SJSU Annual Program Assessment Form
Academic Year 2013-2014
<Please replace the <...> in this template with the requested text, and then delete these instructions prior
to submission. The completed forms will be posted under Annual Assessment Reports on the Program
Records webpage (http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/programrecords/index.html) for your department.
Electronic copy of report is due June 1, 2014. Send to Undergraduate Studies
(academicassessment@sjsu.edu), with cc: to your college’s Associate Dean and college Assessment
Facilitator. List of AFs is found at http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/programs/committee/index.html>
Department: Political Science
Program: BA
College: Social Sciences
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/polisci/
_ Check here if your website addresses the University Learning Goals.
Program Accreditation (if any): N/A
Contact Person and Email:
Melinda Jackson, Curriculum and Assessment Committee Chair
Melinda.Jackson@sjsu.edu
Date of Report: May 30, 2014
Part A
1. List of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
There are five PLOs for the Political Science BA:
(1) Breadth
Students should demonstrate a broad knowledge of the theory and methods of the various
branches of the discipline of political science.
Example(s) of Demonstrated Learning: Performance on a Senior Seminar Exit Exam
(2) Application
Students should be able to demonstrate the application of a variety of techniques to
identify, understand, and analyze domestic and international political issues and
organizations.
Example(s) of Demonstrated Learning: Demonstration of application in POLS190 Senior
Seminar final paper
(3) Disciplinary methods
Students should be able to formulate research questions, engage in systematic literature
searches using primary and secondary sources, demonstrate competence in systematic data
gathering using library sources, government documents, and data available through
electronic sources, should be able to evaluate research studies, and should be able to
critically analyze and interpret influential political texts.
Example(s) of Demonstrated Learning: Appropriate use of disciplinary methods in Research
Proposal final paper in POLS195A Political Inquiry
(4) Communication Skills
Students should demonstrate basic competencies in oral and written communication skills
and be able to apply these skills in the context of political science. This means
communicating effectively about politics and/or public administration, public policy, and
law.
Example(s) of Demonstrated Learning: Demonstrated written communication skills in
POLS190 Senior Seminar final paper; Demonstrated oral communication skills in oral
presentations of final papers in various upper-level classes
(5) Citizenship
Students should demonstrate an understanding of the role of the citizen in local, state,
national, and global contexts and an appreciation of the importance of lifelong participation
in political processes.
Example(s) of Demonstrated Learning: Reported political interest, participation, and civic
engagement in an online alumni survey; Knowledge of local, state, national, and global
politics indicated by items on the Senior Seminar Exit Exam
Our capstone course, POLS 190 Senior Seminar, is the primary vehicle for assessing our overall
success in meeting two of the five learning outcomes: Application and Communication Skills. This
course, taken in the final semester before graduation, affords our faculty an opportunity to evaluate
what percentage of our graduating students have demonstrated success in these categories. In
addition to the evaluation of the instructor, the seminar's culminating papers are saved and
periodically assessed by the Department Curriculum and Assessment Committee.
The Breadth PLO is assessed by means of an exit exam administered to students in the POLS 190
Senior Seminar each semester.
The Disciplinary Methods PLO is assessed by examination of a Research Proposal final paper
assignment that students complete in POLS 195A (Political Inquiry), a required course for the major.
Members of the Department Curriculum and Assessment Committee assess a random sample of the
Research Proposal papers to evaluate our students’ mastery of disciplinary methods.
The Citizenship PLO is assessed in several ways. The first is through an online survey of alumni which
includes questions about interest and engagement in politics and civic activities. The second is
through evaluation of the senior seminar exit exam questions pertaining to local, state, national, and
global political knowledge.
2. Map of PLOs to University Learning Goals (ULGs)
The Department Curriculum Committee worked collaboratively to develop the following map of our
program PLOs to the ULGs.
