Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with an Africana Studies major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Apply appropriate theoretical and methodological perspectives for understanding the African and African American experiences as well as the African diasporic experience in Europe, North and South America and the Caribbean.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the historical dimensions of the African and African diasporic experiences as well as the political, social, economic and cultural forces that have shaped these experiences.
• Demonstrate specific understanding of the experiences of black women as an integral component of Africana Studies.
• Apply the research skills necessary for scholarly inquiry in Africana studies.
• Apply the argumentative skills required for the effective presentation of scholarship.
• Employ active listening, persuasion and influencing.
• Demonstrate command of a body of knowledge within a particular area of Africana Studies.

Students graduating with an Astrophysics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Solve fundamental problems of classical and modern physics and astrophysics, using the necessary mathematical skills.
• Apply principles of physics to problems relating to planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmology;
• Write basic computer programs as well as employ astronomical software tools.
• Conduct laboratory experiments and astronomical observations using modern telescopes, instrumentation, computers or simulations.
• Plan and carry out professional astronomical observations, including calibrating digital images.
• Retrieve, organize and analyze scientific information in tabular and graphical formats.
• Present scientific results, including their historical contexts, in clear written and oral language.

Students graduating with a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of scientific principles that apply to biochemistry and molecular biology.
• Demonstrate the laboratory and computational skills necessary to conduct research in biochemistry and molecular biology.
• Critically analyze the primary literature in the field and communicate scientific information clearly and persuasively.
• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to the disciplines of and issues relating to biochemistry and molecular biology.

Students graduating with a Biology major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate a broad, sound understanding of major biological principles.
• Demonstrate the skills required for biological inquiry as well as for their specific area of biological study. These include the ability to use the technical instruments appropriate for specific areas of biological study: a microscope, pH meter, pipettes, centrifuges, analytical balances, spectrophotometers, electrophoresis systems and field equipment.
• Demonstrate the ability to undertake systematic scientific inquiry for learning and problem-solving.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills when investigating scientific questions, reports and claims.
  demonstrate the ability to communicate scientific information clearly and persuasively in both written and oral formats.
• Employ quantitative skills related to studying and solving biological problems.
• Use computational skills to solve problems relevant to biological investigation, including those associated with biochemical practices, genetics, physiology and ecological study.

Students graduating with a Business Management major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Think analytically about organizational problems and solutions.
• Think creatively about organizational problems and solutions.
• Identify and critique assumptions about human organizing.
• Understand the processes by which knowledge about organizations is produced.
• Understand how the structuring of knowledge about organizations privileges and marginalizes different stakeholders.
• Assess personal strengths and weaknesses.
• Understand and interact effectively with other people.
• Formulate and support written arguments.
• Communicate orally about organizations and organizing.

Students graduating with a Chemistry major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate a thorough and broad understanding of the principles, techniques and applications of modern chemistry.
• Demonstrate the laboratory and computational skills necessary to conduct research in chemistry.
  critically analyze the primary literature in the field and communicate scientific information clearly and persuasively.
• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to the disciplines of and issues relating to chemistry.
• Be prepared for post-baccalaureate pursuits such as graduate school in chemistry or employment in chemistry or chemistry-related professions.
• Demonstrate the ability to participate and perform in situations, either professional or non-professional, requiring knowledge or skills relevant to the chemical sciences.

Students graduating with a Classical Civilization major from Agnes Scott College will demonstrate:

• Advanced competence in one classical language, with appropriate use of resources such as grammars, dictionaries, and commentaries, both print and web-based. This competence includes the ability to translate texts and situate them within their literary and historical contexts, both in writing and speaking.
• Concise and thoughtful presentation both orally and in writing of literary and historical analysis. This includes identifying primary sources of information about Greece and Rome, recognizing and articulating the challenges of using these sources, accurately describing the contributions of other scholars, and integrating their perspectives as appropriate into one’s own original research.
• General knowledge of the intellectual, cultural, historical, and political developments of Greece and/or Rome, their roles in creating a “globalized” society, and their contributions to ancient and modern social constructions, especially of race, class and gender.
• Awareness of their own intellectual process, strengths, and weaknesses; the ability to articulate, critique, revise and defend their own ideas and those of others in constructive ways.
• The ability to work effectively and respectfully both individually and in groups.

