Institution: Florida A&M University

Location: Tallahassee, FL

Tuner: Reginald Ellis

Year: 2014

Degree Name: Bachelor of Arts in History and Bachelor of Science in History

Purpose of the Degree

Florida A&M University is committed to inspirational teaching, exemplary research, and meaningful public and community service through creative partnerships at the local, state, national, and global levels. The University is also committed to the resolution of complex issues that will enhance humankind.

Characteristics of the Program

The Department of History at Florida A&M University seeks to provide students with a wide variety of knowledge related to history and the history profession through which students will develop and/or sharpen their critical thinking skills. The department seeks to provide students with a solid foundation which will allow them to become top-quality scholars, help them better understand the world in which we live, and to serve as a source of historical information crucial to preserving the community's and nation's heritage.

Educational Style

1. Content Area: Graduates will demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of subject content area.

• Understand historical chronology from the origin of mankind to the present especially as it relates to Africans and African Americans.
• Discuss competing ideas, concepts, and theories about the linkage between politics, education, psychology, religion, history, culture, economics, and geography across various time periods as it relates to the African and African American experience.

2. Critical Thinking Skills: Graduates will demonstrate critical thinking and/or analytical skills within the subject content area as well as other disciplines.

• Understand cause and effect relationships in history as it relates to the African American experience.
• Understand and identify the roots, dynamics, impacts, frameworks, and vitality of a political reality as it relates to the African American experience.
• Interpret various influences in African American history and how it impacts black psychology, economics, geography, etc.
• Understand various aspects of local, state, national, and international politics as it relates to African and African American issues.

3. Communication Skills: Graduates will demonstrate satisfactory communication skills through written and oral mediums.

• Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication.
• Use technology and library resources efficiently and effectively to conduct and present research.
• Demonstrate competency in using standard historical writing style, i.e., Turabian, Chicago, or APA style.

4. African American Cultural Perspectives: Graduates will demonstrate satisfactory understanding of African American cultural perspectives.

• Appreciate the roles and contributions African Americans have made to the American life, culture, and history.
• Analyze how the presence of African Americans has profoundly affected the nature and development of all aspects of American life and culture.
• Understand politics, psychology, economics, sociology, history, etc, as it relates to African Americans and the African American experience.

5. Diversity and Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Graduates will demonstrate satisfactory appreciation for diversity perspectives and interdisciplinary groups.

• Appreciates various scholarly positions on racial matters.
• Understands the importance of various multi-cultural issues in American society.
• Recognizes cultural bias when analyzing research and writing from various disciplines.

Program Competencies and Outcomes

Direct Measure(s)

1. 85% of the graduating seniors will demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of the subject content by scoring 70% or higher in all courses that focus on content area material.
2. 85% of graduating seniors will earn 70% or higher on classroom examinations administered by History Department faculty (AMH 2010, AMH 2020, WOH 1012, WOH 1022, etc).
3. 85% of graduating seniors will complete original research projects and will earn 70% or higher on the project graded by History Department faculty (HIS 3150, AFA 4936).
4. 85% of graduating seniors will complete book reviews and will earn 70% or higher on the review assignment graded by History Department faculty (AFH 4100, AFH 4200, AMH 3571, AMH 3572, AMH 4573, HIS 3150).

Indirect Measure(s)

5. 80% of History Department faculty teaching 3000 and 4000 level courses will submit samples of student book critiques and research papers demonstrating that students have mastered content area material.

Direct Measure(s)

6. Faculty will measure student performance through a combination of essays, multiple-choice questions, and research papers.
7. Faculty in General Education courses (AMH 2010, AMH 2020, WOH 1012, WOH 1022, etc) will measure student performance primarily through in-class exams that are a combination of essay and multiple choice questions.
8. Faculty who teach capstone courses (HIS 3150, AFA 4936) will measure student performance through in-class exams in addition to original research projects.
9. Faculty who teach our content courses (AFH 4100, AFH 4200, AMH 3571, AMH 3572, AMH 4573, HIS 3150) will measure student performance through a combination of in-class exams, research papers, and book reviews.

Indirect Measure(s)

10. Faculty assignments that are submitted will be reviewed by a committee.