Assessment Plan

For Majors

Goals

The Department of Philosophy has three main goals devolving around the notions of knowledge, skill, and attitude concerning the education of its majors.

Goal 1

To impart to majors, knowledge of

  • the philosophies of some of the major philosophers in the Western tradition,
  • the main subject areas of Western philosophy,
  • the various schools of thought within the Western philosophical tradition and their methods.

Goal 2

To develop in majors the skills necessary for

  • reading, understanding, and evaluating philosophical texts,
  • engaging in philosophical thought and dialogue,
  • expressing their philosophical ideas clearly and cogently in writing and in speaking.

Goal 3

To instill in majors an attitude of Socratic humility--an attitude that the one thing they know is that they do not know, and in their pursuit of knowledge and truth, they ought to develop a critical attitude and a sensitivity to the views of others.

Ways of Meeting These Goals

Concerning Goal 1

The primary way of achieving this goal is by taking the appropriate courses. Accordingly, the Department requires that a prospective major take ten courses within the Philosophy Department including the following core of five courses:

  • Ancient Philosophy (201)
  • Modern Philosophy (202)
  • Either American Philosophy (233) or Contemporary Analytic Philosophy (234)
  • Accelerated Formal Logic (236)
  • The Philosophy Colloquium (399)

The Philosophy Colloquium serves as the Department's capstone course and is taken by the major in the fall semester of her/his senior year.

For outstanding majors, there is the option of participating in the Honors program where each major continues to do research in the spring semester of their senior year, normally by developing and expanding on the ideas presented in the research paper he/she has written for the Philosophy Colloquium. This paper is initially presented orally to the class (399), and then later to a committee consisting of the philosophy faculty and possibly some faculty member from another department, and to the state student philosophy conference.

Concerning Goal 2

The primary ways of meeting this goal include writing exams and papers, giving oral presentations and by engaging in classroom discussions. Secondarily, it can be achieved through private consultations with the major's instructors regarding the major's work.

Concerning Goal 3

Ideally, this goal is met when Goals 1 and 2 are met.

Methods of Assessing Student Learning

Direct Measures

The primary measures the Department uses to assess a major's progress toward achieving these three stated goals are the traditional ones of in-class and take-home exams, written papers of both a formal and informal kind, oral presentations, classroom discussions, and informal private consultations between student and faculty.

With relatively small philosophy classes (beyond the introductory level), it is not difficult for the faculty to engage in substantial, informal, philosophical discussions with many of the department's majors. This is an invaluable means for assessing student progress. Moreover, the department sponsors an email, electronic forum called PHILO-L composed of majors, minors, faculty, and friends of the department where students are invited to discuss openly, but informally, philosophical issues of concern. Finally, the major's advisor meets formally with her/him at least once each semester to discuss student progress and related matters.

To further assist in the effort of evaluating student progress, faculty members of the department are required to compose brief assessments of end-of-term performances for each of the majors in their classes. Copies of these assessments are given to the student concerned, her/his advisor, and the department chair. In cases where it seems useful, the advisor and/or department chair, upon consulting with one another, may decide, either individually or together, to confer with the relevant student in person.

Indirect Measures

Most philosophy majors do not go on to graduate school in philosophy. Most, who do continue their formal education beyond their undergraduate experience, attend the various professional schools, particularly law, business, and the ministry. The department regards the placement of its majors into any kind of post-graduate program as a positive outcome. For those students who do not further their education, but instead elect to inject themselves into the workplace earlier, an outcome that is regarded as positive by the department for those students is one that exhibits a critical attitude and a sensitivity to the views of others.

Interpretation

Once each semester, the department faculty meets as a group to assess the overall performance of its majors and to discuss the ways in which it might improve its pedagogy. Finally, the faculty of the department meets annually with the academic dean of the college to report informally on the progress it has made.

For the General Student

Goals

The Department of Philosophy has two main goals devolving around the notions of knowledge and skill concerning the education of the general student who might take anywhere from one to five or six courses in philosophy.

Goal 1

To impart to such students, knowledge of

  • the philosophies of some of the major philosophers in the Western tradition,
  • at least one or two subject areas of Western philosophy,
  • at least one or two schools of thought within the Western philosophical tradition and their methods.

Goal 2

To develop in such students the skills necessary for

  • reading, understanding, and evaluating philosophical texts to some extent,
  • appreciating philosophical thought and dialogue,
  • expressing many of their ideas clearly and cogently in writing and in speaking.

Ways of Meeting These Goals

Concerning Goal 1

The primary way of achieving this goal is by taking courses that hopefully are related in some way to the student's major, minor or life interests. Accordingly, the Department offers a large array of courses related to various other areas of study, viz. Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Religion, Aesthetics, etc. Moreover, the department also offers a few introductory courses of an interdisciplinary nature such as Racism and Sexism, The Individual and Community, Philosophy and the Computer and Philosophies of the Environment. The general student who wishes to minor in philosophy is required to take either Ancient Philosophy (201) or Modern Philosophy (202), and four additional courses in consultation with a departmental advisor.

Concerning Goal 2

The primary ways of meeting this goal include writing exams and papers, giving oral presentations and by engaging in classroom discussions.