American Studies Program Assessment
MA in American Studies
Program orientation and goal:
American Studies emphasizes the integration of the humanities, fine arts, and social sciences in the study of American experience, past and present. Students develop individual programs of study to understand and engage American cultures with professional expertise in preparation for work or further graduate study.
Assessment:
Assessment of desired program outcomes in American Studies is primarily direct, based on portfolios of student work in 5500, 5510, American Studies electives at the 4xxx and 5xxx levels, on the thesis or Plan B exam and papers, public MA oral presentations, and MA defenses. Course-related portfolio material is filed after receiving students’ permission to collect their work for the purposes of assessment and advising. Assessment of student success in connecting American Studies MA work with further education or work after the MA (see outcome #4 below) is indirect, based on exit interviews and periodic post-graduation surveys.
Program outcomes and assessment rubrics:
Outcome 1: Students interpret a variety of objects significant to the study of American cultures.
Assessment: Student work demonstrates mastery of, proficiency with, or failure to understand the cultural significance of a variety of formations in American cultural study, including:
words
narratives
images
material objects
communities
built environments
identities
cross-cultural and/or international perspectives
continuities and discontinuities with the past
Outcome 2: Students demonstrate professional competence in writing and speaking.
Assessment: Student work demonstrates mastery of, proficiency with, or failure to accomplish the following indicators of graduate-level work:
error-free expository prose
authoritative oral presentation
insightful use of relevant source material reflecting critical reading skill
prose style commensurate with professional responsibility
Outcome 3: Students produce professional research for a well-defined community (scholarly, public, or an appropriate combination).
Assessment: Student work demonstrates mastery of, proficiency with, or failure to accomplish the following indicators of professional research for a well-defined community:
identifying and using primary sources
Outcome 4: Students prepare themselves for work beyond the MA in various capacities.
Assessment: Student plans and achievements build on American Studies competencies (as outlined in #1-3) in work or further graduate study.
Assessment activities for the 2006-07 academic year:
Program faculty have begun collecting American Studies MA students’ written work in American Studies 5500, 5510, and other 4xxx- and 5xxx-level courses in our program. Program faculty will discuss the results of the year’s assessment before fall classes begin. This will close the assessment loop for the academic year by refining items included for assessment, and content of courses to address curricular gaps.
The program has attempted to survey recent post-graduates regarding plans and professional commitments after the MA in relation to the graduate work for the MA. This spring we will conduct our first round of exit interviews of graduating MA students.
