Statement of Outcomes Assessment
Two fundamental learning goals of the sociology and criminal justice major are student competence in research methods and theory. The Department meets these goals through our courses in Social Science Research Methods, Criminology, and Sociological Theory. Methods of Social Research I and II are required for both sociology and criminal justice majors, while Sociological Theory is required of sociology majors and Criminology is required of criminal justice majors. After completing the required outcomes assessment courses, sociology and criminal justice majors should be able to:
1. define theory and describe its role in building knowledge;
2. compare and contrast basic theoretical orientations;
3. show how theories reflect the historical context of times and cultures in which they were developed;
4. describe and apply theories to areas of social reality;
5. conduct their own social research through the development of research skills in observation, interviewing, surveys, and content analysis;
6. compare and contrast the basic quantitative and qualitative approaches for gathering data; and
7. critically assess a published research report and explain how the study could have been improved.
Sociology majors demonstrate competence in Methods of Social Research I and II and Sociological Theory by passing these courses with a C or better. Criminal Justice majors demonstrate competence in Methods of Social Research I and II and Criminology by passing these courses with a C or better. Students who earn a D or an F in one or more of these courses may repeat the course following the guidelines for repeating a course set out in this catalog.