ASSESSMENT REPORT
July 1, 2009—June 30, 2010
Program Assessed: Master of Humanities Program
Assessment Coordinator: Dr. Ava Chamberlain
Assessment Year: Year Two of a Four-Year Cycle
* * * *
I. ASSESSMENT MEASURES EMPLOYED
During year two of the assessment cycle the Program Director evaluates data relevant to the
Second Learning Outcome of the Program:
 Graduates of the Program will know how to study subjects from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective.
A. The following measures were used in the assessment of this outcome:
 Student programs of study
 Student paper portfolios
 Prospectus defenses
 Thesis project defenses
B. The following persons participated in this process:
 Program Faculty
 Program Advisory Committee
 Student Thesis/Project Committees
 Program Director
(1) Faculty teaching the required seminars fill out assessment questionnaires when grading final papers. This questionnaire asks two questions relevant to the assessment of outcome two:
 Does the topic of the paper reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
 Does the source material reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
(2) Members of the Humanities Program Advisory Committee fill out assessment questionnaires at the prospectus defense. This questionnaire asks two questions relevant to the assessment of outcome two:
 Does the topic of the proposed thesis reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
 Does the source material reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?

(3) At the prospectus defense the Program Director also asks the student several assessment questions. Two of these questions are relevant to the assessment of outcome two:
 Through your coursework in the Humanities Program have you learned how to study subject from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
 How does your proposed thesis topic reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
(4) Members of each student’s thesis project committee fill out assessment questionnaires at the thesis project defense. This questionnaire asks two questions relevant to the assessment of outcome two:
 Does the topic of the project/thesis reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
 Does the source material reflect an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
(5) At the thesis/project defense the Chair of the Committee also asks the student several assessment questions. Two of these questions are relevant to the assessment of outcome two:
 As a student in the Humanities Program have you learned how to study subjects from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
 How does your project/thesis reflect your mastery of a subject from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective?
C. The principal challenge I encounter in the assessment process is ensuring compliance by all participants.
II. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS:
A. Results of Assessment Questions measuring Learning Outcome Two (scale of 1 to 5):
HUM 700 HUM 710 HUM 720 Prospectus defenses
Thesis defenses
Mean
Topics 4.5 4.8 4.3 4.8 5.0 4.68
Sources 4.1
Mean 4.3
4.86
4.83
4.3
4.3
4.8
4.8
5.0
5.0
4.61
B. Student responses to assessment question from both prospectus and thesis defenses:
Students uniformly responded that their work in the Master of Humanities Program has taught them to study subjects from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective. The interdisciplinary nature of student theses and projects was quite impressive. Students combined, for example,
Greek language and literature with the history of warfare, religion with sociology and anthropology, French language and culture with theories about popular violence, women’s studies with religion and history, and literature with critical race theory.

C. Interpretation of Assessment Findings:
The assessment findings indicate that Learning Outcome Two is being met. Students in the
Master of Humanities Program are learning to study subjects from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective.
III. PROGRAM IMPORVEMENTS
In consultation with the Master of Humanities Program Committee, I continued working on the quarter to semester transition. In particular, I began work converting all Humanities courses from quarter to semester courses.
IV. ASSESSMENT PLAN COMPLIANCE
I have not yet had an assessment meeting of all participants in the assessment process. I need to develop an effective way of communicating assessment findings to the participants.
The Assessment Plan for the Master of Humanities Program indicates that during year four of the assessment cycle the Program Director is to conduct a survey of Program alumni. This survey was not conducted during year four of the previous assessment cycle. I need to begin planning to conduct this survey during the upcoming year.
V. NEW ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENTS
None