Middlebury College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

The Program in Environmental Studies
Education Studies
The Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
American Studies
Sociology/Anthropology
Biology
English and American Literature
Architecture and the Environment
International and Global Studies Learning
Psychology

Learning Goals for the Environmental Studies Major:
Content:

Our students graduate with knowledge of the diverse human relationships to the environment, achieved through: breadth, depth, integration, commonality, creativity.

Our students share a common base of knowledge across the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Disciplinary depth of knowledge is balanced by breadth of knowledge across disciplines. Students integrate knowledge and methodologies across disciplines.

Our students gain a broad and deep knowledge of the American story of human-environment interaction. They also have the opportunity to compare these social and ecological relationships cross-culturally and globally.

Learning Goals for Education Studies include:
To have a foundation in the principles and philosophy of education our minors should be able to understand and apply multiple lenses to examine, debate, and write about critical issues in education policy and practice, that include content and/or discipline specific issues as well as issues of power, privilege, social dominance, and social justice.

Learning Goals for The Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies:
Our courses are interdisciplinary in nature and students examine the questions raised by the scholarship on gender, sexuality and feminist studies; they learn to critically understand how class, ethnicity, sexuality, and other constructions of difference are influenced and informed by gender. We draw upon scholarship from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences to highlight the possibilities of social transformation and change.

Learning Goals for American Studies include:
Students who major in American Studies should be able to culturally and historically contextualize a range of identity categories (e.g., race and ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, and class).

Learning Goals for Sociology/Anthropology include:
To complete the major, students choose four electives which respond to the sundry agendas that they bring to SOAN. These include international development and human rights work, environmental studies, primary and secondary schoolteaching, medicine and public health, law and advocacy, psychology and social work. Because SOAN comprises two disciplines and attracts majors with such a wide array of interests, our learning goals must be formulated in broad terms.

We expect our students to learn:

-basic sociological and anthropological concepts;
-the centrality of class, race and gender in most situations;
-the value of comparative analysis;
-the need to evaluate all sources of information critically;
-the value of questioning received wisdom or common sense;
-research techniques that will enable them to pursue their own investigations in whatever field they choose.

Learning goals for Biology:
Students will acquire knowledge of basic facts, concepts and theories in biology to address the following questions:

How adaptation, natural selection, and evolution have lead to the diversity of life?
What structures and functions define the cell as the unit of life?
What are the mechanisms of inheritance responsible for perpetuation of life?

How does homeostasis regulate cell and tissue function?
How is life organized at the cell, organism and ecosystem levels?
How does energy flow within and between living and non-living systems?
How do form and function interact in cells, tissues and organisms?
How have we arrived at the current understanding of biology?

Learning goals for English and American Literature:

All graduating ENAM majors will be able to do the following:

analyze and appreciate literature from the earliest periods to the present by British, American, and Anglophone authors
demonstrate familiarity with a variety of methodological perspectives with an understanding of the historical and political dimensions of discourse related to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and disability
write clear and compelling prose appropriate to the intended readership
make cogent oral presentations responsive to an audience
assess and conduct research using both print and digital sources, and articulate one's own ideas together with the appropriately cited work of others
create a substantial work of critical or creative writing through sustained reflection, composition, and revision
engage in thoughtful discussion about discourse that is inclusive of the literature and experience of historically marginalized groups
think creatively and critically about anything made of language

Diversity Goals:

Our commitment to diversity in the study of literature and culture is partially expressed by our requirement for students to take at least one course in the literature, literary history, or critical methodologies produced by historically marginalized authors or intellectuals. The goals listed here are explicit in courses designated with DIV and implicit in other courses in the curriculum. Students will

learn the theoretical and analytical methods necessary to understanding the complexity of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and disability in order to gain cultural and literary competence in an evolving global and American culture;
acquire knowledge of historically marginalized writers in English;
learn to engage in intellectual discussions that are inclusive of the literature and experience of historically marginalized groups.

Learning Goals for Architecture and the Environment:

Architecture and Environmental Studies are natural companions. It is impossible to design good buildings without understanding their relationship to natural systems. It is also impossible to understand the natural environment without knowing how human intervention affects it – both positively and negatively. As man and nature begin to recognize their interdependence, the study of environment takes on a whole new meaning. Architecture and the Environment encourages students to explore these relationships from a variety of perspectives.
The United States lags behind most other developed countries in its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the effects of climate change. This is more than a problem for environmental scientists – everyone must participate in restoring harmony and balance to the fragile ecosystems that make our planet habitable. In order to affect change at home, it is important for students pursuing the Architecture and the Environment joint-major take the time to see how communities and cultures all over the world are employing strategies for sustainability.

