This was the third year for the Anthropology Program to engage in the university’s assessment protocol. In AY2000-01 the program developed its current mission statement, identified eight central learning objectives for the major, constructed a curriculum outcomes grid, and developed and administered an exit interview as a measure of student learning outcomes. In AY2001-02 the exit interview was again administered to graduates, a student focus group session was held, general education and diversity courses were reviewed, and an alumni tracking process was investigated. This year (2002-2003) the curriculum grid was amended slightly to more accurately reflect course foci, a formal "assessment plan" was articulated, the exit interview of graduates was again conducted, an initial alumni data assessment was made, and the program participated in general education and diversity assessment of courses. Here is a brief discussion of the results of the data collected this year (2002-2003) and the program’s plans for assessment in the future.

1 . Summary of Data Collected 2002-03:

a. An Exit Interview, first developed in 2000-01 based on the program’s learning objectives or outcomes, was employed again this year. The survey-style interview was mailed in April, 2003, to 27 students, to include all of the 2002-2003 graduating majors (16) and minors (11). Eighteen students (13 majors and 5 minors) returned the surveys by the time of this report (May 20, 2003) for a 67% total response rate (81% response rate of majors). A summary of the central patterns of responses is described here. Data on responses from majors are primarily represented, since there were only five minors who responded. As will be seen below, overall results indicate that the program mission is being upheld and the learning outcomes are being effectively accomplished.

(1) Every respondent reported a significant increase in their understanding, proficiency, and knowledge in the eight desired learning outcomes of the program from the time before they began the program to their completion of the program. (See the numeric results.)

(2) Respondents indicated they selected anthropology as a major primarily because of personal interest in the subject, their desire to better understand humans, the discipline’s unique insights, and their enjoyment of the classes, fieldwork, and the professors.

(3) Most respondents indicated cultural anthropology as their 1^st or 2^nd choices of specialized field of interest within anthropology, followed by archaeology, then biological anthropology, and linguistics last. It is understandable, with only one course offered in linguistics, that it was ranked last.

(4) The majority of respondents (85%) indicated they planned to attend graduate school some time after graduation, and approximately half (50%) intend to pursue anthropology. Several of these students (33% of respondents) were accepted into anthropology programs.

(5) 80% of the graduating Majors intend to pursue a career in anthropology. The remaining 20% indicated career interests in fields typically benefiting from anthropological knowledge (e.g., law, education, history, international relations), and/or may return to anthropology in the future.

(6) All respondents (100%) indicated that the greatest strengths of the program were the faculty (expertise in teaching and research, diversity in specialization, and personableness); some also mentioned the field school and the archaeology program; some mentioned the theory and research courses; and a few mentioned they liked the small, intimate size of the program.

(7) Most respondents felt that the greatest weaknesses of the program pertain to the limited number and variety of courses offered — especially in biological anthropology and linguistics, as well as the small number of faculty and the difficulty in scheduling classes without competing against each other. Many felt that no changes were necessary — they liked it the way it is.

(8) The changes most often suggested for the program’s courses or requirements were to add more courses for variety, especially in biological anthropology, linguistics, and region-specific courses, have more "hands on" experiences, and to possibly split a couple of courses into two courses. Several mentioned the need for more faculty and more funding. Most, however felt satisfied with the program the way it is.

(9) All respondents (100%) indicated that their WSU anthropological training has broadened and positively changed the way they view the world and peoples of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This was essentially expressed as their becoming more open minded by developing attitudes of cultural relativism and racial equality and using a holistic perspective in their understanding of humans and their behavior. All expressed the belief that they were better able to participate in a global society due to their anthropological training.

b. Alumni Data: Alumni data on anthropology graduates from 1992 to 2001 were obtained from a database system collected and maintained by WSU’s Development Office. (See Appendix A of this report - Anthropology Alumni Data.) These data contained information provided through voluntary self-reports by 155 students: 121 graduates with an Anthropology Minor, 28 BIS graduates with an Anthropology Emphasis, and 8 students who had graduated with an Anthropology Major. Only one area of information was useful for assessment -- that of employment provided by 29 (18.7%) of the alumni respondents. This data tended to show that most were currently employed and in human-services related sectors, especially in health or legal/law enforcement services (24%), in academic areas including the library (52%), and the remainder in business/investments, sales or other (24%). As more majors graduate in the coming years, we will be able to build on this alumni base and create more precision in our tracking and data. An alumni survey instrument is being developed by the Alumni Tracking & Outreach Committee in the department and is to be distributed this coming Fall Semester 2003 which will hopefully elicit more kinds of information.

c. Other Assessments - General Education & Diversity: Although these types of assessment don’t pertain directly to program assessment, they do have implications for the program and its courses. The Anthropology program has participated in the General Education assessment discussions and efforts for the Social Sciences, the Life Sciences, and the Humanities and for assessing the Diversity Requirement outcomes on campus. Data were collected through student surveys prepared by the campus committees in charge of these assessments during the year for several of the anthropology courses which belong to these areas. These data are still being compiled and analyzed by the various committees, and the results will be shared with us next year along with any committee feedback on recommended actions.

2. Interpretation of data with respect to program success in achieving desired student outcomes:

Although we recognize that more needs to be done towards program assessment in terms of developing and fine tuning a greater variety of assessment techniques and collecting more data quantitatively as the program builds and further establishes itself on campus, we feel very encouraged by the results we’ve seen so far. These early results indicate that the program seems to be fulfilling the eight designated learning outcomes goals to an effective degree and that student satisfaction is equally very high. We have developed very good track records-in-the-making regarding graduation rates and placement rates in graduate school and employment, and we look forward to seeing what the next couple of years of data will yield.

3. Changes to be Implemented as a Result of the Data Collected:

Discussion of the results of these assessment efforts (i.e., exit interviews, alumni data, and general education reviews) needs to occur further among the faculty during the summer and autumn with a comparison made across the past three years. The results look very comparable to the other years we have collected data, however, and we are generally satisfied with the positive feedback on what we are doing. The only changes anticipated to occur will be modest course and scheduling revisions and further incorporation of career advisement for majors.

4. Plans for Ongoing Assessment of Anthropology Outcomes:

The faculty plan to further review and possibly revise the exit interview and to conduct a comparable student Focus Group Session like that of 2001-02 which is slated to be repeated again next year (2003-2004). (See the new Program Assessment Plan in Appendix A.) The inclusion of more direct assessment measures is also planned and under discussion (e.g., exams [local pre- and post tests; possibly national tests]; grades, GPA, and GRE patterns; and further appropriate institutional research data will be sought). A newly created alumni survey by the department Alumni Tracking & Outreach Committee is to be administered Fall 2003 with the results to be compiled and analyzed by Spring Semester 2004. The program has graduated 41 majors to date, and there should now be enough graduates to provide us with some statistically calculable patterns, although it is still early to find employment and graduate school meaningful outcomes. Lastly, further work on general education and diversity course assessments is also planned.

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