Guidelines
for Completing
the
Accreditation Self Study Report
Accreditation of Applied Sociology, Clinical Sociology, Public Sociology and
Sociological Practice Programs
at the Master’s
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
Guidelines
for Completing the Accreditation Self Study Report
Accreditation of Applied Sociology,
Clinical Sociology, Public Sociology
or Sociological Practice Programs
June
1997 (Rev. 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009)
These guidelines for completing the Self
Study Report (hereafter referred to as the Report) have been prepared by the
Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology to facilitate the self study
process. These instructions are intended for use by the applicant program
(hereafter referred to as the Program) to engage in the self study process and
prepare the Self Study Report. The Self
Study Report provides information on all of the Standards and these Guidelines
provide additional specifics on documentation requested. The Standards are the final determinate of
accreditation.
The purpose of the Self Study Report is to
provide the Commission with information that will enable it to ascertain the
extent to which the Program meets the standards set by the Commission for
applied, clinical, public sociology or sociological practice programs. These
criteria are available in the appropriate Standards for Applied, Clinical,
Public Sociology or Sociological Practice Programs (hereafter referred to as
the Standards) published by the Commission.
Applicant programs should make reference to that document.
Definitions for
use in completing this Self Study Report:
Applicant institution: The college or university in which the
Program is located.
Academic unit: A department, office, school, or other definable
sub‑unit within an academic institution.
Applicant unit: The department or other
academic unit within the institution in which the Program is located.
Program: The
specific program in sociological practice that is applying for accreditation
Chief academic officer: The official who oversees the
institution’s academic programs.
Normally
this is the Provost or the Vice‑President for Academic Affairs.
Program director: The faculty member who has day-to-day
responsibility for the Program.
Sociological practice: An
umbrella term that encompasses applied, clinical, and public sociology.
Sections of Self Study Report:
The Self Study Report should be concise, well
organized, and readable. The Self Study Report must use the format described in
this document.
Cover Page:
See sample Cover
Page in Appendix A.
Table of Contents:
Provide a list of contents along with the
specification of appendices included in the Self Study Report. See sample Table of Contents in Appendix B.
Note: Please organize the text of the Self Study Report using the numbering system below. This numbering system corresponds to the sections of the Master’s Level Standards.
1.0
Preconditions for Review
The first page of this section shall include:
·
Name
of applicant institution.
·
Name,
title, address, phone, fax and e-mail of institution’s chief academic officer.
·
Degrees
granted by the institution.
·
Name
of college, school, division in which the Program is housed.
·
Name,
title, address, phone, fax and e-mail of college, school or division head.
·
Name
of the department or unit in which Program is housed.
·
Name,
title, address, phone, fax and email of the department or unit chair.
·
Name
of Program applying for accreditation.
·
Name, address,
phone, fax, and e-mail of Program director.
1.1 The Institution
Provide
a narrative with supportive documents placed in Appendix A of Self Study Report:
·
Accreditation
of the institution (Standard 1.1.1).
·
Institutional
ethical standards for faculty and students (Standard 1.1.3).
·
Institutional
faculty and student grievance policies (Standard 1.1.4).
·
Institutional
policies and procedures demonstrating nondiscriminatory practices in regard to
hiring, promotion and admissions (Standard 1.1.5).
·
Institutional
policies and procedures to insure the confidentiality of student records (Standard
1.1.5).
1.2 The Program
Specify in narrative form the following
information; use tables when applicable.
·
Name
of applicant program (Standard 1.2.1)
·
If
there are areas of concentration within the Program, (e.g., a concentration in
evaluation
studies
and another in clinical sociology) give the names of these concentrations (Standard
1.2.1).
·
If the Program's
name does not include some combination of sociological
practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology, or public sociology,
indicate why this is so, and how students and others can be expected to
identify the program as one in sociological practice (Standard 1.2.1).
·
The year the
Program was initiated (Standard 1.2.4).
