Student Outcomes Assessment Plan
Criminology Undergraduate Program
Fall 2008/Spring 2009
Overall Plan
Each year the criminology faculty will organize an assessment and gather pertinent data from its
undergraduate criminology students. Both direct and indirect measures will be developed to assess
our stated goals and competencies. On a biannual basis, the faculty will prepare a self-study report
summarizing this data, delineating key findings and discussing their implications for the
criminology undergraduate program and curriculum. The criminology faculty will then decide if
any changes are necessary for either the SOA process or the undergraduate curriculum itself.
Philosophy
Criminology Mission Statement: Through our teaching, research, and service, we strive to improve
students’ understanding of the social causes, consequences, and responses to crime and
victimization. By developing students’ ability to think critically, present professional presentations,
and write proficiently in the areas of criminology and criminal justice, we help them to acquire the
intellectual skills needed to work effectively in a professional setting or engage in post-graduate
work.
Assessment Philosophy: The Criminology faculty’s philosophy of assessing student outcomes
revolves around one common theme: the production of educated, knowledgeable, and socially
aware citizens. Our goals and competencies relate directly to this mission. Our philosophy as it
relates specifically to the SOA process is to determine if we are achieving our mission of educating
students in the manner described above.
Goals, Competencies, and Assessment Measures
The following goals and competencies for the criminology undergraduate program were developed
by the criminology faculty several years ago, and were modified during the 2008-2009 academic
year. Modifications included changes to specific goals and competencies, as well as an
identification of both direct and indirect assessment methods for each goal and competency.
Various assessment measures will be used to collect data measuring the goals and competencies
outlined above. Collection of this data will vary by the semester that courses are offered and by the
timing of completion of requirements for student theses.
Upon completion of the degree requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology, students
should be able to do the following.
Goal 1: Students should be able explain the social causes and consequences of crime
Competency 1.1 Understand the core concepts and propositions of criminological theories
Measures: 1. SOA survey questions.
2. Papers, essay questions, or objective exam items from Criminology, Ethics,
Juvenile Delinquency, Correctional Treatment, Crime and Social Inequality, Theory
and Criminal Justice, Institutional Violence, or Victimology.
Competency 1.2 Describe and discuss the social factors which cause crime or are risk factors for
crime.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items.
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2. Criminology, Juvenile Delinquency, Correctional Treatment, or Crime and
Public Policy.
Competency 1.3 Apply criminology concepts and theories to understand criminal justice policies.
Measures: 1. SOA survey questions.
2. Papers or exam items from Criminology, Ethics, 982:124, Juvenile Delinquency,
Crime and Social Inequality, or Crime and Public Policy.
Competency 1.4 Apply criminology concepts and theories to understand social responses to crime.
Measures: 1. Papers or exam items from Ethics, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Justice,
Correctional Treatment, or Crime and Public Policy.
2. SOA survey questions.
Goal 2: Students should understand the operation of the U.S. criminal justice system
Competency 2.1 Have a working vocabulary of the US criminal justice system.
Measures: 1. SOA survey questions.
2. Papers or exam items from Ethics, Juvenile Delinquency, Victimology, or
Institutional Violence.
Competency 2.2 Have an understanding of the structure and operation of the U.S. criminal justice
system.
Measures: 1. SOA survey questions.
2. Exam items from Ethics, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Justice, Police and
Society, or Crime and Public Policy.
Goal 3: Students should have a basic familiarity with the research methods used by
criminologists.
Competency 3.1 Be familiar with sources of information about crime and delinquency, and their
limitations.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items
Competency 3.2: Locate scholarly literature that is useful for answering criminological questions.
Measures: 1. Paper from Correctional Treatment, Research Methods, Juvenile Justice,
Institutional Violence, Juvenile Delinquency, or Crime and Social Inequality.
2. SOA survey questions.
Competency 3.3: Interpret statistics pertaining to criminological research, patterns of crime and
responses to crime.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items.
2. Exam items or class exercises from Crime and Public Policy or Research Methods.
Competency 3.4: Construct a research question and select an appropriate research design.
Measures: 1. Exam items or class exercises from Research Methods.
Goal 4. Critical Thinking Skills
Competency 4.1. Analyze an argument by identifying its assumptions, reasoning and conclusions,
and evaluate the supporting and contrary evidence.
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Measures:
1. Exam items or papers from Correctional Treatment, Crime and Public Policy,
Police and Society, Juvenile Delinquency, Crime and Social Inequality, or Ethics.
Competency 4.2. Understand the socially constructed nature of crime.
Measures: 1. Exam items or paper from Criminology, Theory and Criminal Justice, Institutional
Violence, or Victimology.
Competency 4.3 Use criminological knowledge to understand and critically evaluate criminal
justice issues and policies.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items.
2. Exam items or papers from Crime and Public Policy, Juvenile Justice, Crime and
Social Inequality, or Ethics.
Goal 5. Communication
Competency 5.1. Prepare and present an oral report that is clear, cohesive, concise, and factually
accurate in a manner that demonstrates confidence and professionalism.
Measures: 1. Exam questions/oral exam scores, presentation grades, discussion grades or
papers from Theory and Criminal Justice, Institutional Violence, Victimology, Crime
and Social Inequality, or Ethics.
2. SOA survey questions.
Competency 5.2. Use criminological knowledge in a written report that is clear, cohesive, concise
and appropriate to the target readership.
Measures: 1. Papers from Correctional Treatment, Police and Society, Theory and Criminal
Justice, Institutional Violence, Victimology, Juvenile Delinquency, Crime and Social
Inequality, or Ethics.
2. SOA survey questions.
Goal 6. Career Preparation
Competency 6.1. Identify career options and relate them rationally to personal goals, values,
abilities, and circumstances.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items.
2. Assignment or quiz scores/items from Theory and Criminal Justice.
Competency 6.2. Formulate post-graduation plans and prepare for achieving them.
Measures: 1. SOA survey items.
2. Assignment scores from Theory and Criminal Justice.
Data Analysis
After data have been collected, a subcommittee of criminology faculty will work together to analyze
and present the findings from the assessment. Findings will be presented in a written report as well
as presented in a meeting to the criminology faculty for discussion purposes. For embedded class
measures, such as written assignments and responses to exam questions, each scorer will evaluate
one set of material. Scorers will use a 4-point rating scale of “inadequate” (lacks sufficient
knowledge and/or skills), “adequate” (sufficient but somewhat superficial), “good” (understands
basic concepts and/or demonstrates basic skills), and “outstanding” (advanced performance).
Plan of Action
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During the 2008-2009 academic year, the criminology faculty will:
1) Revise SOA survey instrument and procedures used for administering the survey to
seniors in 982:175: Theory and Criminal Justice and create survey instrument for
982:022 Criminal Justice System and 982:025 Criminology;
2) Create SOA survey instrument for our two introductory courses;
3) Develop direct measures of competencies (e.g., test items, writing samples);
4) Meet to examine syllabi with goal of revising SOA goals and competencies.
During the 2009-2010 academic year, the criminology faculty will:
1. Collect data from paper/written assignments, exam questions, and/or presentation grades
as outlined above to assess each goal and competency.
2. Analyze available data in January 2010.
3. Submit full SOA report by spring 2010 deadline.
4. File a copy of the SOA report in the department office, both in electronic and written
form.
5. Refine goals and competencies based on continuing faculty discussions.
6. Refine direct and indirect measures and related rubrics.
7. Evaluate SOA findings and use related feedback to improve the quality of our courses
and pedagogy.
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