Students will gain knowledge and skills that are associated with advanced degrees in political science.
Objective
Written Comprehensive Exams
Students must demonstrate competency in the core areas of political science. These areas include political theory, methodology, and one of the following fields: American government, public administration, comparative politics, international relations, or a third related field outside the department.
Indicator
Successful Completion Of Written Comprehensive Exams
We will use written comprehensive exams as a tool for measuring students' knowledge and skills. Prior to graduation students will be required to complete three written comprehensive exams in areas relevant to their coursework. Exam questions will be written by faculty with expertise in the students' areas of study and the questions will be based on the comprehensive exam reading lists and the content of the overview courses (see department level goal of revise written comprehensive exam process for more information on the reading lists and overview courses). Students' exams will be graded by at least two faculty members (more when possible) who have expertise in the areas of study pursued by students. Exams will be assigned one of the following scores: high pass, pass, and no pass. If the two faculty members issue conflicting scores (e.g., pass and no pass), a third faculty member will be asked to score the exams and issue a final ruling.
Criterion
Written Comprehensive Exams
We expect that at least 80% of our students will pass their exams on the first attempt and that 100% of the students who have to take the exam a second time will pass.
Finding
Written Comphrehensive Exams
Only one MA student took exams and the student passed all the exams. Thus we had a 100% passing rate. However, the student received only passes, not high passes, on the exams. In addition, the department found that there lacks a consensus on what constitutes a high pass, pass, and a low pass.
Action
Written Comphrehensive Exams
We will take action to increase the number of students who receive a high pass on their exams. Specifically, we will require all students to attend a comprehensive exam study skills session prior to taking the exams. The session will be conducted by the graduate director and faculty members with expertise in the areas of the exams. In addition, the graduate faculty will construct a rubric in order to clearly differentiate between a high pass, pass, and low pass.
Goal
Oral Comprehensive Exam
Students will gain knowledge and skills that are associated with advanced degrees in political science.
Objective
Oral Comprehensive Exam
Students must demonstrate competency in the core areas of political science. These areas include political theory, methodology, and one of the following fields: American government, public administration, comparative politics, international relations, or a third related field outside the department.
Indicator
Successful Completion Of Oral Comprehensive Exams
We will use oral comprehensive exams as a tool for measuring students' knowledge and skills. After completing the written comprehensive exams, students will be required to participate in an oral comprehensive exam. The exam will be conducted by faculty members who graded the students' written exams (two faculty graders per exam). During the oral exams students will be given the opportunity to elaborate upon sections of their written exams that the faculty members deemed weak. Oral exams will be assigned one of the following grades: high pass, pass, and no pass. If the faculty members issue conflicting scores (e.g., pass and no pass), the student will be asked to participate in a second oral exam and during that exam a third faculty member will be asked to score the student's performance and issue a final ruling.
Criterion
Oral Comprehensive Exams
We expect that at least 80% of our students will pass their exams on the first attempt and that 100% of the students who have to take the exam a second time will pass.
Finding
Oral Comprehensive Exams
The one student taking the MA written exams passed the oral exam. However, the student received a pass rather than a high pass. In addition, the department found that there lacks a consensus on what constitutes a high pass, pass, and a low pass.
Action
Oral Comprehensive Exams
We will take action to increase the number of students who receive a high pass on their exams. Specifically, we will require all students to attend a comprehensive exam study skills session prior to taking the exams. The session will be conducted by the graduate director and faculty members with expertise in the areas of the exams. In addition, the graduate faculty will construct a rubric in order to clearly differentiate between a high pass, pass, and low pass.
Goal
Student Conference Attendance And Professional Writing
Students will be strongly encouraged to present at professional confences.
Objective
Student Conference Attendance And Professional Writing
Student presentation of papers at professional conferences will increase.
Indicator
Submission And Acceptance Of Proposals To Professional Conferences
Faculty members will indentify students' papers that have a strong possibility of being accepted for presentation at a professional conference. Students will be encouraged to submit their papers for presentation at a profesional conference. We believe that the acceptance rate is a good indicator of our students' professional performance as paper proposals are reviewed by members of the scholarly community and are only accepted if the proposals meet the standards set by the scholarly community.
Criterion
Student Conference Attendance and Professional Writing
At least 60% of our second year students will submit papers for presentation and at least half of the papers will be accepted for presentation.
Finding
Student Conference Attendance and Professional Writing
Although over 60% of our second year MA students did produce papers that according to faculty members were worthy of submission for presentation at a conference, only 18% (2 out of 11 students) submitted proposals. Although both proposals were accepted, only 1 of the 2 students presented at a conference. Conversations with MA students suggest that many students did not submit proposals or attend conferences because they lacked the funds necessary to attend conferences.
Action
Student Conference Attendance and Professional Writing
After speaking with students it became clear that many of them lacked the funds necessary to attend conferences. Beginning in fall 2009 we will encourage students to submit papers to conferences that will not require a great deal of funding (e.g. state or regional conferences) or to conferences that provide travel grants to graduate students. We will also compile a list of SHSU graduate student conference funding opportunities.