standards
Applied Sociology, Clinical
Sociology, Public Sociology
and Sociologcial Practice Programs
at the Baccalaureate
Level
Copyright
ã 2009 by
Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology
Executive
Office:
Phone:
860-429-6422 Fax: 860-429-5907
E-Mail: eleanor.lyon@uconn.edu
Web: www.sociologycommission.org
Standards
for
Applied
Sociology, Clinical Sociology, Public Sociology and Sociological Practice
Programs
at
the Baccalaureate Level
In this
document, the Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (
Although applied sociology and
clinical sociology are the two major types of sociological practice, the
Commission recognizes that training and education in sociological practice
occurs in many different types of institutions and may be called by many
different names. Therefore, in this
document, a program is any coherent sequence of courses and/or learning
experiences that has as its core the application of sociological knowledge,
methods, and skills in a practice setting.
This may include programs in public sociology, criminology, gerontology,
and policy analysis. These programs may
be based in sociology departments, parts of other degrees, or in
multidisciplinary departments usually within an institution of higher learning.
Furthermore,
at the undergraduate level, these programs shall recognize the importance of a
liberal arts/ general education foundation that enables students to become
critical thinkers, to gain communications skills, to place things within a
broader context, and to understand the different ways of knowing and of problem
solving.
This
document is to be used by the applicant program, in conjunction with the
Guidelines for Completing the Accreditation Self Study Report, to facilitate
the Self Study process and to prepare the Self Study Report. The Accreditation Policies and Procedures
document and the Accreditation Review Process Guidelines are to be used by the
applicant Program, in conjunction with these Standards, to prepare for the Site
Visit.
In the
sections that follow, introductory comments summarize the content of the
section and are followed by the standards.
Italicized text following a
standard summarizes Commission thinking about a particular issue. Selected
terms are defined in the Glossary
(see Appendix A).
1.0 PRECONDITIONS FOR REVIEW
Programs
in sociological practice applying for accreditation review at a baccalaureate
degree level are required to meet a number of preconditions. Programs must demonstrate and explain in
their self-study documentation how they meet these preconditions. If a Program does not meet these
preconditions in a strictly literal sense, but it meets the spirit of these preconditions, the
Program may petition the Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (CACS)
for special consideration.
1.1 The Institution
The institution in which the Program
is housed shall meet the following criteria:
1.1.1 It shall be accredited by a regional
accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
(CHEA) or by its successor organization.
1.1.2 The Program shall be housed within an
institution that grants a baccalaureate degree.
1.1.3 It shall have no policies or procedures
that violate or contradict the ethical standards of the profession.
1.1.4 It shall have policies and procedures for
accommodation of both student and faculty grievances, and the Program shall use
procedures available in the larger institution.
This information shall be distributed to the faculty and students of the
Program.
1.1.5 It shall have policies, procedures and activities
regarding hiring, promotion and admissions that are nondiscriminatory.
At a minimum, they shall conform to
the principles of nondiscrimination with regard to race, ethnicity, creed, age,
sexual orientation, disabilities, and marital status.
1.1.6 It shall have appropriate policies and
procedures for maintaining the confidentiality of student records. These policies shall be consistent with
applicable laws.
1.2 The
Program
While
the Program may be housed in a variety of administrative structures or units,
it is important that it be identified as sociological practice, applied
sociology, clinical sociology or public sociology. As a precondition for review, the Program
shall have authority, responsibility, and resources to determine and meet its
goals and objectives and to maintain the program over time.
1.2.1 The formal title of the Program shall
contain any combination of the terms sociological practice, applied sociology,
clinical sociology or public sociology.
In such situations where the Program
name cannot include the terms applied sociology, clinical sociology, public
sociology or sociological practice, this standard may be waived. In such instances, the Program shall demonstrate
its identification with sociological practice through documentation acceptable
to the Commission.
1.2.2 The Program shall have an established
governance and administrative structure ensuring its authority and
responsibility for decision-making with respect to goal setting, program
planning, assessing and documenting program outcomes, and achieving specified
goals.
1.2.3 The Program shall have resources sufficient to ensure its
continued operation.
Resources shall be sufficient to
ensure the retention of a well-qualified faculty and professional staff, the
maintenance of library resources, ongoing expenses of the practice component,
including field experiences, and the effective operation of facilities. These factors shall be examined within the
context of the resources of the institution.
