Department of African American Studies

1998 Assessment Report

The Department of African American has completed its self-examination that was started last year. On the basis of that examination the department has proposed a series of means by which to assess its efforts to accomplish its mission--to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the experiences of sub-Saharan Africans and African-descended peoples, particularly African Americans.

Specifically the objectives of the department is to produce majors and minors equipped with (1) competencies in the methods of and approaches to systematic research related to the experiences

of Black people throughout the world; (2) the ability to understand. appreciate, and evaluate the creative products of the African World community as well as the world community; (3) the sense of civic responsibility necessary to becoming engaged citizens committed to productive service in a variety of arenas.

The principal goal of the Department is to produce majors and minors who will pursue a course of study culminating in the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, and who will be armed with the knowledge and skills required to pursue graduate or professional study or secure work in a field in which their training will make them more effective professionals. A secondary objective is to provide graduates with the means for being concerned and involved citizens in both the national community and the world community.

The Department proposes several options for assessing the realization of its mission and objectives, including developing a seminar or several seminars designed to determined the extent to which students truly possess the knowledge and skills required of majors. Depending on the number of majors the department is able to attract several seminars may be required to accommodate the several focal areas available within the African American Studies major. The culminating activity of the senior seminar will be an examination that all students must pass, a senior paper, or both. An alternative to the senior seminar may be an independent study project, conducted under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member, that results in a major paper in the student’s focal area. A survey will be conducted of all graduates to determine the extent to which they feel that their preparation prepared them for further academic work or employment.

The Future

The Department of African American Studies is looking forward to implementing the curricular changes and taking the other steps necessary to putting its assessment measures in place.