Assessment Details
Academic Year: 2020-2021 Level: Graduate
Campus Department: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences [UG and Grad]
Program Type: Major [UG] / Program [Grad]
Program Name: Romance Languages MA (Link)
Description of Data Collection:
For the purposes of assessment, once a year (usually in the early part of the spring semester) all professors gather within their respective language sections (i.e., French, Hispanic Studies, Italian) and collectively discuss and evaluate the performance of each graduate student with respect to each of the learning outcomes. The department uses the aggregate results of these evaluations to examine section and departmental programmatic success in achieving each of the learning outcomes. The results of these discussions are conveyed to the department’s Graduate Program Director and Chair; any recommendations and other form of feedback for the students are conveyed directly to them by their Academic Advisors.
Next, at the end of the school year (late April-early May), another phase of assessment is carried out in two forms specifically with regards to students who are about to graduate from the program:
(A) Indirect Evidence: a multiple-choice, online “Qualtrics” questionnaire is sent out to all students, soliciting their opinion as to how well each of the specific Learning Outcomes has been achieved. Opportunity is given there as well for making any recommendations for improving the program; and
(B) Direct Evidence: representative samples of students’ written work (normally their Independent Research Project [”IRP”] with sometimes also a final research paper from one of their graduate seminars) are gathered and evaluated first within the language sections and then at a larger meeting of professors from the entire department. Since one of the Learning Outcomes regards pedagogical formation, in order to assess that LO, we had to have feedback from the graduate students’ teaching supervisors (i.e., the FT Language Coordinators in French, Italian, and Spanish).
Note that, although we questioned the students on all of the Learning Outcomes, this year from among the several Learning Outcomes, we decided to give particular focus to the following one: “Knowledge of theoretical approaches to texts appropriate to the M.A. degree level.”
Review Process:
The evidence is interpreted by the entire body of full-time professors in the department, beginning with the small group evaluations that occur within each language section group (French, Hispanic Studies, Italian) during the month of April, and then, in May, proceeding to department-wide meeting at which all FT professors are present and participate actively. At the larger department-wide meeting, the interpretation of the assessment results and the recommendations for program changed that were first formulated by each language section are in turn reviewed, refined or re-elaborated (in terms of the collective experience of the department), and then approved by the full body of professors. Overseeing the entire process from beginning to end are the Graduate Program Director and Department Chair.
Resulting Program Changes:
Results of 2021 Assessment Process:
We are happy to report that the available evidence this year – both the Direct and Indirect — indicated that all of our graduate students met the proficiency requirement with respect to this Learning Outcome, to varying but still satisfactorily competent degrees. Though gratifying, the result is not entirely surprising because in addition to discussion of the issue in their courses in general, most of our students take Prof. Newmark’s course in English on critical theory.
As far as the indirect evidence is concerned, all but one student indicated that they “strongly” or “mildly” agreed with the statement that this Learning Outcome had been achieved; the lone student in question responded, “Unable to judge.” We must note, however, this year we only had 9 second-year graduate students who figured into this Assessment process and of the 9 students, only 6 responded to our survey. Note that we have a rather small MA program: there are never more than 21 students in both years combined, including those of all 3 language sections.
Recent Curricular Changes Based on 2020 Assessment Results:
Last year we identified no curricular changes required on the basis of the Assessment results. In the previous year, we had identified as an issue in our MA program the substantial number of students who were incapable of completing the required Independent Research Project (IRP) on time and in acceptable form. This past year, even under the challenges of the Coronavirus crisis, we are happy to report all of our students are well on their way to proceeding with and completely their IRP — barring unforeseen circumstances, due to the aforementioned crisis.
Date of Most Recent Program Review:
Results of 2021 Assessment Process:
We are happy to report that the available evidence this year – both the Direct and Indirect — indicated that all of our graduate students met the proficiency requirement with respect to this Learning Outcome, to varying but still satisfactorily competent degrees. Though gratifying, the result is not entirely surprising because in addition to discussion of the issue in their courses in general, most of our students take Prof. Newmark’s course in English on critical theory.
As far as the indirect evidence is concerned, all but one student indicated that they “strongly” or “mildly” agreed with the statement that this Learning Outcome had been achieved; the lone student in question responded, “Unable to judge.” We must note, however, this year we only had 9 second-year graduate students who figured into this Assessment process and of the 9 students, only 6 responded to our survey. Note that we have a rather small MA program: there are never more than 21 students in both years combined, including those of all 3 language sections.
Recent Curricular Changes Based on 2020 Assessment Results:
Last year we identified no curricular changes required on the basis of the Assessment results. In the previous year, we had identified as an issue in our MA program the substantial number of students who were incapable of completing the required Independent Research Project (IRP) on time and in acceptable form. This past year, even under the challenges of the Coronavirus crisis, we are happy to report all of our students are well on their way to proceeding with and completely their IRP — barring unforeseen circumstances, due to the aforementioned crisis.
Attachments (if available)