Assessment Plan 

results

Psychology Department 

11/13/02

 Department Mission: to create and share knowledge about psychology through teaching and other professional and scholarly activities. 

Goal I: to create knowledge about psychology 

Procedure:  encourage student participation in research in Honors projects, Independent research, Directed Research, classes, etc. 

Outcome:  students will learn how knowledge is created using the scientific method 

Assessment:  record student participation in research 

Data collected: number of students involved in research in various ways 

Use of results: develop means to maintain or increase student participation in research 

Goal II: to share knowledge about psychology 

Procedure:  teach classes 

Outcome:  students will know more about psychology after four years of study than before 

Assessment:  administer standardized test on psychology to first year psychology majors and to senior psychology majors in capstone courses 

Data collected: test scores, to be collected alternate years for two administrations, then the year before the departmental review, then reassessed for future use 

Use of results: examine overall level of proficiency and performance in particular areas of the discipline; propose changes to correct any deficiencies and inequities 

Goal III: to encourage graduates to choose careers or graduate school in psychology or related fields           

Procedure:  teach classes, model professional activities, provide information on careers and graduate programs 

Outcome:  students will select careers or graduate schools in psychology and related fields 

Assessment:  survey of career and graduate school choices of graduates approximately every three years 

Data collected: responses to survey questions 

Use of results: examine graduates’ career and graduate school choices; propose curriculum changes to encourage graduates to choose careers in psychology or related fields and/or to attend graduate programs in psychology or related fields