1.2.4 The Program shall have been in operation for at least two years
and the department or unit in which the Program is housed shall have at least
two (2) full-time faculty members, one of whom shall be the director/coordinator
of the Program. The majority of the full-time faculty shall have graduate
degrees in sociology or closely related fields.
The Program shall have enrolled
students for at least 2 years and shall have been recognized, through the
institution's literature, at the time of application.
2.0 PROGRAMMATIC STRUCTURE
The Program in sociological
practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology, and/or public sociology may be
a free standing program, or may be a specialization, concentration, or track
within an academic major. Further
specialization within a practice program may occur in substantive areas (See
2.7). Programs
in fields closely related to sociology also may be considered for
accreditation. For example, a program in criminology that incorporates the
components of an applied, clinical, or public sociology program would be
eligible to apply.
The
Program shall have a mission statement that clearly articulates its purpose as
a program in sociological practice with the programmatic structures to support
and reflect that mission. The Program's mission shall be reflected in: a) its
goals and objectives; b) its administrative and organizational structures; c)
the services it provides to its students; d) its faculty characteristics and professional
development; and, e) the nature of its public and professional services.
2.1
The Program
shall clearly articulate its philosophy and vision as a program in sociological
practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology or public sociology. It shall have a mission statement that is
translated into a set of program goals and objectives and an associated
curriculum of study. The student learning outcomes attached to the Program's
goals and objectives shall be quantitatively and/or qualitatively measurable and shall encompass those
listed in Sections 2.7.1a and 3.1 to 3.4 of these Standards.
2.1.1 The Program shall have a mission statement that clearly articulates its
purpose as a program in sociological practice.
2.1.2 The Program
shall have a set of program goals that clearly reflect the Program’s mission.
2.1.3 The Program
shall have a set of learning goals and associated learning outcomes that
specify what students will be able to do upon completion of the Program.
a) The student learning outcomes attached to
the Program’s learning goals shall be
quantitatively and/or qualitatively measurable.
b) The student learning outcomes attached to
the Program’s learning goals shall
encompass those listed in sections 2.7.1a
and 3.1 to 3.4 of these Standards.
2.1.4 The Program
shall construct a matrix or curriculum map that displays the courses or other
program activities in which each student learning goal (2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and
3.4) and outcomes (2.7.1a, 3.1.1 a-d, 3.1.2 a-c, 3.2.1 a-d, 3.3.1 a-g, and
3.4.1 a-d) will be addressed.
2.1.5 The Program
shall provide for a learning environment in which the Program's student
learning goals and outcomes can be achieved.
2.2 Essential Sociological Content
A Program must provide students with
the essential sociological content listed here.
2.2.1 At minimum a Program shall:
a) examine in-depth
a range of major sociological paradigms, theories, and perspectives.
b) cover the micro,
meso and macro levels of analysis.
c) examine a variety of methods used
in both qualitative and quantitative sociological research including concept and problem formation, research
design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation.
d) provide knowledge about diverse
populations in diverse settings.
e) cover a range of
communication skills and appropriate use of computer technology.
f) cover the social and political
issues involved in sociological practice.
g) infuse professional ethics
throughout the curriculum and learning experiences.
h)
foster professional identity, including the responsibility to continue
professional growth and development.
2.3 Administrative and Organizational
Structure
The Program shall accurately reflect
its characteristics and the nature of its offerings in public documents. It shall maintain ongoing relationships with
sociological practitioners.
2.3.1 The Program shall establish and maintain
close, reciprocal, and ongoing relationships with sociological practitioners
and practitioner associations.
As part of the ongoing relationships
with other programs, departmental or program membership in practice-oriented professional organizations, such as,
the Association for Applied
and Clinical Sociology is encouraged.
2.3.2 The current institutional catalogue or
bulletin shall accurately describe the academic unit and the program(s)
offered, including admission criteria, minimum Program requirements,
matriculation requirements, opportunities for supervised practice experience,
and financial aid information.
2.3.3 The Program shall have access to resources to support teaching,
research, and practice experiences for students (e.g., internships, practica,
field placements).
This is interpreted to mean that the
Program has direct access to or control over resources including, but not
limited to:
a) data
analysis and word processing capabilities;
b) statistical consultation and computer
assistance for ongoing research and data analysis activities;
c) clerical
support;
d)
administrative support to assist the Program in securing resources for
sociological practice activities, including supervised practice experience for
students; and,
e) professional, technical, and financial
support for faculty and curriculum development and assessment.
