Developing Programmatic Objectives Presentation to Department of English SUNY Oneonta October 1, 2008

Some General Suggestions Involve all faculty teaching in program Program objectives should reflect institutional and program Mission Statement (and course objectives, if they exist) Best objectives result from negotiated agreement about what students in the program should “be like” upon completing program Focus on five or so objectives to begin with

Basic Questions in Getting Started What do you expect of students in terms of knowledge, skills, behavior, and attitudes? What achievements do you expect of graduates in your field? What profiles of your alumni do you have, or can you develop in terms of issues you believe are important?

Developing Program Objectives: Some Typical Areas of Interest Knowledge of content Communication ability (written and oral) Information literacy ability (library use and computer proficiency) Quantitative reasoning Critical thinking Analytic and interpretative ability

Another Way of Clustering: Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Understanding Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Specific Guidelines for Setting Program Objectives Three Basic Rules

Rule #1: Identify Overarching Concepts, Not “Course-Level” Objectives Good Example: “Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate hypotheses, analyze data, and draw conclusions.” Poor Example: “Students will demonstrate the ability to perform an ANOVA.”

Rule #2: State Objectives Using Concrete Language and Action Verbs Good Example: “Students will acquire and demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to solve complex business problems in one or more areas of emphasis.” Poor Example: “Our objective is to enhance students’ intellectual growth.”

Rule #3: Focus on Results, Not Process Good Example: “Students will demonstrate clear and effective oral communication skills.” Poor Example: “Students will successfully complete four Oral Intensive courses.”

Example: Texas Tech University (B.A. English, Specialization in Creative Writing) To identify the three major literary genres (fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction) and the subgenres within each of these. To demonstrate competence in the writing of each of the three major genres. To identify and define basic poetry terminology, analyze poems, discriminate aesthetically among various poems, and to appreciate the beauty, difficulty, and complexity of language.

Example: U. Wisconsin River Falls (B.A. English Literature) Demonstrate an understanding of historical, social, and formal qualities of the English Language. Develop formal expository, argumentative, and interpretive essays employing the writing process, critical analysis, and research. Internalize an informed narrative of American, British, and International literary histories.

Example: University of Colorado at Boulder (B.A. English) Students completing the degree in English are expected to acquire the ability and skills to: – analyze literary texts; – interpret texts on the basis of such analysis; – relate analyses and interpretations of different texts to one another; and – communicate such interpretations competently in written form. Students specializing in creative writing emphasizes knowledge and awareness of: – literary works, including the genres of fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting, and the major texts of contemporary writers; – literary history, including the origins and development of genres, major writers of the past, and the role of the writer in society; and – literary analysis, including theories of literary composition and critical theory.