Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2021-2022 Level: Undergraduate
Campus Department: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Core [UG]
Program Name: Political Science Core (Link)
Description of Data Collection:
Last year the department instituted a new two-pronged assessment process: faculty assessment of a random selection of final papers or exams in both Core courses and upper-level courses, and a student survey incorporating both numerical ratings (26 questions under the headings “Knowledge of the Discipline,” “Analytical and Communication Skills,” “Civic Culture and Political Engagement,” and “The Major and Beyond”) and open-ended questions about the strengths, weaknesses, and best courses of the department.
Review Process:
The responsibility in general lies with the Undergraduate Committee. More specifically, the Undergraduate Committee has established this year a seat dedicated to the assessment process. The UC assessment head is charged with collecting and organizing the data obtained from respondents to the senior survey and the random faculty evaluations, and with processing the data to show general results, trends, and comparisons. This general process of assessment is overseen by the Undergraduate Director and the Department Chair – who combine to write up a report for the administration as well as to share with the faculty – along with recommendations for areas of improvement.
Resulting Program Changes:
Social Science Core courses are required to emphasize one or more of “major concepts and central questions of the discipline, key methods [of analysis], real-world and policy applications.” The data for our Core courses for Spring 2022 (starting on line 20 of the attached spreadsheet 2022 Assessment Data Summary) indicate a solid level of student achievement both with respect to knowledge of the concepts and questions of the discipline and skills in analysis and communication, although overall faculty rated students more highly in the former than in the latter.
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
Social Science Core courses are required to emphasize one or more of “major concepts and central questions of the discipline, key methods [of analysis], real-world and policy applications.” The data for our Core courses for Spring 2022 (starting on line 20 of the attached spreadsheet 2022 Assessment Data Summary) indicate a solid level of student achievement both with respect to knowledge of the concepts and questions of the discipline and skills in analysis and communication, although overall faculty rated students more highly in the former than in the latter.
Attachments (if available)