Program Learning
Outcomes (PLOs)
University Learning Goals (ULGs)
Broad
Intellectual
Applied
Integrative
Skills
Knowledge
Knowledge


Specialized
Knowledge
Breadth
Application
Disciplinary Methods
Communication Skills
Citizenship
Social and
Global
Responsibilities



3. Alignment – Matrix of PLOs to Courses
I = Introduce:
R = Reinforce:
A = Advanced:
Provides a student with a beginning knowledge or first experience of something
Strengthens a student's knowledge by providing additional depth, material, or experience
Provides students with a concentrated and highly developed exposure
Course
Number
Course
Title
PLO1
Breadth
PLO2
Application
001
002
003
004
15A/B
020
100W
102
103
105
106
107
108
109
110
114
120
121A
121B
121C
122
124
130
135
136
American Govt
Intro Comparative
Intro Theory
Intro IR
U.S. History/Govt
Controversial Legal Issues
Writing Workshop
State Govt & Politics
Local Govt & Politics
Legislative Process
Presidency
Politics & Public Opinion
Political Participation
Women & Politics
Ethnic Politics
Intro Public Admin
Law & Society
Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Civil Rights
Judicial Politics
Intro Environmental Law
Public Policy
Environmental Policy
History of Terrorism
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
A
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
PLO3
Disciplinary
Methods
I
I
I
I
I
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
PLO4
Communication
Skills
PLO5
Citizenship
I
I
I
I
A
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
R
A
A
A
Course
Number
Course
Title
PLO1
Breadth
PLO2
Application
140
141
142
144
145
146
147
PLO3
Disciplinary
Methods
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
PLO4
Communication
Skills
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
PLO5
Citizenship
European Union
R
R
Eurasian Politics
R
R
African Politics
R
R
Middle Eastern Politics
R
R
Asian Politics
R
R
Latin American Politics
R
R
Globalization
R
R
Nationalism & Comp Pol
R
R
148
Cultures
Comp Public Policy &
R
R
R
R
149
Admin
150
War & Peace
R
A
R
R
International Orgs &
R
R
R
R
152A
NGOs
152B
Model UN
A
A
A
154
U.S. Foreign Policy
R
R
R
R
International Political
R
R
R
R
155
Economy
156
Islam, Politics & the West
R
R
R
R
160A
Classical Pol Thought
R
R
R
R
160B
Modern Pol Thought
R
R
R
R
160C
Recent Pol Thought
R
R
R
R
163
American Pol Thought
R
R
R
R
177
Political Psychology
R
R
R
R
180
Individual Studies
A
A
A
181
Internships
A
A
A
184
Directed Readings
A
A
A
190
Senior Seminar
A
A
A
190H
Honors Thesis
A
A
A
195A
Political Inquiry
A
A
A
199
Current Political Issues
R
R
R
I = Introduce:
Provides a student with a beginning knowledge or first experience of something
R = Reinforce: Strengthens a student's knowledge by providing additional depth, material, or experience
A = Advanced: Provides students with a concentrated and highly developed exposure
4.
R
R
A
R
R
R
R
A
Planning – Assessment Schedule
PLO1
Breadth
PLO2
Application
PLO3
Disciplinary
Methods
2012-13
C
2013-14
IC
C
2014-15
IC
IC
C
2015-16
IC
IC
2016-17
IC
2017-18
IC
C = Data collected, I = Improvement implemented (if necessary)
PLO4
Communication
Skills
PLO5
Citizenship
C
C
IC
5.
Student Experience
Political Science PLOs are communicated to students via the department website, and course
syllabi. Student feedback was not considered in the initial creation of the PLOs, but we have
conducted focus groups with upper-level students in the last two years to gather student input
and feedback on the PLOs and other aspects of the student experience in our program. We are
currently working to incorporate this feedback into our curricular and assessment plans over the
next few years.
Part B
6.
Graduation Rates for Total, Non URM and URM students (per program and degree)
Academic Programs: Political
Science
First-time Freshmen: 6
Year Graduation Rates
New UG Transfers: 3 Year
Graduation Rates
Grads : 3 Year
Graduation Rates
Fall 2007 Cohort
Fall 2010 Cohort
Fall 2010 Cohort
Entering
% Grad
Entering
% Grad
Entering
% Grad
Total
30
66.7%
21
76.2%
-
-
URM
15
60.0%
4
25.0%
-
-
Non-URM
14
71.4%
11
81.8%
-
-
Other
The Political Science program graduation rates are well above the university targets for first-time
freshmen 6-yr graduation rates set by the Chancellor’s Office of 51.6%, 47.8%, and 53.2%, for total,
URM and Non-URM populations, by 2015-2016.
7.
Headcounts of program majors and new students (per program and degree)
Fall 2013
New Students
Cont. Students
Total
1st Fr.
UG Transf
New Creds
1st Grads
UGs
Creds
Grads
UGs
Creds
Grads
Total
43
40
0
33
204
0
46
287
0
79
BA
43
40
0
0
204
0
0
287
0
0
MPA
0
0
0
33
0
0
46
0
0
79
Degree
8.
SFR and average section size (per program)
Fall 2013
Student to
Faculty
Ratio
(SFR)
35.9
Average
Headcount
per Section
Lower Division
49.0
45.8
Upper Division
23.7
27.1
Course Prefix
Course Level
POLS - Political Science
Total
37.1
9.