2.3.4 The Program shall have access to library
facilities and resources that are appropriate for scholarly inquiry, research,
and practice by Program faculty and students.
The Program shall provide access to historical and current scholarly
materials relevant to sociological practice such as the Journal of Applied Social Science (supersedes JAS and SP), Journal of Applied Sociology (JAS), and Sociological Practice (SP) as
well as copies of the Clinical
Sociology Review from the years 1982 to 1998 (Volumes 1-16).
2.3.5 The Program shall maintain on file, for five years, syllabi for
all courses taught that include, at a minimum, course objectives/student learning
outcomes, course assignments, and mechanisms used to evaluate the progress of
students in the course.
2.3.6 Accurate and comprehensive information about
the Program shall be provided to prospective and enrolled students.
This Program information should
include, but is not limited to:
a)
career information, including information about the job placements of alumni
of the program;
b) Program requirements, prerequisites, and
offerings, including appropriate courses offered through other departments;
c) student learning outcomes and assessment
processes as described in Sections 2.7.1a, 3.0and 4.0;
d) admission processes and procedures;
e) additional cost of the Program to the student,
if applicable;
f) course registration, including information
about frequency of course offerings;
g) student financial aid;
h) withdrawal and dismissal polices and
procedures; and
i) when applicable accreditation status of the
Program.
2.4 The Students
The Program shall maintain accurate
and timely information about students' progress in the Program. Support services available to the student
(i.e., through the institution) shall include Program and career advisement and
employment assistance.
2.4.1 The Program shall clearly articulate and
implement criteria and processes for student admission.
2.4.2 An advisor shall be assigned to each student
during enrollment in the Program. The
advisor shall assist the student to develop a plan of study.
Generally, the planned program of
study identifies how the student learning outcomes will be met and
assessed. It should include the
following:
a)
student learning outcomes for the Program;
b)
curricular experiences required to meet student learning outcomes (this shall
include core requirements along with specialized and elective curricular
requirements, as appropriate) ;
c)
supervised practice experience requirements; and
d)
methods of assessing achievement of student learning outcomes.
2.4.3 An up-to-date file on each student shall be kept.
This file should include, but is not
limited to, documentation of student progress, including such items as:
a)
a plan of study;
b)
academic record/transcript. and,
c)
documents related to the practice experience.
2.4.4 Students shall receive advice and assistance
in making career decisions and in seeking employment.
2.5 The
Faculty and Staff
The
Program's learning goals and objectives shall be supported and advanced by: a)
the quality, composition, and size of the faculty and staff, and b) the nature
of the Program's curricular, scholarly, outreach, and community service
endeavors.
2.5.1 The department or unit in which the Program
is housed shall have at least two (2) full-time faculty members, one of whom
shall be the director/coordinator of the Program.
2.5.2 The director/coordinator of the Program
shall be a full-time member of the faculty.
This director/coordinator is responsible for the coordination of the
Program, and is the one to whom inquiries regarding the overall Program are
addressed. The director/coordinator shall have:
a) a doctoral degree in sociology.
In situations where the
director's/coordinator’s doctoral degree is NOT in sociology, this requirement
may be waived. In such cases, the Program shall document how the work of the
director/coordinator is essentially sociological.
b)
documented experience in
sociological practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology, public sociology,
or related field.
c) membership(s)
in the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, American Sociological
Association (Practice Section) or other relevant professional
association.
d) sufficient release time to adequately fulfill
the administrative duties associated with the Program.
Because programs will vary in size,
institutional context, and designation of a director/coordinator, the time
needed for administrative duties will vary.
A Program shall document the administrative tasks, the time required for
their completion, and the adequacy of the personnel and time to complete these
tasks.
2.5.3 Program faculty shall have:
a)
an advanced degree
in sociology or other closely related field.
b) documented experience in sociological
practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology, public sociology, or related field.
c) membership(s)
in the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, American Sociological
Association (Practice and Public Sociology Section) or other relevant
professional association.
2.5.4 Program faculty shall be assigned to provide
classroom instruction only in areas for which they have experience and/or
training.
2.5.5 There shall be an effort to recruit and
retain Program faculty:
a) from
practice as well as academic settings; and
b)
who represent a diversity among people in society (e.g., women, ethnic
minorities, persons with
disabilities).
This is interpreted to mean that the
Program follows the institutional guidelines related to equal employment
opportunities.
