Student Outcomes:

A Sociology major should be able to identify and apply concepts from the major theoretical perspectives related to the founding of Sociology as a discipline. These perspectives include Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism.

A Sociology major should be able to identify and employ the research designs commonly used in Sociology such as survey research, field research, experimental /quasi-experimental designs, content analysis, and historical-comparative research. Students also should be able to conceptualize research questions and determine appropriate procedures for data collection.

A Sociology major should be able to calculate and interpret descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, median, mode, standard deviation), formulate hypotheses, and test hypotheses using basic inferential statistics (e.g., t-tests, chi-square tests).

A Sociology major should be able to think critically and to apply sociological principles to “real-life situations.”

Mission:

The Sociology program is devoted to the systematic and objective study of human society and social interaction. Serving both students and the community, the program is committed to enabling students to see beyond the limited view of the world to society as a whole—the values and ideas shared by its members, the group and institutions that compose it, and the forces that change it. The program has a generalist orientation and offers elective coursework representative of the diverse areas of concentration in which sociologists do research. While students are introduced to social science theory, sociological research methods, and statistical techniques via required course offerings, they also gain experience with applications of these facets of the sociological approach in elective course offerings of their choosing.

Educational Objectives:

· The BA in Sociology prepares graduates to enter graduate school and/or careers in a variety of fields including, sociology, public administration, criminal justice, business, law, education, community work, and public health.

Types of Assessment:

· We will assess students’ knowledge of sociological theory, research methods, and social statistics by administering an exit examination to a sample of senior sociology majors. After determining that no available national examination exists and being experts in survey research, we constructed our own exit examination, focusing on topics traditionally found in Classical Sociological Theory, Introductory Social Research Methods, and Introductory Social Statistics textbooks. The exit examination was pilot-tested on students in our Master’s program, and then revised. The examination will be administered to a purposive sample consisting of all Sociology majors enrolled in three required courses, Classical Sociological Theory, Introductory Social Research Methods, and Introductory Social Statistics in a given academic year. The sample may not include transfer students who have already taken these courses at another university and students who are absent on the day the examination is administered.

· We will employ a portfolio and/or capstone experience in order to assess students’ ability to think critically and to apply sociological principles.

Timeline for Assessment:

We will request senior Sociology majors enrolled in Classical Sociological Theory, Introductory Social Research Methods, and Introductory Social Statistics to complete the exit examination. The examination will be administered at the end of fall semester for Classical Theory and Social Statistics and at the end of spring semester in Social Research Methods.

During the spring semester of 2004, we will develop a portfolio and/or capstone experience in order to assess students’ ability to think critically and to apply sociological principles.

Specific Program/Curriculum Changes

The department has developed a minor in Social Informatics. The structure of the minor is based partly on assessments of an existing course, Sociology of the Internet. Students were asked questions about the Distance Learning format of the course, and about whether they would be interested in taking additional courses in this general area. Based on the results, we are creating three more courses to support the minor and are developing an assessment method consistent with the focus of the minor, using such methods as e-portfolios and other on-line assessment methods.

Specific Changes to Planning and Reallocation

· We have recently completed the search for an assistant professor whose areas of research expertise include Law and Society and Medical Sociology. She will start at UT in the Fall of 2004.

Assessment Liaisons: (2003-2004)

· The professors who teach Classical Sociological Theory, Introductory Social Research Methods, and Introductory Social Statistics (Jerry Van Hoy, Elias Nigem, and Barbara Coventry, respectively) will be responsible for administering the exit examination.

· The department chairperson (Barbara Chesney) and the Sociology Assessment Committee (Barbara Coventry, Elias Nigem, Randy Stoecker, and Jerry Van Hoy) will be responsible for analyzing the unit’s assessment findings.