Percentage of tenured/tenure-track instructional faculty (per department)
Fall 2013
Political Science
% Tenured/Prob
Tenured
66.4%
7.424
Temp
Lecturer
4.774
Probationary
2.001
Part C
10. Closing the Loop/Recommended Actions
The Political Science program received the following recommendations this year from College of
Social Sciences Assessment Facilitator Hilary Nixon as feedback on program assessment.
(1) Update draft map of PLOs to University Learning Goals (Senate Policy S13-2)
Progress: Completed map included in (2) above
(2) a. As the department moved toward “Highly Developed” on the WASC rubric, faculty might
want to develop explicit criteria to evaluate students’ mastery of each PLO.
b. Consider revising some of the PLOs to incorporate more measurable expectations of
student learning.
Progress: Rubric to assess PLO2 (Application) was developed and used this year (see 11
below). We are engaging in ongoing conversations with department faculty about making
assessment criteria more clear to students, and incorporating the collection of assessment
data into course assignments, especially online via the CANVAS LMS.
(3) a. Perform assessment and submit annual assessment report in S14.
b. Update assessment schedule (an outdated one is posted online).
Progress: Annual assessment report is completed and submitted. The updated assessment
schedule will be posted online.
Improving Assessment of PLO1: Breadth
In addition to the recommendations noted above, the department curriculum and assessment
committee has noted the relatively poor mean scores (52-56%) on the Senior Seminar Exit Exam
in past years. This exit exam was designed to measure PLO1: Breadth, and includes 15 multiplechoice questions from each of the four subfields of the discipline (American politics,
Comparative politics, International Relations, and Political Theory), along with a series of basic
demographic questions. To explore the reasons behind the low scores on this exam, the
committee chair conducted an interactive focus group with Senior Seminar students in Spring
2014, in which they completed the exit exam, received immediate feedback on their
performance, and then engaged in a group discussion about the exam experience. This was an
illuminating exercise that confirmed the committee’s suspicions that it was difficult for students
to recall specific factual information from courses that they may have taken several years
earlier, as required by the multiple-choice format, and that this was more difficult for some
areas of the discipline (e.g., political theory, comparative politics) than for others (e.g., American
politics, international relations). We plan to discuss this focus group feedback in more detail
next year, and to consider whether alternative or additional measures to assess PLO1 should be
developed.
11.
Assessment Data
This year, our department curriculum and assessment committee focused on PLO2: Application.
A random sample of anonymized student final papers from the POLS190 Senior Seminar
capstone course were evaluated by the committee members using the rubric below to rate
demonstration of this PLO.
PLO2 (Application) states that: Students should be able to demonstrate the application of a
variety of techniques to identify, understand, and analyze domestic and international political
issues and organizations.
PLO2: Application Rubric
1
Does not
demonstrate
Application PLO
2
Approaching
demonstration of
Application PLO
3
Demonstrates
Application PLO
4
Demonstrates
excellence in
Application PLO
Identify
Understand
Analyze
Overall rating
Committee members rated a total of 16 student papers on a 1-4 scale for demonstration of
identification, understanding, and analysis of political issues and organizations, as well as an
overall evaluation of demonstrated Application. The results of this assessment are presented
below.
PLO2: Application Assessment Ratings 2013-14
Identify
Understand
Analyze
Overall
Application
3.25
3.25
3
3.125
Mean rating
N
Percentage of:
4 ratings
3 ratings
2 ratings
1 ratings
16
16
16
16
37.5%
50%
12.5%
0
43.75%
43.75%
6.25%
6.25%
31.25%
50%
18.75%
6.25%
37.5%
50%
6.25%
6.25%
12. Analysis
The mean rating of at least 3 on a 1-4 scale for each element of the Application PLO indicates
that our students, on average, are demonstrating appropriate outcomes in this area. Committee
ratings of identification and understanding were slightly higher than for analysis, indicating that
perhaps more emphasis on the analysis aspect of application should be considered. The vast
majority of student papers were rated as either demonstrating (50%) or demonstrating
excellence (37.5%) in overall Application, while just 12.5% were rated as either approaching or
failing to demonstrate this PLO.
13. Proposed changes and goals (if any)
The department curriculum and assessment committee will focus on assessing PLO3:
Disciplinary Methods in 2014-15, as well as continuing to implement improvements in assessing
PLO1: Breadth, and PLO2: Application.
Disciplinary Methods (PLO3) will be assessed by evaluating a random selection of final papers
from our research methods course, POLS195A (Political Inquiry).
The committee will examine and discuss feedback on PLO1: Breadth from the student focus
group conducted in Spring 2014, and consider additional options for assessing this PLO in the
future.
The committee will share its assessment feedback on PLO2: Application with department faculty
and discuss recommendations for increasing emphasis on the analysis aspect of application.