Bachelor of Science in Sociology

Assessment Report, 2013-2014

CLASS, Sociology

Assessment Identifiers

College / School
College of Liberal arts and sciences

Department
Social and Behavioral Sciences

Program / Major / Certificate
Sociology

Assessment Coordinator(s)
Larry Stokes

Has there been a change to the Assessment Coordinator(s) since the last assessment plan?
No

Person(s) responsible for writing and/or submitting this report:
Larry Stokes

Program Mission Statement

The baccalaureate degree in Sociology provides students with the necessary foundation for graduate school in the Social Sciences, and/or for entry level professional careers in Research, the Criminal Justice system, Social Work, Advertising, Banking, Business, Education, Government, Journalism, and Public Relations as well as other types of employment within governmental agencies, private foundations, and a wide range of businesses. The Sociology program seeks to develop students' ability to think critically about a wide range of social issues and social patterns within our society, and throughout the world for the purpose of bringing about positive change.

Has this mission statement been revised since the last plan?
No

PSLOs

1. The students will be able to understand sociological theories and core concepts:

- Understand the role of theory

- Understand the basic concepts of sociology

2. The students will be able to understand the sociological perspective:

- Understanding sociology as a distinct discipline and the role the sociological imagination plays in contributing to understanding social reality

3. The students will be able to understand sociology as a science and ethical issues in research:

- Understand the role of evidence and research methods in sociology

- Understanding ethical issues in research

4. The students will be able to understand and value diversity:

- Understanding diversity in American society

LINK TO: Assessment Report, 2013-2014 – Supporting Documents

Assessment Results (PSLOs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PSLO	Semester	Professor	Courses	Assessment Artifacts and Instruments	Target Levels	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Academic Engagement and Achievement	1. Students will be able to understand sociological theories and core concepts.	Fall 2013	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key	70% of students will score level 2 (minimal proficiency) or above. Percentage will be calculated as the sum of students to score level 2- minimal proficiency, 3- Average proficiency and 4- high Proficiency.	TARGET 1 MET 20 (83%) had average proficiency, 4 (16%) had high proficiency.	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will increase the number of book assignments to improve student knowledge on the various subjects leading to greater understanding of theory, basic concepts in sociology, and diversity in American society.
		Fall 2013	Stephanie Alexander	SOCI 3036 Social Stratification	Student papers, assignments, descriptions (book and written assignments, and a presentation) - detailed grade book.		TARGET 2 NOT MET Students did not meet the 70% target rate. Only 10 of students met the minimum (14%), average (23%) or high (9%) proficiency scores. 52% had limited proficiency.
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 3 MET 3 (23%) limited proficiency, 4 (30% average proficiency), 6 (46%) high proficiency
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 4312 Contemporary Sociological Theory	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 4 MET 4 (18%) had limited proficiency, 6 (27%) had average proficiency, 12 (54%) had high proficiency
Academic Engagement and Achievement	2. Students will be able to understand and apply the sociological perspective or the sociological imagination.	Fall 2013	Stokes	SOCI 1101 Introduction to Sociology	Tests - Answer Key	70% of students will score level 2 (minimal proficiency) or above. Percentage will be calculated as the sum of students to score level 2- minimal proficiency, 3- Average proficiency and 4- high Proficiency.	TARGET 1 MET 1 (2%) student fell below expectations. 21 (51%) met expectations and 19 (46%) exceeded expectations	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will continue showing students the British video of what is sociology and how social factors (institutions) influence their lives, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK5J0-cM-HE and follow up with similar questions that related to America. Students will continue to be given professional periodicals and templates of professors� research as a method and a guide in their conducting senior research project. Students are also recommended to read: Giarrusso, R. 2008. A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers. 6th edition. Worth Publishers.
		Fall 2013	Stokes	SOCI 4901 Senior Seminar	Paper Project Score		TARGET 2 MET 72% exceeded and 27% meet expectation. All successfully defended their project.
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 3 MET 3 (23%) limited proficiency, 4 (30% average proficiency), 6 (46%) high proficiency
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 4312 Contemporary Sociological Theory	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 3 MET 4 (18%) had limited proficiency, 6 (27%) had average proficiency, 12 (54%) had high proficiency
