UNLV Assessment Plan
B.A. and B.S.B.A. in Economics
Programs: B.A. and B.S.B.A. in Economics
Assessment Coordinator: Ron Cronovich
Department: Economics
Implementation Dates: 2005-2006
1. Student Learning Outcomes for the programs.
Upon completion of the B.A. or B.S.B.A. program in Economics, students should be able to:
1. use supply and demand analysis;
2. apply the concept of opportunity cost;
3. use marginal analysis;
4. use the appropriate models to explain the behavior of economic agents in different market structures;
5. explain the causes of short-run fluctuations in macroeconomic variables;
6. explain the determinants of long run economic growth;
7. predict the effects of various micro- and macroeconomic policies using the appropriate models;
8. gather, analyze, and interpret economic data;
9. describe the role and function of financial markets, institutions, and policies;
10. analyze global economic issues.
2. Curriculum Alignment of Student Learning Outcomes
Learning outcome / 102 / 103 / 261 / 262/441 / 302 / 303 / 495 / 304 / 462/3
1 / I / R / E / R / R / R / R
2 / I / E / R / R / E
3 / I / R / E / R / R / R / R
4 / I / E / R / R / R
5 / I / E / R / E (463 only)
6 / I / E,R
7 / I / I / E / E / R / E
8 / I / R, E / E
9 / I / R / E
10 / I / I / R / R / E
Legend: I = introduced, E = enriched, R = reinforced
Courses:
ECON 102 Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 103 Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 261 Principles of Statistics I
ECON 262 Principles of Statistics II
ECON 302 Intermediate Microeconomics
ECON 303 Intermediate Macroeconomics
ECON 304 Money and Banking
ECON 441 Introduction to Econometrics
ECON 462 International Trade
ECON 463 International Monetary Relations
ECON 495 Seminar in Economic Research (capstone course for economics majors)
Notes:
1. The B.S.B.A. requires ECON 262 or ECON 441. The B.A. does not explicitly require either, but requires ECON 495, which has 262 as a prerequisite.
2. The B.S.B.A. requires ECON 462 or ECON 463.
3. Evidence/Artifacts used to assess Student Learning Outcomes
a. At the end of each semester, the department administers a common final exam to all students in all sections of ECON 102 to assess learning outcomes 1-4, 7, and 10. A common final exam in all sections of ECON 103 assesses learning outcomes 5-7, 9, and 10.
b. In ECON 495, the capstone course in economics, a long-form essay examination will be administered to assess the ten learning outcomes. The Undergraduate Committee will use a rubric to score each student’s exam.
4. Dissemination of Information
a. The results of the common final exams administered in all sections of ECON 102 and 103 will be aggregated and summarized by the Undergraduate Committee, and reported to the department faculty once per year. Each faculty member teaching either of these courses can then use this information to make adjustments to course content, emphasis, and pedagogy at his or her discretion in order to further student achievement of the learning outcomes in these critical early courses. In addition, the information in this report informs faculty teaching subsequent courses in the program.
b. The Undergraduate Committee will prepare a detailed report once per year that summarizes the performance of each graduating cohort on the examination administered in ECON 495. The Committee will deliver the report to economics faculty, to assist faculty members in evaluating and revising the content and pedagogy of their courses, at their discretion, to better help students achieve the learning outcomes. The report will also guide the Department’s periodic reevaluation of the B.A. and B.S.B.A programs’ curricula.
c. The Undergraduate Committee will prepare a third report, containing summaries of the information in items 4a and 4b, for the Dean of the College of Business, the UNLV Assessment Director, and students.
The Economics Department and its Undergraduate Committee will also use these reports to periodically reevaluate and, when appropriate, refine the learning outcomes or the assessment process itself.