University of Northern Iowa Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology Bachelor of Arts: Anthropology, Anthropology Teaching I. Departmental Philosophy of Student Outcomes Assessment: Anthropology The Student Outcomes Assessment Plan for the Anthropology Program is designed to help Anthropology faculty identify strengths and weaknesses in the overall program. We feel that the curriculum for our major ensures an excellent broad­based introduction to the subject matter of anthropology and its four subfields. Our grading system already provides careful assessment of individual student mastery of the content of these courses. Therefore, to avoid duplication of what we already know about the achievement level of our students in the classroom, our Student Assessment Plan will center on evaluating skills and perspectives that are not easily evaluated through successful course completion alone. These include skills and understandings that have applications related both to responsible living and to success in the working world, regardless of whether or not the student plans a career in anthropology. II. Method of Assessment Our Student Outcomes Assessment Plan involves a yearly procedure that uses a two­part approach to collect information from senior anthropology majors. Each year a different faculty member will organize this evaluation and write up the results. During the semester of assessment, anthropology faculty members will identify the class that has the greatest number of senior anthropology majors in it. First, the students in this class will complete a questionnaire explicitly designed to help assess their achievement of each of our four Anthropology Program Outcomes. The questionnaire also identifies students by class level, major and minor fields, and level of interest in graduate study. In addition, a space is provided for students to write comments about their experiences as anthropology students. Second, anthropology faculty members will lead these students in a discussion that emphasizes the four outcomes of the Anthropology Program. They will pose some questions that expand on questionnaire items and others that are open­ended to give students the opportunity to discuss aspects of the program that they feel are good or to freely express their concern regarding areas that need improvement. After the questionnaire answers are tabulated, the anthropology faculty will meet to evaluate the results of the questionnaire and the class discussion. They will plan and implement any needed improvements in the program. The individual leading the assessment for that year will write up the results. All information from each yearly assessment will be kept in a file in the department office so that progress can be evaluated through time.
III. Outcomes and Competencies OUTCOME I. Anthropology students will understand the nature of the anthropological perspective including the history, theory and methods of the four major sub­fields (Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, Archaeology and Biological Anthropology). Competency 1.1 Be familiar with major anthropological theories and historical figures in: Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, Archaeology, Biological Anthropology. Competency 1.2 Be able to understand cultural relativism and the holistic perspective. Competency 1.3 Have experience with the methods of anthropological research. Competency 1.4 Be able to explain to an individual who has not studied archaeology why the common practice of collecting artifacts found in the woods is wrong from a scientific, ethical and often legal perspective. Competency 1.5 human species. Be able to articulate evolutionary change as it relates to the origin of the Competency 1.6 Be able to give specific examples of how differences in communication patterns can lead to cross­cultural misunderstanding or hostility. OUTCOME II. Anthropology students will be able to apply the anthropological perspective to a critical understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. Competency 2.1 Be able to articulate how studying anthropology has increased awareness of how the student’s beliefs and behaviors are shaped by culture. Competency 2.2 Be able to discuss how culture, biology and the environment interact in shaping human behavior. Competency 2.3 behavior. Be critical when it comes to interpreting generalizations about human Competency 2.4 Be able to relate and critically apply anthropological knowledge in a variety of situations outside of the classroom.
OUTCOME III. Anthropology students will be able to relate Anthropology to their career and future goals. Competency 3.1 Be able to explain to their prospective employers with confidence how what they have learned in anthropology will help them do an excellent job. Competency 3.2 To be well prepared to pursue graduate­level training. Competency 3.3 goals. To be able to use their anthropological knowledge to clarify their career OUTCOME IV. Anthropology students will possess the capability to conduct library research, to communicate verbally and to write in the form according to the standards of the discipline. Competency 4.1 audiences. Be able to produce a written document for a variety of appropriate Competency 4.2 Be able to use a variety of library resources (both print and electronic) that can be used to research anthropological topics. Competency 4.3 Be able to orally present research or ideas comfortably and competently.