·
Budgetary/resource
information that includes the following (Standards 1.2.2 - 1.2.4):
1.
Develop
a table that lists faculty with rank, years in rank, number of years of service
in the institution, salary, and FTE in the practice program.
2.
The
supply and service budget for the department. How is the budget determined?
3.
The
total number of clerical and other support positions for the department, in
FTE’S
4.
The
number of clerical and other support positions allocated to the Program, in
FTE’s. How is the distribution of
support positions determined?
5.
The
number of graduate assistantships, if any, allocated to the Program, in FTE’s.
How is the allocation of graduate assistantships determined?
6.
The
allocation for library acquisitions (e.g., books, electronic holdings, etc.) in
the field of the applicant department/unit (Standards 1.2.3 and 2.3.4). How is
this allocation determined?
7.
How
does the Program ensure that its students have access to teaching resources in
sociological practice? For example do
students have access to the Journal of
Applied Social Science? ASA teaching resources publications on Applied and
Clinical Sociology?
8.
What resources are available for other specific
expenses of the Program, including:
a.
Data
analysis and word processing capabilities.
b. Statistical consultation and computer assistance for
ongoing research and data analysis activities.
c.
Administrative
support to assist the Program in securing resources for sociological practice
activities, including supervised experiential learning for students.
d. Professional, technical, and financial support for
instructional development and assessment.
9.
What
specific resources are allocated to the practice experience required of
students? How is this allocation
determined?
2.0 Programmatic
Structure
Provide a narrative with supportive documents
placed in Appendices B-E of Self Study Report.
2.1
Attach as Appendix B all statements
concerning the mission and goals of the program that are provided to students, faculty, and others interested
in the program, including copies of the information provided in official
catalogues, bulletins, or website.
2.2
Essential
Sociological Elements
Provide a narrative with matrix that illustrates
student grounding in essential sociological elements.
§
Through a matrix
of required courses and/or other learning experiences, show where the Program provides
an overview of the common core of theory, method, skills, and research ethics
that constitute an essential sociological foundation for all sociological
practitioners (Standards 2.2.1 a-h).
2.3
Administrative and Organizational Structure
Provide a narrative with supportive documents
placed in Appendix C of Self Study Report:
·
Describe
how the Program maintains relationships with sociological practitioners in the
community (Standard 2.3.1). Specifically,
indicate if the Program, its sponsoring department, or members of the department
hold memberships in the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, the
Practice and Public Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association
and/or other relevant practice oriented professional association?
·
Describe
how the Program is marketed to students and others; attach as Appendix C copies
of the relevant pages in the current institutional bulletin(s) or other
documents describing the department/unit and the Program, including (Standard
2.3.2):
1. how students enter the program,
2. minimal program requirements,
3. matriculation requirements,
4. opportunities for supervised
experiential learning, and
5. financial aid information.
·
Does
the Program have on file copies of its course syllabi for the past five years (or
since its inception, if it is less than five years old) (Standard 2.3.5)?
·
If
not included in Appendix C above, include in Appendix D copies of information
provided
to students about (Standard 2.3.6):
1. career possibilities,
2. program requirements, prerequisites and
offerings,
3. student learning outcomes and
assessment procedures,
4. additional cost, if any, of the Program
to the student,
5. any additional time in school required
to complete the Program,
6. withdrawal and dismissal policies and
procedures,
7. if applicable, accreditation status of
the Program.
2.4
The Students
Provide a narrative with supportive
documents placed in Appendix D of Self Study Report:
·
Student
admission to the program: Is there a formal admission process for the program,
or do students simply elect it (with or without consultation with an advisor) (Standard
2.4.1)?
·
If
there is a formal admissions process, please describe it including the criteria
that are used for admission, who is involved in the decision, etc. (Standard
2.4.1)
·
Does
the program assign an advisor to each student (Standard 2.4.2)? If yes,
describe:
1.
how the advisor is selected,
2.
the responsibilities of the advisor and of the student, and
3.
other relevant information about the advisement process.