Academic Engagement and Achievement	3. Students will be able to understand sociology as a science and ethical issues in research.	Fall 2013	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key	70% of students will score level 2 (minimal proficiency) or above. Percentage will be calculated as the sum of students to score level 2- minimal proficiency, 3- Average proficiency and 4- high Proficiency.	TARGET 1 MET 20 (83%) had average proficiency, 4 (16%) had high proficiency.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: The program will continue the practices that allowed this target to be met.
			Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 2101 Social Statistics	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 2 MET 8 (26%) had minimal proficiency, 19 (63%) had average proficiency, 3 (10%) had high proficiency
			Larry Stokes	SOCI 4901 Senior Seminar	Final Paper Score		TARGET 3 MET 72% exceeded, and 27% meet expectation, 72% exceeded expectation, 54 met expectation. All successfully defended their project.
			Larry Stokes	SOCI 1101 Introduction to Sociology	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 4 MET 1 (2%) student fell below expectations. 21 (51%) met expectations and 19 (46%) exceeded expectations
			Kenneth Jordan	SOCI 2101 Social Statistics	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 5 MET 7 students (21%) achieved limited proficiency, 3 (9%) achieved minimal proficiency, 11 (34%) have average proficiency, and 11 (34%) had high proficiency
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 6 MET 3 (23%) limited proficiency, 4 (30% average proficiency), 6 (46%) high proficiency
Academic Engagement and Achievement	4. Students will be able to understand issues regarding diversity in American society.	Fall 2013	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key	70% of students will score level 2 (minimal proficiency) or above. Percentage will be calculated as the sum of students to score level 2- minimal proficiency, 3- Average proficiency and 4- high Proficiency.	TARGET 1 MET 20 (83%) had average proficiency, 4 (16%) had high proficiency	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Making book assignment questions available on the 1st day of class may improve scores within the program.
			Larry Stokes	SOCI 1101 Introduction to Sociology	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 2 MET 16 (39%) of students exceeded expectations, 19 (46%) met expectations and 6 (14%) fell below expectations
			Stephanie Alexander	SOCI 3201 Classical Theory	Student paper, assignments (a quiz, and 6 book assignments) - detailed grade book		TARGET 3 NOT MET Only 50% of students met the minimum (15%), average (25%) or high (10%) proficiency scores. 50% had limited proficiency.
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 3401 Social Research Methods	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 4 MET 3 (23%) limited proficiency, 4 (30% average proficiency), 6 (46%) high proficiency
		Spring 2014	Diogo Pinheiro	SOCI 4312 Contemporary Sociological Theory	Tests - Answer Key		TARGET 5 MET 4 (18%) had limited proficiency, 6 (27%) had average proficiency, 12 (54%) had high proficiency

Assessment Results (POs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PO Goal	Enabling Strategies	Measures	Targets	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Enhance program curriculum	a. Faculty will meet to discuss programmatic changes and develop new courses b. Faculty members will revise required major courses to create a more flexible curricula for students to graduate in a timely manner without any special arrangements	Curriculum proposals	i. To drop one major required course to provide greater flexibility in meeting graduation requirements. ii. To add a minimum of two new major elective courses (at least one 3000 level special topics course)	TARGET NOT MET No action taken	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: We will have to begin this activity next year.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Increase the use of technology to enhance instructional delivery	Encourage faculty to become trained in the application of D2L teaching techniques for both hybrid and fully online course	Number of fully online courses taught	2 courses taught fully at a distance.	TARGET MET Spring 2013, 2 SOCI 1101 introductory sociology courses were taught fully at a distance and one upper level course (SOCI 3631) was taught as a hybrid.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Faculty determined that continued and possibly expansion of hybrid and fully at a distance are essential for delivery of courses and program growth for future goals.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	Increase or maintain the enrollment in Sociology	Encourage faculty to recruit students in large section introductory courses	Track the number of majors in Blackboard Analytics	118 students enrolled (baseline, AY 2012-2013)	TARGET NOT MET 115 students enrolled AY 2013-2014 Target shortfall 3 students.	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY NOT MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Faculty determined that we should continue to recruit from our lower level sociology courses. Most of these have yet to declare a major. Faculty discussed the possibility of including recruitment strategies by including statements in the syllabus that encourage to consider sociology as a major.