Student Outcomes Assessment Plan
Graduate Spanish Program
I. Spanish Program Philosophy of Student Outcomes Assessment
The Student Outcomes Assessment plan for graduate programs in the Spanish Program
will serve several purposes. It provides a benchmark against which the efficacy of the
graduate programs can be measured, it insures that degree candidates are making
appropriate progress toward the relevant degree, and establishes the basis of a "profile"
telling prospective employers or other graduate programs what can be expected of
someone who holds an M.A. degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Spanish.
The Assessment Plan for M.A. candidates in Spanish is meant to insure that the program
fulfills its multiple purposes of honing the candidates' ability in the four language skillsreading, writing, understanding, and speaking--, providing in-depth training in the
literature and linguistics of the Hispanic language communities, and in their cultures. The
distribution requirements for this program (1 civilization or culture course, 12 credits of
literature, 8 credits of linguistics/grammar and/or translation) assure that none of these
essential areas is overlooked. In addition, graduate students need to be able to carry out
research independently. Courses and seminars at the 200-level (a minimum of 15 credits)
insure that the students have those experiences as part of their graduate work. Each nonthesis candidate is also required to have a research paper approved by a committee and
filed in the department in order to complete the M.A. program, so that there is evidence
of the student's ability to carry out research and present the findings in the target
language. Furthermore, comprehensive examinations, both written and oral, are required,
in part demonstrating the students' ability to use the target language both orally and in
writing to express themselves.
II. Objectives and Outcomes
Objective 1
Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of target language cultures.
Outcome 1.1
Students will demonstrate a familiarity with and an understanding of the social,
historical and cultural contexts of the Hispanic world.
Outcome 1.2
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the cultural diversity of the
different cultures that compose the Hispanic world.
Outcome 1.3
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the connections between the
cultures of the Hispanic world and their practices and products.
Objective 2
Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the literature written in the
target language.
Outcome 2.1
Students will demonstrate advanced application of tools of literary analysis.
Outcome 2.2
Students will demonstrate a broad knowledge of and an ability to think critically
about literary movements and key texts of the Hispanic literary tradition(s),
including an evaluation of the process of canon formation.
Outcome 2.3
Students will demonstrate control of methods of documentation to produce
professional-level essays.
Objective 3
Students will demonstrate understanding of the nature of the target language.
Outcome 3.1
Students will demonstrate practical control of complex grammatical structures in
the target language.
Outcome 3.2
Students will demonstrate theoretical understanding of complex grammatical
structures in the target language.
Objective 4
Students will show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for
personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Outcome 4.1
Graduated students will demonstrate use of the target language in professional
contexts.
Outcome 4.2
Graduated students will demonstrate use of the target language in contexts outside
their professional careers.
III. Frequency of Assessments
Assessments on a variety of foci will occur annually.
IV. Methods of Assessment
Assessments will occur:
A. At mid-program
1. embedded measures in courses
2. evaluation of writing samples
B. At program completion
1. embedded measures in courses
2. evaluation of written and/or oral comprehensive exams in target language
3. evaluation of
a) approved research paper in target language for students on non-thesis plan, or
b) in the case of students on the thesis plan, a successfully defended M.A. thesis,
accepted by the Graduate College
C. Post-graduation
1. program survey taken every other year of graduates 5 years out.
V. Analysis-Interpretation and Reporting of Results
The faculty in the Spanish program will record, analyze and archive the pertinent data
and the results of the assessment.
Assessment data will be distributed to the pertinent audience.
Updated December 1, 2009