2.5.6 Individuals from practice settings shall be
involved as adjunct faculty, guest speakers, members of an advisory group,
and/or in other roles as deemed appropriate by the Program.
2.5.7 Faculty members shall provide evidence of
continued involvement in some aspect of scholarly, practice, and/or
professional development and renewal, in addition to teaching, to keep
up-to-date and well-informed.
A wide variety of scholarly activities are appropriate to
a practice program. They include
contributions to basic scholarship, application, and instructional
development. While scholarship may be in
any area, programs are encouraged to emphasize practice oriented contributions as
part of the scholarly activities of the Program.
Dissemination of
scholarly activities shall be through appropriate media for the activity. The
manner of dissemination may include publications in academic or practice
refereed journals, public or trade magazines, in-house journals or papers, and
through workshops and trade presentations, as well as through other formats
that are appropriate to the area of application. Dissemination also may occur through
presentations at appropriate professional meetings. Institutions and Programs are
encouraged to take these varied means of dissemination into account in their
appointment, promotion, and tenure practices. Programs are encouraged to
support peer review of scholarly activities by practitioners as well as
academicians.
2.5.8 Resources
shall be provided for faculty participation in scholarly and professional
organizations that are relevant to the Program's mission.
2.5.9 Faculty
shall be involved in public and professional outreach and service (local,
state, national, and/or international levels) that is consistent with the
Program's goals, institutional setting, and external context.
Faculty should be
encouraged to support the advancement of the profession in a variety of
ways. Appropriate activities include,
but are not limited to, development of professional organizations; support of
registration, certification and licensure when appropriate; and provision of
information to the general public. Institutions and programs are encouraged to take
these activities into account in their appointment, promotion, and tenure
decisions.
2.6 Structure of Practice Experience
The practice experience can
include an internship, a practicum, or a field experience. The term used by the Program to label its
practice experience may vary. However, the practice experience should involve
the professional activities of the sponsoring organization and should address the
learning goal and outcomes cited in section 3.3 of these standards.
2.6.1 The
practice experience shall consist of a minimum of 120 hours that is either overseen
by an on campus academic supervisor or by a practice site supervisor as
approved by the Program director/coordinator. In some cases the on campus
academic supervisor may serve in both roles.
2.6.2 The Program shall document its expectations for the practice
experience. These expectations
shall be available to academic and site supervisors as well as to the students.
Generally the documentation should
include:
a) site supervisor and academic
supervisor rights and responsibilities;
b) student rights and responsibilities,
including reasonable work hours;
c)
appropriate participation in the professional activities of the
sponsoring organization;
d) grievance policies and
procedures for supervisors and students;
e)
code of ethics for clinical, applied, public and practice sociologists;
f) safety
responsibility agreement.
2.6.3 The
Program’s student file documentation shall include, at minimum, the following:
a)
a practice experience agreement between the Program, the site organization and
the student;
b)
a stated period covered by the agreement;
c)
an evaluation of the student's progress; and,
d) a mechanism, such as a portfolio,
to document student learning outcomes in the practice experience.
2.6.4 The
Program shall demonstrate having adequate time and resources to support faculty
and students in the practice experience.
a) The site supervisor shall have at least a
baccalaureate degree (or equivalent degree) and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant
professional experience.
b) The
academic supervisor of the practice experience shall have a minimum of a
master’s degree in sociology or related field, a minimum of (1) year of
applied, clinical or public sociology practice.
c) The academic
supervisor shall receive teaching credit or equivalent compensation (such as
additional pay, release time, or banked time) for coordinating and supervising
the practice experience.
For
example, this may mean teaching credit equivalent to one (1) three hour course
per semester for every 20 students.
2.6.5 The Program
shall develop and maintain connections in the community enabling the developing
and sustaining of appropriate field placements.
This may include working with a centralized internship, field placement,
or career counseling center.
2.7 Areas of Specialization/Concentration
Some programs provide specializations or
concentrations in applied, clinical, public or sociological practice. The additional standards that follow in this
section are for programs that have areas of specialization or concentration.
2.7.1 For each area of specialization or concentration, a
Program shall:
a) Identify student learning goals and outcomes for each area of specialization
or concentration.
b) Provide
evidence that there are faculty members with the special qualifications in the
area of specialization or concentration.
c) Provide
a practice experience that is directly relevant to both the area of
specialization or concentration and to sociological practice, applied
sociology, clinical sociology or public sociology.
d) Provide
appropriate advising for students in their area of specialization or
concentration.
