SACS Reaffirmation
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Assessment : 2007 - 2008 : Educational Programs :
History MA
2 Goals 3 Objectives 4 Indicators 4 Criteria 4 Findings 4 Actions
GOAL: Employment And Advanced Degrees
| Objective | Advanced Degree Programs | |
| M.A. History graduates will have the commensurate academic achievement to pursue other degrees, such as the Ph.D. and the M.L.S. Associated Goals: Employment And Advanced Degrees |
| Indicator | Advanced Degrees A number of M.A. History Students with the aptitude, achievement, and motivation shall pursue advanced or specialized degrees at other Universities. |
| Criteria | Advanced Degrees At least one history M.A. History graduate will be admitted into a Ph.D. or other advanced degree program each year. |
| Finding | Advanced Degrees During 2007-08, at least 6 former MA students were accepted into PhD programs. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Advanced Degrees The department met its benchmark expectations on this objective. No changes in policy are needed at this time. |
GOAL: Employment And Advanced Degrees
| Objective | Employment | |
| M.A. History graduates will gain the knowledge and skills to advance in their present careers or to enter new fields of employment. Associated Goals: Employment And Advanced Degrees |
| Indicator | Employment Survey  The History Department will communicate with former students via a questionnaire instrument that will assess the degree that the program contributed to the intellectual and career advancements of MA graduates. |
| Criteria | Career Development At least 80% of history students five years after graduation will report on the survey instrument that the degree skills they acquired as a student has enabled them to meet their career goals. |
| Finding | Survey of Graduates By July 10, 2008, one of the four History graduates from the Class of 2003 had returned the survey instrument asking the graduates to assess the degree that their training at SHSU (a) prepared them for their post-graduate careers, (b) aided them in their intellectual growth, and (c) helped them in the development of their oral and written communication skills. This graduate gave high ratings in each of the three categories included in the survey instrument. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Former Student Survey The department concluded that the pilot program in surveying former BA and MA students is worthy of continuation. During 2008-09, the department will widen the sample size by sending questionnaires to all history majors who graduated between the years 2004 and 2008. |
GOAL: Knowledge And Skills
| Objective | Research And Analysis | |
| M. A. History students will demonstrate competence in applying research methodologies; qualitative and quantitative analysis; literature review; and use of traditional and digital resources. The History Department will prepare its graduates to publish in their respective fields. Associated Goals: Knowledge And Skills |
| Indicator | Degree Requirements All M.A. History graduates shall successfully complete a Masters’ Thesis or a major research paper for the required research seminar, and shall successfully pass written and oral exams in three field areas. This will be assessed by a survey of written examinations and oral examination reports. |
| Criteria | Research Project All M.A. History students will achieve Good or Better ratings by a panel of history faculty on Master''''s Theses or research papers based upon primary historical sources. |
| Finding | Research Project During 2007-08, 15 of 15 graduating MA students received good or better ratings on graduate level research papers drawn from primary sources. |
| Indicator | Student Presentations Graduate students will present scholarly research in non-classroom professional venues. |
| Criteria | Student Presentations In any two year period, at least 4 graduate students will present scholarly research in non-classroom professional venues. |
| Finding | Student Presentations During 2007-08, at least 6 graduate papers were presented at scholarly venues outside of the classroom. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Quality of Student Research The department met its benchmark expectations on this objective. No changes in policy are needed at this time. |
| Action | Student Presentations The department met its benchmark expectations on this objective. No changes in policy are needed at this time. |