Graduate Learning Outcomes

1.    Students will develop broad knowledge of the theory and methods of the discipline and in-depth knowledge of a specific area of concentration
2.    Students will develop advanced analytical, writing, and oral communication skills
3.    Students will demonstrate the ability to conduct original research in a substantive area of sociology

Assessment Procedures

Assessment includes includes both indirect and direct measures of the identified graduate learning outcomes.  Direct measures are given below. 

Direct Measures:

 1) The Graduate Director will distribute the thesis prospectus electronically to sociology faculty, each of whom will assess it using the Thesis Prospectus Assessment Form below.
 2) The committee of the M.A. candidate will assess the thesis using the M.A. Thesis and Oral Defense Assessment Form.

The graduate committee will compile these data and present them to the faculty at the beginning of each academic year. The faculty will discuss any concerns and make alterations in our program as needed. 

Thesis Prospectus Assessment Form

Please evaluate the quality of the M. A. thesis prospectus (excellent = 4 to unsatisfactory =1) submitted by ____________________(student name) in terms of the following dimensions and evaluation categories:

 1.   Quality of theoretical reasoning. 
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 2,   Effectiveness in communicating clearly the theoretical relevance of the research project.
   _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 3.  Appropriateness of research methodology for questions posed in the prospectus. 
   _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

4.  Evidence of methodological competence provided by the proposed research protocol.
   _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

5.  Evidence of judiciousness in selection of potentially fruitful topic(s) for sociological inquiry.
   _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 6.    Logical organization of research prospectus.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

7.    Overall quality of writing.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 8.    Overall quality of sociological reasoning evident in the prospectus.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

9.    Quality of oral communication skills evident during the oral defense of the prospectus.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____ unsatisfactory
    ______unknown (committee members only)

10.  Additional observations and comments:

 M. A. Thesis and Oral Defense Assessment Form

Please evaluate the quality of the M. A. thesis (excellent = 4 to unsatisfactory = 1) submitted by _______________ (student name) in terms of the following dimensions and evaluation categories:

 1.  Quality of theoretical reasoning evident in the thesis.
     _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 2.   Effectiveness in communicating clearly the theoretical significance of the research and research findings.

  ___excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 3.  Evidence of methodological competence exhibited by the execution of the research project.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory
    _____not applicable (theoretical thesis)

 4.  Quality of the written presentation of findings.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 5.  Logical organization of thesis report.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 6.  Overall quality of writing.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 7.   Evidence of student's mastery of area of specialization represented by the thesis and oral defense.
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory

 8.  Quality of oral communication skills evident during the oral defense of the thesis. 
    _____excellent _____good _____satisfactory _____unsatisfactory