3.0 STUDENT LEARNING GOALS AND OUTCOMES
An undergraduate program in sociological
practice shall enable students to integrate sociological knowledge and skills. These students will develop a professional
identity and adhere to a set of ethical standards in their practice
endeavors. They shall be
prepared to:
a) Practice
with diverse populations and in diverse settings;
b) Be aware
of limitations created by social and political contextual factors; and
c) Be willing
to continue their professional growth and development.
These educational standards are framed as learning goals
and outcomes in keeping with current trends toward outcomes‑based
assessment and the creation of learning environments. Focusing on student learning goals and
outcomes of education recognizes the need for and value of various routes to
achieving these outcomes. Students may
take a variety of routes to acquiring a degree in sociological practice. Some
student learning outcomes have been identified, but programs are encouraged to
identify outcomes that reflect the distinctive character of their mission and
program. All program graduates prepared
at the Baccalaureate level must demonstrate the identified knowledge, skills,
and professional orientation as specified in this document.
.
3.1 Knowledge
Comprehensive knowledge of the field
includes an understanding of sociological theory and methods. Sociological
theory provides the knowledge of how and why social phenomena operate the way
they do. Sociological research methods
provide the tools for examining the nature of social phenomena in a systematic
manner.
3.1.1 Sociological Theory
Students who
complete the Program will be able to discuss the role of theory in sociological
practice, and the interaction between theory and practice. Specifically, they
will:
a) Compare and contrast the theoretical
perspectives of sociology that are particularly relevant to sociological
practice.
b) Describe how practice informs and modifies
sociological theory.
c) Use sociological theory in identification and
resolution of individual and social problems.
d) Link theory and practice in their area of
concentration or specialization, if appropriate.
3.1.2 Sociological
Research Methods
Students who
complete the Program will be able to discuss the roles of evidence as it
relates to qualitative and quantitative methods in sociology. Specifically, they will:
a) Compare
and contrast the types of methodological approaches that are particularly
relevant to sociological practice.
b) Describe how data can be used as the basis
for examining issues and making recommendations to clients.
c)
Link research methods and
practice in their area of concentration or specialization, if appropriate.
3.2 Skills
Students who complete the Program will
have skills needed in sociological practice.
3.2.1 Specifically,
they will:
a) Communicate effectively with appropriate
audiences.
b) Understand group processes and decision-making.
c) Identify, locate and retrieve information
relevant to the practice of sociology.
d) Link these skills with their area of
concentration or specialization, if appropriate.
3.3 Practice Experience
Students will be able to integrate academic
studies with occupational realities through a practice experience. The purpose
of the practice experience is to provide students with supervised work
experiences at a site where they can learn how to apply sociological theories,
methods, skills, a professional orientation, and ethics.
3.3.1 Students
who complete the practice experience shall:
a) Illustrate how sociological theories can be
used with clients in a specific practice setting.
b) Illustrate how research methods can be used
with clients in a specific practice setting.
c) Recognize
the individual, group, and/or organizational processes within a specific
practice setting.
d) Adhere
to professional norms and demonstrate appropriate behavior with regard to work
assignments.
e) Realize the influence of the student’s
personal values and perceptions as related to other individuals and groups in
the practice setting.
f) Function as an effective member of a work
team or group in a specific practice setting.
g) Demonstrate additional
learning outcomes in their area of specialization or concentration relevant to
their practice experience, if appropriate.
3.4
Professional Orientation and Ethics
Professional orientation and
ethics provide standards and values that guide sociological practitioners in
their work. These also provide important
peer accountability guidelines thus protecting the clients, the practitioner
and the profession.
3.4.1 Students
who complete the Program shall:
a) Acquire
and maintain a professional identity as a sociological practitioner.
b) Comply with the codes of
ethics of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, the American
Sociological Association, and/or other relevant professional association.
c) Recognize
the social, political, and ethical constraints on sociological practice.
d) Demonstrate a
professional orientation and ethical behavior in their area of concentration or
specialization, if appropriate.
4.0 MONITORING and QUALITY CONTROL
The Program shall demonstrate its
commitment to continuous quality improvement. Quality improvement shall be
achieved by having appropriate mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the
Program's administrative procedures and practices as well as for assessing student
learning. The Program shall document
program improvements made in response to the results of program evaluation and
assessment.
