Incarceration, and Playing God: Philosophy of Technology.
2. Beginning in AY2019-2020, faculty teaching electives were to select from a set of targeted supplemental questions for student evaluations – questions designed to assess stated learning outcomes for the major. Unfortunately, with the unexpected shift to remote teaching in Spring 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, supplemental questions on student evaluations focused instead on student experience of remote teaching and learning. When classes resume on campus, we will move forward with our plan for major assessment via student evaluations of targeted learning outcomes.
Direct Assessment:
1. Beginning in AY2019-2020, faculty teaching electives were to use a 1-5 scale to evaluate final exams/papers completed in their courses with respect to the learning outcomes detailed in (1) above. Unfortunately, due to the unexpected shift to remote teaching in the Spring 2020 semester, our immediate goals for program assessment changed. We re-directed our focus to executing and evaluating the transition of our courses from in-person to remote formats, and on identifying and meeting a new set of student needs in conditions of remote learning.
2. In order to assess our effectiveness at maintaining continuity across the shift from on-campus to remote teaching, we (i) provided technology training sessions, practice sessions and information about best practices to all teaching faculty; (ii) surveyed all faculty to gather details about – and provide feedback on – their plans for remote teaching and advising; (iii) surveyed students in all Philosophy courses to gather information about their initial experience with remote learning, and (iv) shared those findings, along with recommendations and updated information about best practices, with all faculty.
3. In general, reports are maintained in department files of annual faculty meetings held to assess (i) strengths and weaknesses of our students collectively in both our required and elective courses, (ii) the breadth and depth of our elective offerings, and (iii)whether the curriculum (prerequisites and/or course offerings)needs modification.
4. Members of the faculty are asked each Fall to submit a proposed schedule of elective offerings for the following two academic years. The DUS, in consultation with the DGS and Undergraduate Committee, reviews the proposed schedule of electives in light of learning objectives (i), (ii), (iv) and (vi). Adjustments to elective offerings is made as needed, in order to ensure a breadth of course content meeting those objectives. Planning two years in advance allows for better oversight of course offerings.
Review Process:
The Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), along with the Undergraduate Committee, and in consultation with the Department Chair and Assistant Chair, has primary responsibility for both direct and indirect assessments of teaching outcomes, and for designing/implementing all program modifications. The DUS reports to and is advised by the department faculty regarding undergraduate issues, curriculum and program modifications.
In Fall 2019, we created a new position on the Undergraduate Committee – an Assessment Coordinator who will oversee the collection and review of program assessment materials, in consultation with the DUS and Undergraduate Committee.
Resulting Program Changes:
1. Significant changes were made in the last three years. We restructured our major requirements, introduced pre-registration Film Nights, created a new department flyer to promote the major, standardized our Logic courses, and implemented a new procedure for advanced planning of elective course offerings.
2. In AY2019-2020, in order to enhance student engagement, augment opportunities for student formation, and increase our presence in the Boston community, we launched a chapter of the Free Philosophy Project – a student-led, volunteer outreach initiative that hosts philosophy discussions at local day shelters and after school programs.
3. Our department faces staffing challenges in light of both the continued growth of our major and minor, and the loss of teaching and administrative staff due to retirement and other forms of attrition. As of May 2020, there were 266 Philosophy majors and 200 Philosophy minors. These figures are up 12% from May 2019, and the past academic year is no anomaly. We have seen steady growth of the major and minor since 2017, when we counted just 178 majors and 99 minors.
During this period of growth, administrative positions supporting our undergraduate program have been reduced from 1.5 to 1. In addition to administrative resources, full-time faculty positions are needed. We rely heavily on part-time instructors for Core teaching, and increasingly depend on part-time faculty to staff electives. As we continue to grow the major, offer more courses to serve STEM students, and participate more fully in the Enduring Questions/Complex Problems Core Curriculum, additional full-time faculty are needed.
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
1. Significant changes were made in the last three years. We restructured our major requirements, introduced pre-registration Film Nights, created a new department flyer to promote the major, standardized our Logic courses, and implemented a new procedure for advanced planning of elective course offerings.
2. In AY2019-2020, in order to enhance student engagement, augment opportunities for student formation, and increase our presence in the Boston community, we launched a chapter of the Free Philosophy Project – a student-led, volunteer outreach initiative that hosts philosophy discussions at local day shelters and after school programs.
3. Our department faces staffing challenges in light of both the continued growth of our major and minor, and the loss of teaching and administrative staff due to retirement and other forms of attrition. As of May 2020, there were 266 Philosophy majors and 200 Philosophy minors. These figures are up 12% from May 2019, and the past academic year is no anomaly. We have seen steady growth of the major and minor since 2017, when we counted just 178 majors and 99 minors.
During this period of growth, administrative positions supporting our undergraduate program have been reduced from 1.5 to 1. In addition to administrative resources, full-time faculty positions are needed. We rely heavily on part-time instructors for Core teaching, and increasingly depend on part-time faculty to staff electives. As we continue to grow the major, offer more courses to serve STEM students, and participate more fully in the Enduring Questions/Complex Problems Core Curriculum, additional full-time faculty are needed.
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