Goal 2: To develop an understanding of human cultures and the physical and natural
world that is focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and
enduring.
Domain 2.4: Humanities
Humanities
Definition: Humanities is a collective term for a range of academic disciplines or fields, all of which draw
upon a knowledge of the development, achievements, behavior, organization, or
distribution of humanity. Some of the big questions that the Humanities explore are: What is
the meaning of human existence? What is our role in the world? Why did events happen
the way they did? Can circumstances be different in the future? How have others
addressed these questions?
Instructors may use any or all of the behavioral achievements appearing in the list under each
performance level using the levels provided here (4, 3, 2, 1).
Performance Levels
3
2
Criteria
4
Behavioral
Achievement
and/or
Performance
Quality
• Evaluates
assumptions,
methods of study
and theories in the
humanities
• Critically analyzes
and interprets
texts, ideas,
artifacts and
discourse systems
• Generates
connections
between the
humanities and
human cultures
and attempts to
critically answer
"big questions”
Raw number of
students achieving
at this level
1
• Demonstrates a
• Identifies
• Demonstrates limited
thorough
assumptions,
knowledge of the
understanding of
methods of study
assumptions,
assumptions,
and/or theories in the
methods of study
methods of study
humanities
and/or theories in the
and/or theories in the • Demonstrates limited
humanities
humanities
ability to analyze and • Summarizes texts,
ideas, artifacts, or
interpret texts, ideas,
• Analyzes and
discourse systems
artifacts, and
interprets texts,
discourse systems
ideas, artifacts and
• Makes limited
discourse systems
• Attempts to identify
connections between
connections between
the humanities and
• Identifies connections
humanities and
human cultures and
between humanities
human cultures as
has difficulty relating
and human cultures
they relate to “big
them to “big
and relates these to
questions”
questions”
"big questions"
Number of students who participated in this assessment
but failed to meet Performance Level 1
Page 2 of Reporting Template
Department/Program:
Semester, Year of Assessment:
Assessment Method: Course(s) Number (not section), student work product that was evaluated, brief
description of the rubric or evaluation instrument used (a copy would be appreciated.)
Executive Summary: Please briefly describe your findings, and your interpretations of the findings.
Recommendations: Please provide any suggestions you have for improvement (e.g., from minor
adjustments to the course, to changes to the assessment method, to major changes in KU’s approach to
the learning goal)