Students graduating with a Classical Languages major from Agnes Scott College will demonstrate:

• Advanced competence in one classical language and competence in the other, with appropriate use of resources such as grammars, dictionaries and commentaries, both print and web-based. This competence includes the ability to translate texts and situate them within their literary and historical contexts, both in writing and speaking.
• Concise and thoughtful presentation both orally and in writing of literary and historical analysis. This includes identifying primary sources of information about Greece and Rome, recognizing and articulating the challenges of using these sources, accurately describing the contributions of other scholars and integrating their perspectives as appropriate into one’s own original research.
• General knowledge of the intellectual, cultural, historical and political developments of Greece and/or Rome, their roles in creating a “globalized” society, and their contributions to ancient and modern social constructions, especially of race, class and gender.
• Awareness of their own intellectual process, strengths, and weaknesses; the ability to articulate, critique, revise, and defend their own ideas and those of others in constructive ways.
• The ability to work effectively and respectfully both individually and in groups.

Students graduating with a Creative Arts major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Explore fundamental questions of value, meaning and context, drawing on theoretical and historical frameworks in the creative arts
• Apply elements, principles, and discipline-specific terminology related to creative arts disciplines in professional settings 
• Articulate ideas related to creative arts processes and practices in written, visual, digital and oral forms
• Use methods of information-gathering and research to analyze and evaluate ideas, questions and challenges from multiple perspectives
• Create public-facing works or performances that involve ideation, collaboration and processes of production

Students graduating with an Economics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Identify the role of supply and demand in a market economy and the necessary conditions for market economies to function well.
• Discuss the advantages and limitations of a market system and the role of prices in achieving efficiency.
  have a working understanding of regulatory, fiscal and monetary policy.
• Identify policy options and assess the likelihood they would improve economic growth and efficiency.
• Apply economic theory to a range of economic problems and effectively communicate her analysis.
• Demonstrate the ability to define and analyze economic problems using graphical, algebraic and statistical methods;
• Identify the benefits and costs of a global economy.
• Undertake basic research, including conducting a survey of the literature, gathering and analyzing data, interpreting results and drawing policy implications.

Students graduating with an English Literature major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of literary history and its aesthetic traditions;
• Analyze the manners in which literary works and movements are shaped by, and engage with, place and power;
• Analyze the manners in which literary works and movements are shaped by, and engage with, identity and difference;
• Compose original arguments about literature in a variety of media--including written, oral, and digital--following a process that incorporates revision and attention to form, logic, evidence, audience, language, and context;
• Evaluate sources, including works of literary criticism and theory, in a variety of media, and use them soundly in the composition of research papers; and
• Apply understanding and knowledge gained from the study of literature to other disciplines, problems, and contexts.

In addition to the outcomes noted in the English literature section, Students graduating with an English Literature-Creative Writing major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of literary history and its aesthetic traditions;
• Analyze the manners in which literary works and movements are shaped by, and engage with, place and power;
• Analyze the manners in which literary works and movements are shaped by, and engage with, identity and difference;
• Compose original arguments about literature in a variety of media--including written, oral, and digital--following a process that incorporates revision and attention to form, logic, evidence, audience, language, and context;
• Evaluate sources, including works of literary criticism and theory, in a variety of media, and use them soundly in the composition of research papers; and
• Apply understanding and knowledge gained from the study of literature to other disciplines, problems, and contexts.
• Analyze and interpret works from at least two creative genres (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing) with an understanding of process, language, and form;
• Write with insight, proficiency, and originality in at least two creative genres (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing);
• Appraise and respond to peers’ creative works with thoughtful criticism that supports the writer’s process of revision, and incorporate considered feedback in the process of revising creative work;
• Apply understanding and knowledge gained from the study of creative writing to other disciplines, problems, and contexts.

Students graduating with a French major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate a broad view of the literature and cultures of the Francophone world including France and other French-speaking regions.
• Demonstrate advanced skills in literary and cultural analysis.
• Demonstrate advanced and effective writing skills.
• Demonstrate advanced and effective listening and speaking skills.

