Program Assessment Plan
American University
SIS: International Relations - PhD
SIS: International Relations - PhD
Primary Department: SIS-Genl
Learning Outcome: Academic Literature in IR
Graduates will be conversant with the academic literature of International Relations, broadly defined.
Outcome Year: 2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Start Date: 05/15/2014
End Date: 05/12/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Student performance in SIS 801 (Schools of thought in International Relations), SIS 802 100% of students successfully complete all
courses
(Comparative and Regional Studies), SIS 803 (Advanced Seminar in International
Relations, and SIS 804 (Social Theory).
Measure Type:
Written Assignment
Direct measure: written and oral qualifying exams at the end of the first year.
Measure Type:
Quiz/ Exam
Indirect measure: meeting of PhD program director and faculty teaching above core
courses to discuss student performance.
Measure Type:
Other
At least 80% of all students successfully
pass the qualifying exam on the first
attempt.
Schedule/Cycle
PhD program director will review student Yes
performance in classes at the end of the fall
and spring semesters.
Next Review: December 2014
Qualifying comp examiners and program
director will meet in May and if necessary
August to assess students through the
qualifying exam.
Next review: August 2014.
Yes
At least 90% of students are seen as likely to Meeting of core faculty with PhD program Yes
pass their qualifying exam and capable of director at end of fall and spring semesters:
writing a dissertation; no more than 10% of Next cycle: December 2014
students identified as needing remedial
assistance.
Learning Outcome: Research Methods
Graduates will have a general understanding of multiple methods used for research in international relations, broadly defined, and advanced competence in one or more methods.
Outcome Year: 2012 or prior
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Start Date: 05/15/2014
End Date: 05/18/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
12/15/2014 12:08 PM
Active
Generated by TracDat a product of Nuventive.
Page 1 of 5
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Student performance in SIS 806 (Quantitative Methods in International Relations), SIS
807 (Qualitative Methods in International Relations), and SIS 809 (Advanced Research
Design).
Measure Type:
Other
At least 90% of students successfully
PhD program director review of student
complete all courses with no more than 10% performance in courses.
of students identified as needing remedial Next review: December 2014
assistance
Indirect measure: Prospectus defense
No more than 50% of students use a
PhD program director reviews prospectuses Yes
methodology drawn from political science; throughout the year and prior to the defense.
at least half of students use a methodology Collects data to discuss with PhD committee
drawn from other disciplinary approaches to at annual spring meeting
the study of international affairs.
Next review: May 2015
Assessment made by PhD program director
at time prospectus is submitted for approval.
At least 80% of students have sound
methodology section when their prospectus
is submitted to the PhD program director for
approval; and no student fails their
prospectus defense because of problems
associated with methodology.
Measure Type:
Other
Schedule/Cycle
Active
Yes
Related Action Steps
* Supporting Assessment: Student Survey
Description: As a result of the finding of student survey the program director endeavored to combined quantitative instruction of SIS and SPA PhD students into a single class
taught by SPA instructors. SPA rejected this solution. Instead, SIS716 will have new instructors for the spring of 2013. The class shall be made more regorous.
Learning Outcome: Presentation and Writing Skills
Graduates will have presentation and writing skills appropriate to the field of international relations, broadly defined.
Outcome Year: 2012 or prior
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Start Date: 05/14/2014
End Date: 05/18/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Schedule/Cycle
Direct measure: dissertation defense
100% of students who defend their
dissertation will be able to summarize their
dissertation work and its contribution to the
field in a 20 minute oral presentation and
through an abstract of their dissertation.
PhD program director with consult with
Yes
dissertation committee members and will
also assess dissertation defense abstracts
throughout the year. Will discuss data with
PhD committee at annual spring meeting
Next review: May 2015
Measure Type:
Final Paper/ Final Project
12/15/2014 12:08 PM
Generated by TracDat a product of Nuventive.
Page 2 of 5
Active
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Schedule/Cycle
Indirect measure: presentation at ISA and APSA annual conferences.
100% of students will present dissertationrelevant work at one of these conferences
prior to graduation.
PhD program director will record number of Yes
papers accepted for presentation at these
conferences.
Next review cycle: January 2015
Measure Type:
Other
Active
Learning Outcome: Contribution to Knowledge
Graduates will produce research that makes a contribution to knowledge in the area of international relations, broadly defined.