4.1 Evaluation of Program Implementation
4.1.1 The Program shall annually collect and
maintain records to document its administrative and academic activities.
Generally,
this includes items such as:
a) curriculum materials (e.g., course of study,
syllabi for courses, special projects or assignments, practice experience
requirements, etc.);
b) faculty credentials and professional
development activities;
c) student evaluation of Program advising,
course content, quality of instruction, and practice experiences;
d) Program data (e.g., number of students at each
level, number graduating, number in various tracks, graduates' names and addresses
and placement information, etc.).
4.1.2 The Program shall identify its goals,
annually collect data on how well these goals are being met, and, based upon
these data implement changes to better meet the Program goals.
4.1.3 The
Program shall maintain appropriate records to document its administrative and
academic activities for two (2) years or from the date of last accreditation.
4.1.4 The program shall document Program changes made
in response to recommendations from self –studies, accreditation reviews,
and/or external reviews (institutional and/or departmental).
4.2
Assessment of
Student Learning Outcomes and Continuous Quality Improvement
4.2.1 The Program shall have an
assessment plan that includes the following components:
a) a mission statement;
b) student learning goals and outcomes that
encompass those in Section 2.7.1a and Section 3.0 of this document;
c)
a matrix showing where the student learning
outcomes are met in the Program’s courses or other activities; and,
d)
a timeline showing which student learning outcomes will be assessed during
each year of the assessment cycle.
4.2.2 Each of the Program’s student learning outcomes shall be assessed
during a cycle not to exceed five
years.
a) Each outcome should be assessed at least
once during each assessment cycle.
b)
Each outcome should be assessed in more than one course.
c)
Multiple measures should be used to assess each outcome, including both
direct and indirect measures of student learning.
4.2.3 Assessment findings should be disseminated to, discussed by, and
acted upon by Program faculty at least once
each year.
a) At least one Program or department meeting
per year should be dedicated to discussion of assessment findings.
b) Program faculty should identify at least one
student learning outcome for improvement each year, based upon discussion of
assessment findings. An improvement may consist of changes in the curriculum,
pedagogy, practice experience, assessment measures, or anything else suggested
by the assessment findings.
c)
After
changes are implemented, the Program should collect follow-up data to see if
the changes had the intended effect.
Appendix A
– Glossary
Academic
supervisor: faculty charged with overseeing a student's placement
and progress in supervised field work and internships.
Accreditation:
the status earned by a Program after the process of self
study and review by the Accreditation Review Committee. The different levels of accreditation shall
include:
ü Full
accreditation: when the available evidence indicates that an
applicant Program is in substantial compliance with all of the Standards of the
Commission. Full accreditation is awarded for 5 years.
ü Provisional
accreditation: when an applicant Program is in substantial
compliance with most of the Standards of the Commission and any deficiencies
are such that they can be corrected within a short period of time. Provisional accreditation shall not exceed 2
years. During that time, if the Program
can correct the deficiencies the Program will be awarded Full accreditation for
the remainder of the 5-year accreditation period. If the deficiencies have not
been corrected within the 2 year period, the Program will no longer be
accredited.
ü Probationary
accreditation: when an already accredited Program experiences
changes, which cause the Program to fall below the acceptable level of
compliance with the Standards of the Commission. Programs on Probationary status will be given
a maximum of 2 years to correct the problems that have caused them to fall
below Commission Standards. If the
Program successfully remedies the deficiencies, the Program will be restored to
Full accreditation status. If the Program
is unable to correct the deficiencies within the 2-year period, the Program
will no longer be accredited.
Application: involves the interpretation and transfer of
knowledge in support of the practice of sociology in local, state, national, or
international contexts.
Applied
Sociology: the utilization of
sociological theory, methods, and skills to collect and analyze data and to
communicate the findings to understand and resolve pragmatic problems of
clients.
Assessment
cycle: length of time over which
the full set of student learning outcomes for a program will be assessed. This
is generally a five (5) year cycle.
Assessment
of student learning: the process
of gathering evidence to determine the extent to which student learning
outcomes are being met and using this evidence to improve student learning.
Assessment
plan: document that identifies
the student learning goals and outcomes for a program and that states how and
when the outcomes will be assessed. At a minimum, an assessment plan should
include a mission statement, student learning outcomes, a program matrix, and a
timeline.
Basic
scholarship: includes discovery of new knowledge and integration of
knowledge across disciplinary boundaries.