Students graduating with a German major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced and effective skills in writing, reading and speaking German.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the culture(s) of German-speaking countries.
• Engage at an advanced level with cultural, historical, and socio-political topics as they relate to the German-speaking countries.
• Demonstrate knowledge of methods and approaches of current interdisciplinary research in German Studies.

Students graduating with a History major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Seek, find, evaluate and utilize primary sources and secondary historical literature.
• Develop and articulate persuasive arguments based on historical evidence both orally and in written work.
• Apply knowledge and critical interpretation of the past to an understanding of crucial aspects of one’s own cultural and historical background, as well as the backgrounds of others.
• Describe and analyze current developments within historical contexts.
• Apply the results of research, writing and speaking experiences within the major, along with experiential learning and career investigation opportunities (internships, externships, seminars or workshops conducted by history faculty and alumnae) to career planning and graduate school and job applications.

Students graduating with an International Relations major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Understand the evolution of major concepts of international relations and how they are contested/debated within the discipline. These concepts (though not exhaustive) include globalization, interdependence and dependence, power, hegemony, conflict, cooperation, equality, justice and human rights.
• Understand and evaluate the major theories and approaches to international relations, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxism, feminism and post-colonialism and use the theories to explain, analyze and predict events in the international system.
• Identify and explain the [changing] roles of key actors in the international system including states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, transnational networks, transnational corporations, global civil society and individuals in creating and shaping international relations.
• Analyze international relations topics through the use of international relations theory in conjunction with other related and important fields including history, political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, women's studies and cultural studies.
• Demonstrate strong reading and analytical skills in engaging with theoretical and popular writing in international relations.
• Write well-organized, persuasive, and original essays and research papers, using appropriate citations.
• Participate actively and thoughtfully in class discussions.
• Demonstrate progress in speaking a second language and in linking cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity to learning in the international relations major.

Students graduating with a Mathematics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the abstract nature of theoretical mathematics by working with abstract concepts and constructing proofs.
• Exhibit proficiency in the computational techniques of calculus and linear algebra.
• Demonstrate skills in problem analysis and problem-solving, both individually and collaboratively.
• Use mathematics as a tool for solving real-world problems.
• Demonstrate the ability to use technology wisely, adapt to new forms of technology and make use of technology as a tool and expression of their mathematical ability.

Students graduating with a Mathematics-Economics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the abstract nature of theoretical mathematics by working with abstract concepts and constructing proofs.
• Exhibit proficiency in the computational techniques of calculus, differential equations and linear algebra.
• Demonstrate skills in problem analysis and problem-solving, both individually and collaboratively.
• Use mathematics as a tool for solving economic problems.
• Demonstrate the ability to use technology wisely, adapt to new forms of technology and make use of technology as a tool and expression of their mathematical ability.
• Understand and apply the basic principles of micro- and macro-economics.
• Understand, formulate and evaluate economic models.

Students graduating with a Mathematics-Physics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the abstract nature of theoretical mathematics by working with abstract concepts and constructing proofs.
• Exhibit proficiency in the computational techniques of calculus, differential equations and linear algebra.
• Demonstrate skills in problem analysis and problem-solving, both individually and collaboratively.
• Use mathematics as a tool for solving problems modeling physical situations.
• Demonstrate the ability to use technology wisely, adapt to new forms of technology and make use of technology as a tool and expression of their mathematical ability.
• Understand and apply the basic laws of physics.
• Design experiments and collect and analyze data.

Students graduating with a Neuroscience major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the structure and function of the nervous system at various levels of organization.
• Understand the research methods used in neuroscience and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the research techniques.
• Demonstrate an understanding of research design, data analysis and critical thinking.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues surrounding neuro-scientific research on human and animal models.
• Critically evaluate scientific literature.
• Present their research findings to their peers.

