Sociology Program Assessment:

Goals of the sociology discipline:

1. The sociology curriculum (with support from anthropology courses) is designed to acquaint students with the concerns, theories, and methods of the science and to foster an understanding of social groups, societies, and interpersonal relations of human beings.

2. In addition to gaining familiarity with--and competency in--sociology as a science, students are expected to understand how human values relate broadly to the theories, methods, and data of the field.

3. The courses are designed to meet the GER and other needs of liberal arts students, as well as sociology majors and students preparing for graduate schools.

Goal Attainment

Goal #1:

Sociology requires students to comprehend basic data, theoretical perspectives, and methods for interpreting and evaluation the concerns, theories, and methods of the field. The development of reading, writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills is central to our mission.

Goal #2:

Our program repeatedly explores the values of our own and other societies or cultures, the social consequences of these values, and the degree to which these declared values are actually enacted or, in fact, evaded. Simultaneously, we teach students to examine how values influence the alternative theoretical perspectives in sociology and anthropology, as well as how students' personal values affect their reception to the data and perspectives of the discipline.

Goal #3:

With every course incorporating materials on social institutions, and/or different cultures and non-Western cultures, these central concerns of the general education program are integral to the discipline as well as to a liberal arts education. We place considerable emphasis on writing in all of our courses, including (to a lesser degree, generally) the largest ones.

Learning Objectives and Measurement/Assessment

Concerning goal #1:

It is expected that successful completion of the major, which is designed to include several courses in specific subject areas of sociology (and anthropology), at least one course each on methodology and theory, and an individual project which serves as a capstone experience in requiring each student to utilize and evaluate the theories and methodologies appropriate to analyzing a particular social or cultural problem.

Measuring the objectives of this goal is based on evaluations procedures in each course.

The capstone course serves as an assessment tool for the major.

Concerning goal #2:

We expect competence in utilizing sociological theories and methods in analyzing specific problems.

We expect completion of original theses in independent projects (of an analytical nature) and successful integration of graduates in a rapidly changing and diverse society.

Measuring this objective is based on evaluation of performance in individual courses (through examinations, papers, discussion in class, and individual discussions), and evaluation of ongoing progress with the capstone independent research project and/or completed project.

Concerning goal #3:

We offer the following courses from the sociology discipline to prepare students to complete their GER requirements:

SOC 1101 - Introductory Sociology (SS)
SOC 2101 - Systems of Oppression (HDIV)
SOC 3103 - Research Methodology (SS)
SOC 3111 - Sociology of Modernization (IP)
SOC 3112 - Sociology of the Environment and Social Development (ENVT)
SOC 3121 - Sociology of Gender (HDIV)
SOC 3122 - Sociology of Childhoods (HDIV)
SOC 3131 - World Population (ENVT)
SOC 3141 - Sociology of Deviance (E/CR)
SOC 3204 - Culture, Food, and Agriculture (ENVT)
SOC 3251 - African Americans (HDIV)
SOC 3252 - Women in Muslim Society (IP)

SOC 3403 - Sociological Theory (SS)
SOC 4901 - Independent Project Seminar (SS)

We prepare interested students for graduate school in sociology, and other areas such as public administration, social services, law enforcement, etc.

We expect admission to and successful functioning in and completion of graduate programs.

Measuring this goal is based on admission to and success in graduate programs; prior to that, assessment is based on evaluation of students’ performance, as in goal #1.