Annual Program Assessment Report - BA: Literature & Writing
Prepared by Dr. Oliver Alan Weltzien | 406-683-7431 | a_weltzien@umwestern.edu

BA: Literature & Writing option
Program Summary Report Spring 2007

After developing graduate outcomes, completing the assessment plan, and studying the initial survey results for the BA Literature and Writing option, the English Department has made a couple of modifications in our program. First, we have drafted a new, freshman-level course, ENG 112 Performing Literary Texts, as an oral communications course that addresses aspects of our program hitherto satisfied by the former ENG 131 Oral Communications class. The Department sees this general education course satisfying the humanities/expressive arts component of general education as well as those criteria in our program dedicated to oral communications skills. Currently this course is proceeding through faculty channels of approval, and we anticipate it being on the books for 2007-08. Second, recognizing the need to expand our program and strengthen our communications component, the Department developed a new related area, Professional Communications. Professional Communications has been approved by the appropriate channels and now exists on the books. This "related area" involves only one new course, ENG 350, Technical and Professional Communication, which will not be offered until the 2008-09 academic year.

In December 2005 the Department addressed the need to expand our program and recruit more majors and minors. Over the subsequent five months, we met frequently with Director of Marketing, Kent Ord, who helped us develop a recruiting strategy and campaign, which we've implemented beginning in the autumn, 2006 semester. The campaign is already yielding good results, as currently (February 2007) our program has grown to 19 majors. We want it to continue to expand.