Students graduating with a Philosophy major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Explain the main positions, arguments, principles and theories of major figures in the history of philosophy (such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Mill and Rawls), as well as main features and tenets of important movements in the history of philosophy (such as Greek eudaimonism, Roman Stoicism, German rationalism, British empiricism and contemporary contractarianism).
• Explain the most influential and important positions, arguments, principles, theories and movements within the major systematic areas of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology, logic and ethics.
• Identify the thesis (or conclusion) and main argument in a philosophical text.
• Sketch or reconstruct an argument and analyze and evaluate an argument in a philosophical text.
• Distinguish valid from invalid arguments, strong from weak arguments, sound from unsound arguments.
• Use correct inference rules in arguments.
• Recognize, compare and assess arguments for competing positions.
• Generate, compare and assess various solutions to philosophical problems.
• Construct their own philosophical arguments.
• Present and argue for their own theses in philosophy papers.
• Explain the views and theories of others accurately, fairly and completely.
• Raise and respond to objections in clear and systematic ways.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how philosophy illuminates and provides tools for addressing the major social and moral problems of our time.

Students graduating with a Physics major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Solve fundamental problems of classical and modern physics, using the necessary mathematical skills.
• Write basic computer programs as well as employ scientific software and data visualization tools.
• Conduct laboratory experiments using modern instrumentation, computers and/or simulations.
• Retrieve, organize and analyze scientific information in tabular and graphical formats.
• Develop an approach to solving unknown problems, using principles and tools learned in mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum physics, optics, nuclear physics, relativity and electromagnetism.
• Present scientific results, including their historical contexts, in clear written and oral language.

Students graduating with a Political Science major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Understand the way political science works as a discipline: how it structures its research about political issues, and how it works with and among contested explanations about politics.
• Be not only familiar but also competent in working with the major broad approaches used in the discipline, including behavioralism, critical theory, comparative analysis and discourse analysis.
• Identify and explain the way political actors, ideas, and movements shape political life.
• Participate in some kind of activity related to politics, broadly defined.

Students graduating with a Psychology major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends and empirical findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavioral problems.
• Develop scientific reasoning and problem solving, including effective research methods.
• Develop ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity.
• Demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills.
• Apply psychology-specific content and skills to effectively self-reflect, improve their project management skills, improve their teamwork skills and prepare for their career.

Students graduating with a Public Health major from Agnes Scott College will be able to: 

• Employ key strategies and skills for professional success
  • Demonstrate an awareness of their strengths and areas for development
  • Conduct informational interviews to establish relationships with people who can help them professionally
  • Employ backcasting methods to identify skills and experiences that will help them reach their career goals
  • Identify job opportunities that align with their knowledge, skills and interests 
  • Explain the relevance of public health courses, assignments, internships and research activities for future career goals 
  • Employ effective strategies for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration using digital technologies
  • Create  infographics and health communication materials using digital tools (Canva, for example)
  • Demonstrate basic proficiency with software programs used for data analysis and data visualization (Excel and statistical analysis programs like SPSS and R)

• Describe historical and contemporary public health trends and approaches
  • Articulates and understands the rationale behind the WHO definition of health
  • Identify key events in the history of public health and explain their relevance for contemporary public health practice
  • Differentiate between medical, behavioral, and ecological approaches to public health, and provide specific examples of interventions that employ each approach
  • Describe the four main models of health systems employed around the globe

• Differentiate between the subdisciplines of public health: epidemiology, statistics, social and behavioral sciences, global health, environmental health, health law and policy
  • Explain the primary goals, theories and methods employed by each of the core subdisciplines of public health
  • Articulate points of intersection between subdisciplines
  • Apply theory and methods from a variety of sub-disciplines of public health to understand and address health problems

• Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures in public health planning and action.  
  • Explain the elements of ethnomedical systems
  • Differentiate between personalistic and naturalistic disease etiologies
  • Apply community-based participatory methods in research and intervention design

• Demonstrate the awareness, attitudes, knowledge and skills required to address the systems, structures, and policies of racism that impact health. 
  • Define internalized, interpersonal and structural racism
  • Provide examples of ways that each form of racism impacts health outcomes
  • Identify examples of public health strategies that actively address racism as a determinant of health