Clinical
Sociology: the application of a
sociological perspective to the analysis and design of intervention for
positive social change at any level of social organization.
Coordinator: Under the general
supervision of the Program director, the coordinator is responsible for
planning, implementing and monitoring the practice experience and related
aspects of the Program.
Direct measure
of student learning: measure
based upon review of student work and performance. Examples include essay
exams, student papers, evaluations of student work by internship supervisors,
and portfolios of student work.
Director:
the person who is responsible to provide the ongoing direction and daily
leadership for the operation and development of the Program.
Elements
matrix: a grid that maps the
essential program elements to the courses and outside-of-course activities.
Evaluation
of program goals: the process by
which a program gathers evidence to determine how well its goals (other than
learning goals) are being met and uses this evidence for improvement. Evaluation is a counterpart to assessment, which is the process of
gathering and using evidence pertaining to the program’s goals for student
learning.
Full
time faculty:
Individuals compensated for full time professional effort to the
employing institution of higher education.
Faculty may have duties in instruction, research, or outreach, or in a
combination of these areas. Full time
faculty may be appointed under the rules of tenure or have fixed term
multi-year appointments.
Indirect
measure of student learning:
measure that does not focus directly on student work and performance. Examples
include surveys of students or alumni, exit interviews, and focus groups.
Insofar as the goal of assessment is to gather evidence about how well students
meet the program’s learning outcomes, indirect measures are inferior to direct
measures. However, indirect measures (such as those that measure perceptions of
learning) may be quite useful for interpreting and acting upon findings from
direct measures.
Instructional
development: includes research in support of the instructional
efforts of the institution or discipline.
Macro
level: the unit of practice which is designated as the social
institutional or large social system level.
Meso
level: the unit of practice which is designated as the
organizational level.
Micro
level: the unit of practice which is designated as the
individual or small group level.
On-site
supervisor: professional based in a formal agency, organization and
similar workplace environment who is commissioned to work directly with interns
at their work-site.
Portfolio: a
means of measuring student learning outcomes in which the student presents a
collection of his/her work along with a commentary on it; this work is to
reflect what the student knows and is able to do, as well as the progression of
knowledge and ability over the course of an educational experience.
Practice
experience: A supervised
learning experience that provides the student with the opportunity to apply
knowledge gained in an academic setting and to develop his/her professional
skills. The term used by a program to label its practice experience may vary
(e.g., internship, practicum, field experience).
Professional
development: a process of learning and keeping up-to-date in one's
area of expertise.
Professional
ethics: the principles and standards that underlie one's
responsibilities and conduct in a particular field of expertise (profession).
Professional
orientation: the attitudinal and behavioral characteristics of
individuals that guide them as they fulfill their work related roles.
Program:
any coherent sequence of courses and/or learning experiences within a
department, or other administrative unit recognized by its institution, that
has as its core the application of sociological knowledge, methods, and skills
in a practice setting.
Program
goal: general statement about the
intended effects of program activities. Because program learning goals are of special importance, they are dealt with
separately. The term program goal
generally refers to all other types of goals (such as effects on the community,
relationships with practitioners, or the institution, and so forth).
Program
learning goals: statements about
general aims or purpose of education that are broad, long-range intended
outcomes. Goals are used primarily in policy making and general program
planning.
Program
matrix: a grid that maps the
essential program elements and the identified student learning outcomes in
courses or outside-of-course activities (alumni surveys, standardized tests,
and so forth).
Public
sociology: bringing
sociological theory and methods into dialogue over and in interaction with
larger social issues for the purpose of improving the quality of social life by
working towards viable solutions.
Quality
control: the procedures put into place to continuously assess the
performance of a program; and if it is meeting the goals and objectives, as
specified.
Reaccreditation:
after the initial period of accreditation, a Program may
apply for reaccreditation, which requires the same review process, but
reaccreditation may be awarded for a period of up to seven (7) years.
Research
methods: the various ways in which data can be gathered,
organized, and analyzed, whether it be quantitative or qualitative data and
data analysis.
Safety
responsibility agreement: an agreement between an agency and
student placed in the agency for a practice experience. This agreement specifies the extent of
liability of each party as related to the safety of the student.
Sociological
Practice: an umbrella term that
encompasses applied, clinical, and public sociology.
Student
learning outcomes: what a student knows and/or is able
to do as a result of an educational experience.
Timeline: specification of when (which year) within the assessment
cycle each student learning outcome will be assessed.