UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS
Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
Bachelors of Arts in Political Science
January 2010
Expanded Statement of
Institutional Purpose
MISSION STATEMENT:
1. Provide education for citizenship in a
changing state, nation and world.
Intended
Objectives/Outcomes
Familiarity with core
concepts, theories and
methods of main political
science sub-fields (American
2. Provide the tools to analyze the actions
Government and Politics,
of citizens, interest groups, political parties, Public Law, Comparative
public officials and decision-making bodies Politics, International
of all types.
Politics, and Political
Theory)
3. Provide a solid understanding of local,
national, and international politics, and the Exposure to different beliefs,
relationships among them.
cultural contexts, structures,
and ways of thinking about
4. Provide a center for discussion, debate
government and politics
and analysis of local, state, national and
global political issues with special
attentions to Alaska and the Circumpolar
Training in written and oral
North.
communication and critical
thinking
5. Graduate students with excellent
communications and analytical skills.
6. Provide a stepping-stone to success in a
variety of careers, including: graduate
work in the social sciences, law, public
policy and related fields; employment in
government, the media and public
relations, teaching at the elementary, high
school and university levels, and positions
in business corporations and non-profits at
the state, national and international levels.
Assessment Criteria and
Procedures
Appropriate questions included
in senior exit survey; faculty
advising to ensure depth and
breadth in students’ course
selections; appropriate
questions included in senior
exit survey
Implementation
(what, when, who)
Senior Capstone experiences
of PS499, PS475, or the
legislative internship include
approaches from at least 2 of
the 5 sub-fields offered by the
department; major requires
coursework in at least 4 of 5
sub-fields
Appropriate questions included Multiple points of view and
in senior exit and alumni
contending theories presented
surveys
in all PS classes; International
and Comparative Politics
courses offer foreign and
global perspectives
Graded writing assignments in Presentation of contending
all PS courses; graded research positions, theories and
projects/papers in all upper
arguments intrinsic part of all
division PS courses; graded
PS courses; standards of
PS499 research paper or Paper written and oral argumentation
written for PS475 or course
stressed in all courses; 11 “W”
component completed in the
and 4 “O” courses; PS 499 has
legislative internship; the PS
the written focus while
499 research papers are kept
completion of PS475, as an
on file in department and
internship has inherent
reviewed by faculty;
communication qualities.
appropriate questions included
in senior exit survey
Opportunities for applied and Collect feedback from
experiential learning
supervisors of student interns,
and public comment from
student-organized activities;
site visit to Juneau to evaluate
State Legislative Interns;
graded course requirements
(research papers, journals, etc.)
for internships; alumni surveys
Campus coordinator for Alaska
Universities State Legislative
Internship Program (ALIP); PS
475 provides course credit for
internships with local,
municipal, state and national
government, law offices, and
international organizations; Pi
Sigma Alpha (PS honors
society) organizes public
programs (e.g., candidate
debates, lectures and
workshops with visiting
officials and scholars)
Awareness of issues, theories Course offerings in Global
and practices in global
Environmental Policy
environmental politics
(applicable to PS major, PS
minor, Environmental Politics
2. Be a leader in research-based teaching
minor, and GEP concentration
on Alaskan and circumpolar government
in NORS MA) developed after
and politics
consultation with academic
experts, officials of
3. Develop and expand UAF’s capacity to
government agencies and
offer research-enhanced teaching in global
NGOs; courses, minors, and
environmental policy and politics, with
concentration are evaluated by
special attention to applications to the
ordinary means (program
Circumpolar North, the effects of
assessment, IAS, etc.);
globalization, and sustainable development.
appropriate questions included
in senior exit survey
5 new courses in Global
Environmental Policy
developed since 2001 (stacked
400-level PS/600-level
NORS); all available in on-line
versions (supporting by grants
from UAF Graduate School);
all faculty teach and conduct
research in the area.
GOAL STATEMENT:
1. Provide a high quality education in
political science to students pursuing the
PS major; taking the department’s offerings
in political economy and ethics as part of
their Core Curriculum requirements; taking
graduate courses in political science as part
of the Northern Studies program; taking a
minor in political science, environmental
politics, law and society, Asian Studies,
and Leadership and Civic Engagement;
taking degree programs such as Russian
and Japanese Studies, Environmental
Studies, Philosophy, Alaska Native
Studies, Social Studies, and A.A. degrees
in Paralegal Studies and Public
Management; seeking to satisfy general
interest in politics and government.
A capstone experience that
tests ability to critically
evaluate political theories
and concepts and applied
them to a variety of current
and historical issue areas
Required is one of the
following: (a) PS499 Thesis
research or (b) PS475 an
approved internship that has a
reading component and a
written final paper or (c) the
All PS faculty, on a rotating
basis, offer the Senior Thesis
option. Furthermore, all
faculty evaluate the final
theses. Different faculty can
serve to guide the internship
Familiarity with a range of
qualitative and quantitative
research methods
Contribute to baccalaureate
Core Curriculum
Communicate department
offerings, activities and
accomplishments
Prepare students for graduate
and professional studies, and
provide skills for careers in
public and private sector;
assist students in obtaining
scholarships and fellowships
for post-baccalaureate study
Alaska Legislative Internship
which provides direct realworld experiences requiring
oral and written compentancy
Graded exercises and projects
for mandatory Political
Science Research Methods
course (PS 222)
process. And ALIP takes place
in coordination with a PS
advisor.
Required of all PS majors
(recommended for sophomore
year);
Core courses assessed
biannually using student
learning survey questionnaire
For PS 100X: questionnaire
jointly developed and
evaluated by PS and ECON
faculty; for PS 300X:
questionnaire jointly
developed and evaluated by
PS, PHIL and other faculty
Alumni survey to be conducted Department web page
next year as part of program
completely redesigned and
review; count “hits” to
updated in AY 2008; sample
department web page; monitor course syllabi posted on web
and collect correspondence,
page
press clippings, etc.
Alumni survey; maintain
alumni mailing list; track
correspondence; monitor
and/or grade student
performance in internships
Survey designed by faculty;
Administrative Assistant
administers surveys, keeps
mailing list current, and files
alumni correspondence;
promote various internship
opportunities; advise students
on graduate and professional
school selection and
application; PS faculty are
campus coordinators for the
Madison, Udall, Truman,
Marshall, and Rhodes
Scholarships