• Identify and develop strategies for responding to public health problems based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information. 
  • Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
  • Explain the concept of social determinants of health
  • Identify determinants of health, both biological and social, within a broad ecological framework and describe their impact on health outcomes
  • Critically assess evidence of causal relationships between exposures and health outcomes
  • Apply critical theories and perspectives from the liberal arts to analyze public health issues (e.g., biology, anthropology, sociology, economics, women’s studies, and human rights)
  • Select appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods and measures for different kinds of research questions commonly explored in public health
  • Apply quantitative and qualitative research methods in needs assessments, formative research and evaluation
  • Analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative data
  • Design data-driven and theory-based interventions to address health problems

Students graduating with a Religion and Social Justice major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Recognize and work with a variety of power dynamics in and out of the classroom, including diversity both as it appears in the classroom and in complex cultures that we study between religions and amongst religions and the relationship between religion and issues of gender, sexual orientation, sexual identities, race, and class.
• Create questions about ethical and justice issues in historical and contemporary society and examine both personal and systemic roles in religious communities and political, cultural, and social settings.
• Propose, design, and create workshops and class activities about the theories of leadership for both the classroom and internship sites.
• Problem-solve through debate and recognition of various points of view, including applying other disciplines’ points of view and practices; identifying and discussing major social issues and debating different points of view; recognizing and discussing issues across disciplinary boundaries and how those boundaries can interfere with or enhance their learning; identifying and reflecting upon their own social locations through autoethnography and other tools. developing civil conversation around issues; reflecting critically and assessing personal and systemic issues and imagine possibilities for social change and transformation; engaging in comparative religion; discussing ethical issues and the perspectives that religions have brought to bear on them; working collectively on challenging real world problems in a topic area; applying their knowledge and skills to a broad range of post-college experiences.
• Improve their research skills in order to formulate research questions and answer them.
• Develop theories and methodologies for their research.
• Apply other disciplines’ points of view and practices.
• Engage in comparative religion.
• Evaluate ethical issues and the perspectives that religions have brought to bear on them.

Students graduating with a Religious Studies major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Recognize, articulate, explain, compare and contrast, analyze, critique and assess core doctrines, institutions, historical contexts, traditions, and practices of major religions of the world; issues of religion and social justice and how they impact women’s lives; how religions have been the basis for both oppressive and liberating human practices throughout history; the similarities and differences between the soteriological and eschatological aims and practices of different religions; the relevance of religion in contemporary world events and cultural studies; major social justice theories and issues locally and globally in a human rights framework.
• Recognize and work with a variety of power dynamics in and out of the classroom, including diversity both as it appears in the classroom and in complex cultures that we study between religions and amongst religions and the relationship between religion and issues of gender, sexual orientation, sexual identities, race and class.
• Create questions about ethical and justice issues in historical and contemporary society and examine both personal and systemic roles in religious communities and political, cultural and social settings.
• Propose, design, and create workshops and class activities about the theories of leadership for both the classroom and internship sites.
• Improve their research skills in order to formulate research questions and answer them.
• Develop theories and methodologies for their research; apply other disciplines’ points of view and practices; engage in comparative religion; evaluate ethical issues and the perspectives that religions have brought to bear on them.

Students graduating with a Sociology and Anthropology major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Think critically by incorporating different theoretical approaches in interpreting social-cultural phenomena.
• Demonstrate understanding of and appreciation for cultural and other diversities.
• Demonstrate understanding of the relations between micro- and macro-level phenomena (face-to-face interactions, institutional structures, globalization, etc.).
• Demonstrate understanding of human inequalities (including race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, national, and ability, among others).
• Effectively collect, analyze and present research data.

Students graduating with a Spanish major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate a broad view of the literatures and cultures of Spain, some Latin American countries and U.S. Latino communities.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the situation of selected marginalized social groups.
• Demonstrate appropriate skills in literary and cultural analysis.
• Demonstrate appropriate and effective writing skills.
• Demonstrate appropriate and effective listening and speaking skills.

Students graduating with a Women’s Studies major from Agnes Scott College will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of basic feminist ideas/analyses, which necessarily includes analysis of not only gender, but race/ethnicity, class, sexuality, nationality and ability.
• Demonstrate understanding of the multi-racial, multi-ethnic and global nature of feminism.
• Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between feminist practice and feminist theory.
• Demonstrate understanding of the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary nature of WS.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge in Women’s Studies.