Faculty Handbook 2012 - 2013

A. Self Study

The self-study will be coordinated by the chair or director of the program or department under review. In the year of its review, the staff of the department or program will be expected to prepare a response to the following questions:

  1. What objectives and principles inform the organization of the major? The response should discuss at least the following points:

    1. the structure of the prerequisites;

    2. the arrangement and level of coverage of the various specialties;

    3. the rationale for cognate courses;

    4. the extent to which the department encourages and provides opportunities for student research;

    5. the relationship of the postgraduate activities of majors and the department's objectives.

  2. Are the department's physical and equipment resources adequate? How adequate are library holdings? What needs are anticipated for the future?

  3. What changes have been made in the departmental program over the last eight years? How successful have they been?

  4. Are the range, balance, and sequence of the department's curriculum for the major reasonable, given the character of the discipline and the nature of the University? Are areas of specialization under-represented? Over-represented?

  5. What is the balance between the department's commitment to its majors and its commitment to the General Education Program of the University? What are the goals of the department's GE courses? How well does the department meet those goals?

  6. Do department majors acquire adequate training in the necessary library, laboratory, or performance skills?

  7. Do students get sufficient opportunity to practice the discipline?

  8. What is the departmental participation in the Senior Thesis or Senior Creative projects? What is expected of our top students?

  9. What are the relationships of the department to other programs and departments within the College? Is the department contributing as much as it might? Are other departments providing adequate support?

  10. How do the department's curriculum and scholarship relate to the practice of the discipline elsewhere? To what degree has the department kept abreast of developments in the field and how are they reflected in the curriculum?

  11. How does the department encourage the educational development of majors outside the curriculum? Is support provided for major-related student organizations and activities?

  12. How has the department incorporated measures to assess student academic achievement in the major?

  13. Are the goals, objectives, and methods for assessing student achievement reviewed on an ongoing basis?

  14. Review the five most recent departmental assessment reports. What has the department learned about student learning as a result of the assessment process? How are the results of assessment regularly used for program improvement?

  15. How has the department formulated and implemented a plan for the formative and summative evaluation of teaching?

Additional questions may be proposed by the Provost or the staff of the program under review.

Copies of the written self-study will be provided to the External Review Committee, the Academic Affairs Council, and the Denison faculty representative on the External Review Committee (see below). One copy of this report will be placed in the library and will be available only to students, faculty, and staff.

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