Outcome Year: 2012 or prior
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Start Date: 05/14/2014
End Date: 05/18/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Schedule/Cycle
Direct measure: dissertation defense.
100% of students successfully defend their
dissertation within 9 years of beginning the
program and that 80% of students
successfully defend their dissertation within
4-6 years of beginning the program.
The PhD program will collect the data
Yes
annually; and it will be discussed by PhD
program director and PhD committee at an
annual spring meeting.
Next review: May 2015
At least 80% of students will have one
publication by the time they defend their
dissertation; at least 30% of students will
have one publication in a peer-reviewed
journal by the time they defend their
dissertation. At least 10% of graduates will
publish their dissertation with a peer
reviewed press within ten years of
graduation.
The PhD program will collect the data
Yes
annually in January and PhD program
director and PhD committee will discuss in
spring meeting.
next review: May 2015
Measure Type:
Final Paper/ Final Project
Indirect measure: publications.
Measure Type:
Other
At least 50% of students will receive either The PhD program will collect the data
Yes
annually in January and PhD program
an external or internal grant for their
director and PhD committee will discuss in
dissertation research prior to graduation.
spring meeting.
next review: May 2015
Indirect measure: grants
Measure Type:
Other
Learning Outcome: Subfield
Graduates will be conversant with the academic literature in a specific subfield of International Relations, broadly defined.
Outcome Year: 2014-2015
Start Date: 05/14/2014
12/15/2014 12:08 PM
Active
Generated by TracDat a product of Nuventive.
Page 3 of 5
End Date: 05/18/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Schedule/Cycle
Direct measure: student performance in required courses for each PhD concentration.
At least 90% of students successfully
complete all courses.
PhD program director will collect data at the Yes
end of the fall and spring semesters.
Next review: December 2014
Measure Type:
Written Assignment
Active
Indirect measure: feedback from PhD concentration chair to PhD program director on
student performance as part of each individual student?s yearly progress report.
Measure Type:
Other
At least 90% of students are seen as making Discussion between PhD program director
and PhD concentration chairs at end of
satisfactory progress toward completing
spring exam cycle.
their concentration.
Next review: May 2015
Yes
Direct measure: written and oral comprehensive exam at the end of the second year.
At least 90% of students pass the
comprehensive exam on the first attempt.
Data collected by PhD program director at
end of spring exam cycle. Data discussed
with PhD committee at annual spring
meeting
Next review: May 2015
Yes
Schedule/Cycle
Active
Measure Type:
Quiz/ Exam
Learning Outcome: Effective Teaching
Graduates interested in academic careers will have effective teaching skills.
Outcome Year: 2012 or prior
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Start Date: 05/14/2014
End Date: 05/18/2016
Outcome Status: Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Direct measure: 1.Participation in and earning certificates from Linda Lubrano teaching Target: 100% participation in and
seminar (to start in Fall 2014).
successful completion by all TAs of Linda
2.SETs for students who TA World Politics.
Lubrano teaching seminar.
Target: No TA has SETS with median
scores below 3.0 on a 7.0 scale.
Measure Type:
Other
The PhD program will collect the data
Yes
annually; and it will be discussed by the
PhD program director and PhD committee at
their spring semester meeting.
Next review: May 2015
Learning Outcome: Policy Analysis
Graduates will be conversant with the policy analysis as a method of inquiry in international relations.
Outcome Year:
Start Date:
End Date:
Outcome Status:
2014-2015
05/14/2014
05/18/2016
Active Learning Outcome
Assessment Plan
12/15/2014 12:08 PM
Generated by TracDat a product of Nuventive.
Page 4 of 5
Assessment Plan
Assessment Method
Target
Direct measure: student performance in SIS 808 (Policy Analysis for International
Relations).
Measure Type:
Written Assignment
100% of students successfully complete the PhD program director will collect data at
course.
end of fall semester and discuss with PhD
committee at annual spring meeting
Next review: May 2015
Yes
Indirect measure: prospectus.
At least 20% of students use methods from Data collected by PhD program director in
policy analysis in their prospectus.
May of each year.
Next review: May 2015
Yes
Measure Type:
Other
12/15/2014 12:08 PM
Generated by TracDat a product of Nuventive.
Schedule/Cycle
Page 5 of 5
Active