Educational Program Institutional Effectiveness Report Degree Program: Master of Arts Liberal Studies
College/School: College of Arts and Sciences Submission Date: April 1, 2012 Student Learning Outcomes Department: Interdisciplinary Students will demonstrate
1. the ability to apply critical theories.
2. the ability to make connections between various theories and ideas.
3. the ability to apply creative solutions to problems.
4. the ability to express oneself articulately in writing.
5. the ability to express oneself articulately orally.
6. the ability to conduct complex research, synthesize it, and argue persuasively in support of a claim based
on evidence, OR
the ability to analyze the value and significance of one’s own creative work, and to situate it within the
context of similar creative works.
Assessment Methods The culminating experience in the program is GLS 598 Final Project in Graduate Liberal Studies. The final
project may take the form of scholarly research or creative work; in either case a written analysis is required as
well as an oral presentation. The project is assessed by the director and the reader using a rubric that contains
detailed criteria for each SLO. Data is collected by the director and shared annually with program faculty for
analysis.
Summary of Assessment Results SLO 1: After a steady decrease after 07-08, the numbers improved significantly in 2010-2011. While scores for
OCEP are still below those of MC students, they showed a significant increase this year.
SLO 2: The results are quite good, with slight improvement in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
SLO 3: The results are quite good, although OCEP results have fluctuated over the last three years.
SLO 4: This is the third time written expression has been assessed. So, though the data suggests GLS is doing
well—perhaps in response to GLS’s significant efforts to emphasize writing—the scores for OCEP students are
lower, but not as markedly as in previous years. Perhaps the online courses taught by Main Campus faculty have
helped.
SLO 5: Again, this is the third time oral expression has been assessed, but the scores look good. The OCEP
students did consistently less well two years in a row.
SLO 6: The numbers are slowly but consistently improving and good over the last five years. Main campus and
OCEP students seem roughly similar.
SLO 6’: These numbers are high and fluctuate from year to year. However, they too seem to be improving over
all each year. The research results (6a, 6b, and 6c) are better than last year, but those for creativity (6a’, 6b’, and
6c’) mixed are very high. Last year, I noted that “either our students are very creative or the rubric needs to be
enhanced to give more meaningful results.” This is even more the case this year.
Changes implemented in response to assessments from previous years may be the cause of much of the
improvement in 2010-2011.
Implemented Improvements Based on Assessment Results Based on the first few years of data collection on SLO 4, the Advisory Committee agreed that the program needed
a greater emphasis on writing. Two ways of addressing this were adopted. GLS 502 Contemporary Issues in
Liberal Studies now places an emphasis on writing skills. Course changes include incorporating the following:
class discussions about good writing; an increase the number of written assignments; and implementation of the
steps in the writing process (draft, review, revise). Also to increase student exposure to and practice in writing,
additional special topics courses emphasizing writing were added to the curriculum:
GLS 592 The Art of Creative Nonfiction
GLS 592 Autobiography and Memoir from the Margins: Composing a Self
GLS 592 Creative Non-Fiction: Memoir and Truth-Telling
GLS 592 Lying Our Way to the Truth: The Personal Narrative in Poetry
GLS 592 Writing about Place
GLS 592 Writing with Style
To assure consistency in both instruction and assessment of main campus and Onslow County campus students,
starting in Fall 2010 most online courses, while having two sections, will be taught as an integrated course. The
students in both sections will have the same instructor, instruction, readings, and assignments. Online class
discussions will include students from both sections. Those taught like this in 2010-2011 were GLS 502, GLS
524, GLS 546, and GLS 592.
To make sure that the diverse group of Final Project committee members provide accurate assessment data,
improved instructions for assessors and a detailed rubric was developed for each SLO, each category within the
SLO, and for each rating within the category.
Documentation of Implemented Improvements (attached) GLS 502 Syllabus.pdf
GLS 592 ACN
Syllabus.pdf
GLS 592 AMFTMCAS
Syllabus.pdf
GLS 592 WWS
Syllabus.pdf
MALSAssessmentInstr
uctionsandForm2010.d
GLS 592 CNFMAT
Syllabus.pdf
GLS 592 LOWT
Syllabus.pdf
GLS 592 WAP
Syllabus.pdf