Economics

Assessment Plan

The learning goals for Economics majors are as follows:

1. Understand the nature and functioning of the market system

2. Be able to define criteria for assessing efficiency in the provision of goods and services

3. Be able to investigate and assess the operation of economic institutions

4. develop competence in quantitative methods and computing methods

5. be able to conceptualize and analyze problems using the tools of economic theory, and communicate the results

6. be competent in oral and written communications

7. be adequately prepared for graduate or professional school

	Goals							Use of Information
Measures	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Review of the below information leads to adjustments in course and program design
Written exercises	x	x	x	x	x			Semi-annually, by course
Oral exercises	x	x	x	x	x	x		Semi-annually, by course
Problem sets	x	x	x	x	x			Semi-annually, by course
Course exams	x	x	x	x	x	x		Semi-annually, by course
Senior seminar	x	x	x	x	x	x		Annually, by section
Advising sessions					x	x	x	Semi-annually, by student

The most recent assessment-guided action we have taken is a comprehensive revision of our evaluation form for Econ 4501, the Senior Research Seminar for Economics & Management. Small changes in program design occur annually with the planning of the following year's class schedule, including the dropping, changing, or addition of particular courses. More complete evaluations of the program occur bi-annually, with the design of each new two-year course catalog. The most recent evaluation of the economics program as a whole, for the 2009-11 catalog, concluded that the core of our design is sound and appropriate to our liberal arts setting.