Departmental Assessment Update - Arts and Humanities Report
Department: Philosophy
Program: PhD
Level: Graduate
1. List in detail your graduate Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each degree/certificate offered.
– Students demonstrate philosophical reading competence in a philosophically significant language other than English.
– Students demonstrate reading and research competence in English.
– Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the Western philosophical tradition and where applicable in a non-Western tradition.
– students demonstrate their knowledge and ability to participate in a field of contemporary philosophic endeavor.
– students gain mastery of a specific topic
– students develop the ability to conduct and write up publishable research
– students develop the ability to express and defend their views in oral presentations
(adopted 18 August 2005)
.
2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., departmental web page)?
These are published in the Department’s Graduate Student Handbook and on the Department web page.
3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your program of graduate studies produce the specific SLOs in your students?
– Students demonstrate philosophical reading competence in a philosophically significant language other than English.
Students continue their language studies in the relevant language department and independently. They take an exam administered by the relevant language department.
– Students demonstrate reading and research competence in English.
Foreign students work intensively with professors in the department and with students who are native English speakers to improve their English language skills.
– Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the Western philosophical tradition and where applicable in a non-Western tradition
Students are required to take courses in the history of philosophy.
– students demonstrate their knowledge and ability to participate in a field of contemporary philosophic endeavor.
The department has developed graduate level courses designed to develop students ability to engage with topics in contemporary philosophy.
– students gain mastery of a specific topic
This is assessed in the thesis proposal defense
– students develop the ability to conduct and write up publishable research
In coursework by the requirement to write and revise article length papers on topics requiring research related to, but not covered in, class material.
Through mentoring by the members of the PhD committee.
– students develop the ability to express and defend their views in oral presentations
This is encouraged by the format of our examinations at the graduate level. In addition the Philosophy Student’s Association runs its own colloquia where students can practice presenting to an audience of their peers.
4. What population(s) is covered by your assessment(s)?
All PhD candidates.
5. Please list/describe all the assessment events and devices used to monitor graduate student progress through the program. Consider the following questions:
PhD candidates are required to take (and pass) two area exams before moving on to their proposal defense. These exams both have a take-home written component, followed by an oral exam.Each year the department reviews the progress of each student in the graduate program. Each professor ranks the students they have taught; the results are compiled and used as a basis for discussion of student progress.
6. Please list/describe how your graduate students contribute to your discipline/academic area? Consider the following questions:
Philosophy Department students participate actively in the annual SHAPS student conference.
We encourage students to submit papers for professional conferences and each year several are successful.
We also encourage them to submit papers to professional journals but this is an area that needs improvement.
Our graduate students have organized three very successful international conferences for philosophy students. We now have sufficient private funding to make this an annual event.
7. What attempts are made to monitor student post-graduate professional activities?
The Philosophy Department maintains a list of graduate alumni, tracking their placement into doctoral programs, teaching positions, etc.
8. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?
The link between the second area exam and coursework has been claried and a new procedure is in place.
Discussion with graduate students suggests that we need to review the language requirement because of unevenness in the standards expected in the different language departments. This will be on topic for review this fall.
Discussion with graduate students also suggests that we need to review the structure of the required coursework for the PhD, particularly for students who have already completed their MA in our department.
9. Has the program developed learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.
yes
10. Has the program published learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.
yes
11. If so, please indicate how the program has published learning outcomes.
see 2
12. What evidence is used to determine achievement of student learning outcomes?
see 5
13. Who interprets the evidence?
department faculty
14. What is the process of interpreting the evidence?
discussion at department and dissertation committee meetings
15. Indicate the date of last program review.
Spring 2002