·
Does
the program maintain a file on each student in the program (Standard 2.4.3)?
If yes, what information is contained in that file?
·
What assistance
is provided students in making career decisions and in seeking employment after
graduation (Standard 2.4.4)?
2.5
The Faculty and
Staff
Provide a narrative (use tables when
applicable) with supportive documents placed in Appendix E of Self Study Report:
·
List
all faculty members in the department/unit, faculty in other units in the
institution that are involved in the Program, and individuals from practice
settings who are involved in the Program.
For each, please indicate (Standards 2.5.1 – 2.5.9):
1. Areas of specialty.
2. % of FTE (full time equivalent) employed
by the university, % of FTE assigned to department/unit, % FTE assigned to the
Program.
3. How they are involved in the Program
through:
a. teaching,
b. student advising,
c. research activities,
d. practice activities,
e. supervision of field work,
f. administration,
g. in some other way?
4.
Are they certified or licensed in any practice area? If so, indicate which areas.
5.
Briefly describe any sociological practice in which they are involved.
6.
If department faculty members are not involved in the Program, so
indicate.
7. Briefly describe faculty involvement in
public and professional outreach and service (local, state, national, and/or
international)
·
If
any faculty are included in a collective bargaining unit that determines
conditions of employment, indicate which faculty are and are not included in
the bargaining unit. Attach copy of agreement or provide URL for electronic
access. Please note that a hard copy will need to be provided for the site
visitors.
·
In
Appendix E of report, provide a copy of an abbreviated (focus on past 5 years)
curriculum vitae of each faculty member in the department/unit, of faculty
members from other units who are involved in the Program, and individuals from
practice settings who are involved in the Program. Please note that complete
curriculum vitae will need to be provided for the site visitors.
2.6
Structure of the Practice Experience
Provide a narrative that covers the following:
·
Describe the
organization and structure of the Program’s practice experience.
1. Document that the practice experience
consists of a minimum of 200 hours, plus at least an additional 40 hours for
academic activities supportive of the practice experience, that is overseen by
an on campus academic advisor or by a practice site supervisor as approved by
the practice Program Director (Standard 2.6.1).
2.
Document the expectations for the practice experience and their
availability to academic and site supervisors as well as students, as specified
in items a-f in Standard 2.6.2.
3.
Provide evidence that the student file will include, at minimum, the
following documentation of the practice experience: (a) practice experience
agreement between the Program, the site organization, and the student, (b)
period covered by the agreement, (c) evaluation of student progress, and (d) a
mechanism, such as a portfolio, to document student learning outcomes in the
practice experience (Standard 2.6.3).
4. Document that the Program demonstrates
having adequate time and resources to support faculty and students in the
practice experience as specified in items a-c in Standard 2.6.4.
5. Provide evidence that the Program
develops and maintains connections in the community enabling the developing and
sustaining of appropriate field placements as specified in Standard 2.6.5.
2.7
Areas of Specialization/Concentration
Programs are required to provide opportunities for
students to specialize or concentrate in a substantive area. Provide
a narrative and accompanying matrix for each goal and learning outcome as specified
in Standard 2.7.
·
Through a matrix
of learning outcomes by area of concentration or specialization, identify the
courses and/or learning experiences that are in place to meet these outcomes. (See an example of a matrix showing learning
outcomes by courses and/or learning experiences for each area of concentration
or specialization in Appendices C-G of this document).
·
The
matrix along with the follow up narrative
will provide the Accreditation Review Committee with
an understanding of the following:
1.
How does each
area of specialization or concentration in the Program constitute an applied and/or
clinical component that is eligible for accreditation as a program in
sociological practice?
2.
How does the
Program meet the following additional standards for each area of specialization
or concentration?
a.
