Sociology Convening Group
Assessment Outcomes and Curriculum Maps
2015-2016
Part 1: List of Current Goals and Outcomes: Years Assessed over Two 3-Year Cycles
Goal 1. A student majoring in sociology will be able to recognize explicitly the historical and theoretical
underpinnings of the discipline of sociology, in addition to intellectual connections between sociology
and other fields.
1.1 Define the role of theory in sociology
a. Define theory and describe its role in explaining sociological outcomes
b. Compare and contrast basic theoretical orientations (e.g., structural-functionalist,
conflict, interactionist)
c. Show how theories reflect the historical context of times and cultures in which they were
developed
d. Apply some basic theoretical orientations to at least one area of social reality
1.2 Define and use basic sociological concepts in a breadth of subfields, such as culture, structure,
agency, status, role, norm, stratification, social class
1.3 Define the relationship of the discipline of sociology to other liberal arts fields
a. Describe how sociology differs from and is similar to other social sciences, and give examples
of these differences
b. Describe how sociology contributes to a liberal arts understanding of social
reality
Goal 2. A student majoring in sociology will understand the centrality of race, class, age and gender in
society and in sociological analysis.
2.1 Explain differences between the natural, economic, and socially constructed concepts of
race/ethnicity, class/status, and sex/gender, religion, and age, and give examples of these differences
2.2 Describe the significance of variations/inequalities by race, class, gender, religion, and age
2.3 Know how to appropriately generalize or resist generalizations across groups
2.4 Be able to apply the sociological imagination, or macro analysis, to individual experiences of race,
class, gender, religion and age
Goal 3. A student majoring in sociology will be exposed to multicultural, cross-cultural, and crossnational content relevant to sociology.
3.1 Define and provide examples of social plurality in national and international contexts
3.2 Explain and provide examples of contemporary processes of globalization, with respect to
commercial, cultural, information, and immigration flows
3.3 Conduct empirical research in a cross-cultural context and write a paper discussing this research in a
critical analysis of theoretical and applied texts
Goal 4. A student majoring in sociology will be exposed to classroom and empirical experiences that
develop his/her critical thinking skills and prepare him/her for a life of civic engagement.
4.1 Think critically
a. Identify underlying assumptions in particular theoretical orientations or
arguments
b. Identify underlying assumptions in particular methodological approaches to
research
c. Show how patterns of thought and knowledge are directly influenced by
political-economic social structures
d. Present opposing viewpoints and alternative hypotheses on various issues
e. Engage in teamwork where different viewpoints are presented, in the classroom or
in an empirical research setting
f. Experience opportunities to work in cooperation in classroom settings with students
of varied class and ethnic backgrounds, as a result of sociology faculty’s engagement
in recruiting students from underserved populations to the sociology program at
Ramapo (e.g., Equal Opportunity Fund, SSS Trio grant)
4.2 Become prepared for a life of civic engagement
a. Engage in teamwork or empirical research outside the classroom where
different viewpoints on a social problem are addressed
b. Assess the political, economic, or cultural causes of the above social
problem with bibliographic research
c. Articulate parameters and causes of the above problem, and propose feasible,
researched collective actions or policy orientations to address the problem
Goal 5. A student majoring in sociology will be exposed to research experiences that require posing
sociological questions, data gathering with quantitative and/or qualitative methods, developing
theoretical explanations, and bringing the aforementioned data to bear on them.
5.1 Be able to support an argument, thesis, hypothesis, or research question by incorporating high
quality sources into a research, as indicated by correct usage of bibliographies and in-text citations.
5.2 Be able to articulate how a theory or theories explain the relationship between concepts.
5.3 Be able to demonstrate the ability to correctly describe and/or conduct either quantitative or
qualitative data collection.
5.4 Be able to demonstrate the ability to correctly describe and/or conduct either quantitative or
qualitative data analysis.
5.5 Be able to successfully bring empirical results (either primary or secondary) to bear on sociological
questions or hypotheses.
5.6 Be able to describe the process of protecting human subjects in empirical research studies.
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Goal 6. A student majoring in sociology will be able to articulate sociological theories, data, and
perspectives using clear writing in professional academic format.
6.1 Be able to write a clearly organized, grammatically correct, research report in professional, journal
quality format
6.2 Be able to write a clearly organized, grammatically correct, analysis of published theoretical works
and empirical studies
6.3 Understand and use basic writing structures for successful argumentation: thesis statement,
introduction, conclusion, topic and supporting sentences, transitions
6. 4 Use a professional citation format, such as that proposed for sociology by the Chicago Manual of
Style
Goal 7. A student graduating with a degree in sociology from Ramapo College will be well prepared for
subsequent education or employment.
7.1 Be aware of forms of employment available to holders of Sociology Bachelors’, Masters’, and
Doctoral degrees
7.2 Understand academic requirements and application procedures for an appropriate graduate or
professional school
7.3 Be able to write a graduate or professional school application essay that demonstrates a sociological
understanding of future topics of study
7.4 Be able to articulate to potential employers how sociology has prepared student for work
responsibilities
7.5 Be able to demonstrate on a resume or curriculum vitae how specific skills attained in the sociology
program will make student competitive in job search or graduate/professional school admissions
7.6 Be able to declare specialization in a sub-field of sociological study, such as immigration, urban
sociology, quantitative methods, or the sociology of education
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Part 2: Curriculum Maps
(I= Introduce, P= Practice, M=Master)
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