Learning goals for International and Global Studies Learning:

The International and Global Studies program aims at educating majors about regional studies in a global perspective. Using different disciplinary perspectives, students majoring in International and Global Studies will be exposed to the historic, cultural, political and economic dimensions of a particular geographic region as well as its place in the world.
The central components of this education are:

Advanced competency in a foreign language
Broad exposure to the chosen region from multiple perspectives and disciplines
Deep engagement in critical thinking about global questions
Study abroad
Capstone senior experience

Goals and assessment

For the class of 2016:

Foreign Language: students must demonstrate competency in a language by (a) meeting minimum language requirements for study abroad (usually the equivalent of two years of college courses, but for some languages the requirement is higher), (b) completing an upper-level language course at Middlebury
Academic Discipline: students must demonstrate familiarity with a discipline from the humanities or social sciences by successfully completing a minimum of six courses within that discipline. These courses introduce students to disciplinary methodology, language, and expectations, and provide students with additional skills that are specific to the chosen discipline.
Region of the World: students must demonstrate knowledge of a region of the world by (a) successfully completing at least three courses from a variety of disciplines that concentrate on a region and (b) successfully completing at least one semester of study abroad.
Interconnected Nature of the World: students must demonstrate their understanding of the contemporary world by successfully completing the program's introductory course. This course exposes students to an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the major contemporary issues facing the world.
Study abroad: students must study abroad for at least one semester in their region of focus and chosen language.

Beginning with the class of 2017:

Foreign Language: students must demonstrate competency in a language by (a) meeting minimum language requirements for study abroad (usually the equivalent of two years of college courses, but for some languages the requirement is higher), (b) completing an upper-level language course at Middlebury
Region of the World: students must demonstrate knowledge of a region of the world by (a) successfully completing at least five courses from a variety of disciplines that concentrate on a region and (b) successfully completing at least one semester of study abroad.
Global Understanding: students must demonstrate ability to think critically about global issues by successfully completing at least three courses on global themes offered by a variety of departments/programs.
Interconnected Nature of the World: students must demonstrate their understanding of the contemporary world by successfully completing the program's introductory course. This course exposes students to an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the major contemporary issues facing the world.
Study abroad: students must study abroad for at least one semester in their region of focus and chosen language.

Psychology Learning Outcomes - key elements:

Middlebury students who graduate with a Psychology major will develop knowledge, skills, and values consistent with the science and application of psychology. Specifically, they will be able to:

Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.

The major is designed to expose students to the breadth of the discipline in Introductory Psychology and the 200-level core courses. Majors are required to complete three area core courses, at least one in each of the two main areas of the curriculum: Area 1 Biopsychology, Cognitive, and Physiological Psychology; Area 2 Clinical, Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology. In each content area the major concepts and theoretical perspectives are examined in greater depth. Upper-level (300-level and advanced seminar) courses require majors to not only further develop their understanding of the specific areas but also to integrate theories and empirical findings across content areas.

Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

Majors are required to take Psychological Statistics and Research Methods, preferably early in their Psychology coursework to provide this foundation. These courses are designed to place majors in the role of researcher as well as consumers of information. Through these classes our majors develop an understanding of the progression from development of a hypothesis and study design to assess questions of interest, determining the appropriate analyses to test a stated hypotheses, as well as understanding how to interpret statistical analyses.

Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.

Students are exposed to critical thinking and the scientific approach to psychological questions as defining modes of inquiry for psychologists in Introductory Psychology, and these skills are practiced and refined throughout the major.

Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.

Courses from the 200-level and beyond emphasize the application of psychology to explain personal, social, organizational issues, and inform public policy.

Value empirical evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a science.

The values of psychology are presented throughout the major, with the expectation that students will show increasing ability to demonstrate their acceptance of these values as they move from Statistics and Research Methods into the upper-level courses.

Students who take Psychology courses at Middlebury (majors and non-majors) will also develop knowledge, skills, and values that are consistent with a liberal arts education. Specifically, they will be able to:

Demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers and other technology for many purposes.

Students learn to use technology for the analysis and presentation of data in both Psychological Statistics and Research Methods, and use these skills in a variety of upper-level courses throughout the major.

Demonstrate effective writing and oral communication skills, exhibit quantitative literacy, and collaborate effectively with others.

These skills are emphasized throughout the major, with a particular emphasis on quantitative literacy in Psychological Statistics, and an emphasis on writing in Research Methods, a course which also meets the College Writing requirement. Many upper-level courses also require students to make oral presentations, either alone or in groups.

Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.

Many courses in the Psychology curriculum emphasize the relevance of a sociocultural analysis for a thorough understanding of the human experience, including the core courses in Child Development and Social Psychology.

The Psychology Department also recognizes the value of psychology for helping students to develop insight into their own and others' behavior and mental process and for using those insights to apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement. We also seek to help educate students about how their psychological knowledge, skills, and values can be applied to occupational pursuits in a variety of settings.