Document a
separate set of student learning outcomes (theory, research methods, skills,
practice experience, professional orientation and ethics) written for applied
sociology, clinical sociology, public sociology or sociological practice that
is appropriate to the particular area of specialization or concentration.
b. Provide evidence of the special qualifications of
faculty in each area of specialization or concentration.
c.
Demonstrate the
direct relevance of the practice experience to both the area of specialization
or concentration and applied sociology,
clinical sociology, public sociology or sociological practice.
·
The
narrative should explain how the set of courses and/or learning experiences
address the learning outcomes in the set. Use the “other” category at the end
of each section (refer to sample matrix) to list any other experiences that
will enable students to accomplish the learning outcomes in the set. The
narrative should also include the following:
1. A statement as to whether or not every
student experiences this.
2. A discussion of the connection between course
content and learning outcomes.
3. Evidence of how often each course and/or
learning experience is offered.
4. A discussion of the requirements vs. the
opportunities for each experience.
3.0 Student Learning Outcomes and Goals
Provide a narrative with accompanying
matrix for each goal and learning outcome specified in Section 3.0 of the
Standards. In this section each standard begins with a broad statement or goal.
For example, Standard 3.1.1 states that: Students who complete the [Master’s] Program will demonstrate an
in-depth mastery of the role of theory in sociological practice, and the
interaction between theory and practice.
Each goal is followed by a series of student learning outcomes. For example, in
Standard 3.1.1 the student learning outcomes are covered in standards 3.1.1a –
3.1.1d.
·
Through a matrix
of learning outcomes by course and/or learning experiences, show where the
Program provides an overview of the common core of theory, research methods,
skills, practice experience, and professional orientation and ethics that are
desired outcomes of preparation programs for all sociological practitioners. (See an example of a matrix for each goal in
Section 3.0 showing student learning outcomes by course and/or learning
experience in Appendices C -G of this document).
·
These matrixes with accompanying narratives and
course syllabi (placed in Appendix F of Report) will provide the Accreditation
Review Committee with an understanding of the following:
1. Sociological
Theory: Which courses and/or learning experiences will enable students to
discuss the role of theory in sociological practice, and the interaction
between theory and practice, specifically as it relates to learning outcomes
a-d in Standard 3.1.1?
2. Sociological Research Methods: Which courses
and/or learning experiences will enable students to discuss the role of
evidence and qualitative and quantitative methods in sociology, specifically as
it relates to learning outcomes a-d in Standard 3.1.2?
3. Skills: Which courses and/or learning experiences
will enable students to have the skills that facilitate the work of sociological
practitioners, specifically as it relates to learning outcomes a-h in Standard
3.2.1?
4. Practice
Experience: Which courses and/or learning experiences will enable students to
integrate academic studies with occupational realities through a practice
experience, specifically as it relates to learning outcomes a-g in Standard 3.3.1?
5. Professional
Orientation and Ethics: Which courses and/or learning experiences will enable
students to complete the Program in order to maintain a professional identity
as a sociological practitioner and adhere to the standards and values of the
profession, specifically as it relates to learning outcomes a-f in Standard 3.4.1?
6. Integrative Product: How do students demonstrate their ability to integrate sociological theory, methods, skills, and practice experience in a final product specifically as it relates to learning outcomes a-g in Standard 3.5?
·
The narrative for
each standard in Section 3.0 (Theory, Methods, Skills, Practice Experience,
Professional Orientation and Ethics) should explain how the set of courses
and/or learning experiences address the learning outcomes in the set. Use the
“other” category at the end of each section (refer to sample matrix) to list
any other experiences that will enable students to accomplish the learning
outcomes in the set. The narrative should also include the following.
1.
A statement as to
whether or not every student experiences this.
2.
A discussion of
the connection between course content and learning outcomes.
3.
Evidence of how
often each course and/or learning experience is offered.
4.
A discussion of
the requirements vs. the opportunities for each experience.
4.0
monitoring
Provide a narrative that covers what is requested in
Sections 4.1 and 4.2.
