23 Curiculum Analysis:
Describe the process which is used to regularly review curriculum and course content.
Full-time faculty have agreed upon content coverage in introductory psychology (research methods, brain/neural & hormonal systems, consciousness, learning, memory) to allow for consistency in program requirements and transfer skills for students. In addition to agreed upon content, all faculty members then make independent decisions regarding additional course content in accordance with their professional training and awareness of trends in field.
Other courses offered (Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Research in Behavioral Sciences, Personality) are usually one section courses and one faculty member chooses curriculum and course content for that course, again, in accordance with their professional training and awareness of the field.
We do not formally review curriculum and course content on an ongoing basis. The individual faculty members make independent decisions regarding course content, in accordance with their professional training and awareness of trends in field. Prior evaluation of data shows that common course content is covered by the remaining full-time members of the department. Evaluation of course content across all PSYC faculty members to verify the state of curriculum and course content will be collected at the end of fall semester 2025. We did not survey the other courses (Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Research in the Behavioral Sciences, Personality). This is, in part, because these courses are taught by a single faculty member who chooses their own curriculum and course content.
What evidence is there that the curriculum is current in content and design to help students achieve the program outcomes they need to be successful at completion?
We do not currently have a formal assessment to determine whether students are achieving program outcomes. However, in the case of the introductory course (PSYC 101), an indirect measure of student success can be determined through the context of meeting expectations for GEM 6 requirements. The students meeting or exceeding expectations across the introductory course was over 99% for the 2023, Fall semester. In addition, in the Fall 2023 semester, 93% of students in the Abnormal Psychology class were successful in passing the class as well as 96% of students in the Developmental Psychology class.