Economics Department Richards College of Business at the University of West Georgia

University of West Georgia
Learning Goals (LG) & Assessment of Learning Goals

For Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Economics Majors, we expect graduating students will meet the following learning goals:

. LG1) communicate effectively in oral presentations and writing
. LG2) apply basic quantitative skills to business problems
. LG3) acquire basic skills in information and business technology
. LG4) possess a basic knowledge of accounting, economics, finance, legal environment of business, management and marketing
. LG5) recognize how diversity, ethical decision making and leadership, social responsibility, globalization, and multicultural considerations affect organizations and their environment
. LG6) utilize general and management-specific knowledge and skills to analyze business and economic problems within an ethical framework,
. LG7) possess a basic knowledge of economic concepts and tools including scarcity, opportunity costs, and supply and demand
. LG8) possess a basic knowledge of macroeconomics concepts including national income accounting, inflation, unemployment, and the monetary system
. LG9) possess a basic knowledge of microeconomics concepts such as consumer decision making, elasticity, costs, market structure, and labor markets
. LG10) possess a basic knowledge of international economic concepts including trade and exchange rates
. LG11) apply knowledge of economic concepts to strategies for addressing public policy issues
. LG12) demonstrate an ability to generate and interpret descriptive statistics

For International Economic Affairs Majors (B.A.), we expect graduating students will meet learning goals LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following:

. LG13) possess a basic knowledge of at least one foreign language
. LG14) possess a basic knowledge of global issues from a multidisciplinary perspective (economics, geo-political, historical, etc.)

For Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Economics Majors, we expect graduating students will meet learning goals LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following:

. LG15) possess a basic knowledge of at least one area of study outside of economics or business (e.g. political science, psychology, computer science).

For Bachelors in Science (B.S.) in Economics (with Secondary Education Certification), we expect graduating students will meet learning outcomes LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following:

. LG16) possess a basic knowledge in at least one social science area other than economics (political science, history, etc.)
. LG17) possess a basic knowledge of education issues in developmental and educational psychology, special education, and instructional strategies for the teaching of economics and other social studies subjects at the secondary level
. LG18) practical teaching experience in a secondary social studies classroom
. LG19) knowledge of social studies sufficient to pass the PRAXIS II social studies examination

Assessment of Learning Goals

Details about the processes to assess learning goals can be found in the current Economics Department Annual Report . Examples of how the Economics Department has used the assessment of goals and outcomes to change/improve a process are also discussed in the annual report. The results of the assessment process are summarized below.


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**JavaScript based drop down DHTML menu generated by NavStudio. (OpenCube Inc. - http://www.opencube.com)**	University of West Georgia Learning Goals (LG) & Assessment of Learning Goals For Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Economics Majors, we expect graduating students will meet the following learning goals: . LG1) communicate effectively in oral presentations and writing . LG2) apply basic quantitative skills to business problems . LG3) acquire basic skills in information and business technology . LG4) possess a basic knowledge of accounting, economics, finance, legal environment of business, management and marketing . LG5) recognize how diversity, ethical decision making and leadership, social responsibility, globalization, and multicultural considerations affect organizations and their environment . LG6) utilize general and management-specific knowledge and skills to analyze business and economic problems within an ethical framework, . LG7) possess a basic knowledge of economic concepts and tools including scarcity, opportunity costs, and supply and demand . LG8) possess a basic knowledge of macroeconomics concepts including national income accounting, inflation, unemployment, and the monetary system . LG9) possess a basic knowledge of microeconomics concepts such as consumer decision making, elasticity, costs, market structure, and labor markets . LG10) possess a basic knowledge of international economic concepts including trade and exchange rates . LG11) apply knowledge of economic concepts to strategies for addressing public policy issues . LG12) demonstrate an ability to generate and interpret descriptive statistics For International Economic Affairs Majors (B.A.), we expect graduating students will meet learning goals LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following: . LG13) possess a basic knowledge of at least one foreign language . LG14) possess a basic knowledge of global issues from a multidisciplinary perspective (economics, geo-political, historical, etc.) For Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Economics Majors, we expect graduating students will meet learning goals LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following: . LG15) possess a basic knowledge of at least one area of study outside of economics or business (e.g. political science, psychology, computer science). For Bachelors in Science (B.S.) in Economics (with Secondary Education Certification), we expect graduating students will meet learning outcomes LG1, LG3, LG7-LG12 and the following: . LG16) possess a basic knowledge in at least one social science area other than economics (political science, history, etc.) . LG17) possess a basic knowledge of education issues in developmental and educational psychology, special education, and instructional strategies for the teaching of economics and other social studies subjects at the secondary level . LG18) practical teaching experience in a secondary social studies classroom . LG19) knowledge of social studies sufficient to pass the PRAXIS II social studies examination Assessment of Learning Goals Details about the processes to assess learning goals can be found in the current Economics Department Annual Report . Examples of how the Economics Department has used the assessment of goals and outcomes to change/improve a process are also discussed in the annual report. The results of the assessment process are summarized below. Graduates of each economics program must satisfy all the requirements set out for that particular degree. Students must satisfy the college core requirements, Area F requirements, and the major course requirements. One-hundred percent of all graduates have completed these requirements. Learning goals are also assessed in ECON 4484, Senior Seminar in Economics. In that class students participate in class discussions, make multiple presentations, take an assessment examination, and evaluate the department. The assessment exam is given and graded by a committee of faculty members in the Economics Department. The assessment exam counts 10% of the grade in ECON 4484 and is used as an assessment instrument for learning goals 7-11 listed above. Of the 28 students taking this examination in Spring 2004, 5 were awarded a grade of "high pass," 19 were awarded a grade of "pass," 2 student received a "low pass," while 2 students "failed" the assessment exam. The results will be reviewed during Summer 2004 by the entire Department. If modifications in the economics degree program are appropriate, this will be discussed at the first meeting of the Fall 2004 semester. During 2003-04, the economics department graduated two B.S. Economics majors (with Secondary Education Certification). Both students passed their teaching internship (information on Praxis II results are unknown at this time). Both students graduated with overall GPAs in excess of 3.3. One of these students was awarded the outstanding secondary social studies award by the UWG College of Education during the Honors Convocation in April 2004. Economics degree programs are reviewed annually. Student input on the effectiveness of our degree programs is obtained each year from a department evaluation distributed to all graduating seniors. The most frequently mentioned strengths of the department (in the Spring 2004 evaluation) were the high quality (and helpful) faculty, the international slant of the department, and the well-roundedness and flexibility of the economics degree programs. Suggested improvements for the department include: the desire for a greater selection of upper division course offerings, additional econometrics type courses to help prepare students for graduate school, and more information for students on job possibilities and internships. The completed evaluations will be reviewed by the faculty during Summer 2004 and discussed at the first faculty meeting of the Fall 2004 semester. Twenty-five economics students, all seniors within 30 hours of graduation, also completed a "future plans" survey at the end of the Spring 2004 semester. Survey results indicate that most economics majors nearing graduation are having a very difficult time lining up a job under current economic conditions or have not begun to actively seek employment. A number of students indicated an interest in attending graduate school some time in the future with education and business being the most frequently mentioned fields of study. Updated May 8, 2004



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