4.1 Evaluation of the Program Implementation
Specify how the Program:
·
Monitors
its own procedures and practices.
·
Institutes
changes as a result of this monitoring and feedback.
·
Keeps
records concerning:
1.
appropriate
curriculum materials,
2.
faculty
credentials and professional development activities,
3.
student
evaluations of the Program, course content, quality of instruction, and
practice experiences,
4.
program
data, including number of students in the program at each level, number
graduating, etc.
·
Does
the Program maintain a data base on graduates that includes each student’s
current address, present occupation, occupational address, etc.? If yes, provide a sample copy. If a summary of this information for recent
graduates is available, please include it as well. Place this information in
Appendix G of the Report.
4.2 Assessment
of Student Learning Outcomes
·
What
is the Program assessment plan as related to the Program's goals and student
learning outcomes? The assessment plan includes:
1.
a
timeline showing which student learning outcomes will be assessed during the
assessment cycle (Standards 4.2.1d and 4.2.2)
2.
subjective
and objective measures of student learning outcomes,
3.
review
by faculty of the Program (Standard 4.2.3a),
4.
follow‑up
studies of Program graduates,
5.
feedback
from an external or oversight advisory group.
·
How
is the information gained in items 1-5 listed above used to make changes in the
Program?
·
What
changes have been made in the Program as a result of recommendations from self
studies, accreditation reviews, and/or external reviews (institution or
department)?
·
Has
the Program or the unit in which it has been housed been reviewed by the
institution in the past 5 years? If yes,
attach a copy of this review as Appendix H of the Report.
·
If
the Program is seeking re-accreditation, attach copies of annual reports to the
Commission in Appendix I of the Report.
5.0 Additional
Information
·
Summarize
the strengths and weaknesses of the Program in each Section (1-4) reported in
this self study report.
·
Provide
any additional information in this section that will be useful to the
Commission in evaluating the Program's request for accreditation or
re-accreditation.
SELF STUDY REPORT
GUIDELINES
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Sample Cover Page
Appendix B: Sample Table of Contents
Appendix C: Sample Student
Learning Outcome Matrix for Sociological Theory
Appendix D: Sample Student
Learning Outcome Matrix for Sociological Research Methods
Appendix E: Sample Student
Learning Outcome Matrix for Skills
Appendix F: Sample
Student Learning Outcome Matrix for Practice Experience
Appendix G: Sample Student
Learning Outcome Matrix for Professional Orientation and Ethics
Appendix A:
ACCREDITATION SELF
STUDY REPORT
[insert
program name]
[insert
institution name]
[insert
location—city, state]
submitted to
The Commission on Applied
and Clinical Sociology
for Accreditation of a
Program
at the Master’s Level
[insert date]
Appendix B:
Table of
Contents
Self Study Report
Section 1. Preconditions for Review [insert page #]
Section 2. Programmatic Structure [insert page #]
Section 3. Student Learning Goals and Outcomes [insert page #]
Section 4. Monitoring and Quality Control [insert page #]
Section 5. Additional Information [insert page #]
Appendices –
Supporting Documents for Sections 1-4 of Self Study Report
Appendix A Preconditions for Review (Section 1.0/Standard 1.0)
Appendix B Official Statements of Program Goals and Objectives (Section 2.1/Standard 2.1)
Appendix C Official Descriptions of Department and Program (Section 2.3/Standard 2.3)
Appendix D Additional Program Information Available to Students (Sections 2.3.6 and 2.4/Standards 2.3.6 and 2.4)
Appendix E Curriculum Vitae (Section 2.5/Standard 2.5)
Appendix F Course Syllabi (Section 3.0/Standard 3.0)
Appendix G Database on Program Graduates (Section 4.1.1d/Standard 4.1.1d)
Appendix H Previous Program Reviews and Self Studies (Section 4.2/Standard 4.2)
Appendix I Annual Reports for Programs seeking re-accreditation (Section 4.2/Standard 4.2)