Office of Assessment & Research

Students studying anthropology should become familiar with cultural diversity worldwide and in the United States. They will be challenged and equipped to understand:

• their own worldviews in critical perspective
• the historical and social bases of inequality and oppression, and the way each is changing in an increasingly globalized world
• how anthropology provides the ethnographic and analytical tools that allow students to question the claims of “cultural universals”
• the social construction of race, class, gender, age, and sexuality, seen cross-culturally
• major debates about the concept of “culture” in anthropology
   

The curriculum in anthropology enables majors:

• to appreciate the varied theoretical traditions in sociocultural anthropology
• to understand and apply anthropological methods of social research

Students will: 

• develop knowledge of visual cultures and contexts
• demonstrate competencies in research, analysis and writing
• cultivate responsible citizenship and engage with the community

Students will:

• value the historical and cultural traditions of Asia
• recognize the intersections and disjunctions between and within cultures
• appreciate the way that culture creates and shapes perceptions, meanings and behaviors
• analyze differences between and within Asian cultures in terms of social structure, philosophical, religious or artistic forms
• demonstrate their critical understanding of Asia through papers, performances or presentations
• cultivate a critical global perspective grounded in the study of Asia
• understand connections between Asia and other parts of the world
• recognize the tensions between identity and otherness, conformity and subversion, dominant and marginal discourses
• reflect critically on their own cultural assumptions and worldviews

The study of biology serves to:

• develop student knowledge and understanding of the major conceptual areas of biology and the diversity of living and extinct organisms. Major conceptual areas include biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, organism structure and function, ecology, evolution, systematics and, where appropriate, geology
• develop in students a suite of skills for achieving effective communication and evaluation of scientific information, and for conducting well-designed scientific investigations. Such skills include effective oral and written communication, ability to read and evaluate primary literature, ability to develop and evaluate scientific hypotheses, laboratory and field skills, and the ability to analyze, interpret and apply biological information
• to graduate majors who are well prepared for a wide range of jobs, graduate school programs and professional school curricula that require general training in biology. This preparation will result from a combination of the goals listed above together with mentoring and guidance by members of the Department

The study of chemistry aims to:

• engage students in a curriculum grounded in the core principles of modern chemistry that develops creativity, quantitative reasoning and critical problem solving skills
• develop in students the conceptual, practical and analytical skills essential for planning, executing and reporting successful independent and group research
• maintain a strong research program that emphasizes student-faculty collaboration
• motivate students to join a community of responsible scholars and prepare them for a future of intellectual, professional and civic leadership

Goal 1: To train students to read Greek and Latin with proficiency.
Goal 2: To instill in students a critical understanding and appreciation of works of classical literature, both in the original and in translation, as well as a familiarity with modern scholarship on the literature.
Goal 3: To promote a detailed and accurate knowledge of the major events of Greek and Roman history.
Goal 4: To promote a detailed and accurate knowledge of the principal physical remains of Greece and Rome.
Goal 5: To train students to use effectively the methods and interpretive approaches of history, archaeology and literary studies.
Goal 6: To instill a lasting appreciation for the ongoing relevance of the classical tradition.

• Our students will develop a foundational knowledge of computer science.
  1. Understand and apply standard data structures and algorithms
  2. Become familiar with design and implementation issues of programming languages
  3. Acquire basic understanding of computer architecture and organization
  4. Develop a basic understanding of computational complexity
  5. Write stylistically sound programs with good documentation
  6. Understand the social and ethical implications of computing

   

• Reason well within computer science, and communicate effectively about computer science in both formal and informal settings.
  1. Write stylistically sound programs with good documentation
  2. Design and implement an efficient solution to a problem specification
  3. Know the basic rules of logic, and demonstrate the ability to reason logically from a core set of assumptions

Social Change and Transformation

• Interrogate racialization as a process driven by shifting power differentials
• Understand race and ethnicity as mutable formations shaping and shaped by sociopolitical and economic forces
• Focus on how change agents operate in specific geographic and historic contexts

Race and Intersectionality  

• Define and explore theories of intersectionality and race/ethnicity
• Attend to the multiplicity of subjectivities in the formation of coalition/affinity groups
• Understand the transient and situational nature of identity and power

Transnational Approaches

• Question the limits of national identities and boundaries as the basis of inquiry
• Compare across regions defined by geography, by empire, or by time
• Consider transnational flows and counterflows of people, products and ideas

Representations and Cultural Expressions   

• Explore how individuals use cultural forms for self-expression in a context of competing cultural milieu
• Consider how groups or individuals activate creative forms to intervene in problematic racial or ethnic representation that reify systemic power differentials
• Study how groups or individuals resist disempowerment by creating and/or reproducing strategically chosen cultural forms

Graduating economics majors will demonstrate the ability to:

• understand and apply market models
• understand and apply key elements of economic decision-making
• understand important institutions in the economy
• collect, analyze and interpret economic information
• use their economics training to pursue their vocations

Graduating accounting majors will demonstrate the ability to:

• understand and apply accounting concepts and theories   
• understand and apply the economic concepts and quantitative tools used by accountants in decision-making
• communicate effectively about accounting issues and problems
• identify and use information resources and technology to answer questions effectively
• use their accounting training to pursue their vocations

• Articulate a personal philosophy of education
• Integrate multiple disciplinary perspectives to understand factors that influence teaching, learning, schools/schooling and the role of education in society
• Evaluate educational research
• Develop equitable, inclusive, culturally- and linguistically-sustaining and anti-racist solutions to pressing problems in education
• Apply theory and research to address education-related questions
• Reflect critically upon how lived experiences, positionalities and intersecting identities, including one’s own, influence perspectives of education
• Demonstrate professional behaviors in a school setting (e.g., with school communities in and around Worcester)

Students who study English will:

• learn to read and listen closely, deeply, and critically in order to understand how language gives form to feeling and makes meaning in the world
• learn how to communicate thoughtfully and powerfully in a variety of forms, such as digital writing, essay, poetry, speech and story
• cultivate intellectual curiosity and celebrate original thinking; value the process of connecting individual insights to broader conversations
• discover the many ways that language — story, speech, poetry, drama — shapes reality, and endeavor to use their linguistic skill to effect needed change
• engage ethically in cultural dialogue on difficult subjects –– with a text, in classroom discussions and among diverse communities of readers, both at the College and beyond; learn to understand the practice of empathy and the limitations of our own capacities for understanding the lives of others

Students who study of environmental studies will:

• demonstrate an awareness and understanding of current and historical environmental problems, and the role social justice has played in our understanding of and response to these problems
• demonstrate an understanding of the physical, chemical and/or biological principles that govern natural process and of the integrity of the scientific process
• demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts from the social sciences and humanities underlying environmental thought, cultural response and governance
• demonstrate an ability to identify different disciplinary approaches and utilize and connect ideas across disciplines
• demonstrate awareness of competing values and arguments in environmental discourse
• demonstrate competency with quantitative material
• be able to identify and utilize various rhetorical strategies and communicate effectively in writing and through oral presentations to academic and lay audiences
• effectively identify and solve complex problems in a collaborative setting

Content: 

• students will gain knowledge of particular histories and a comparative perspective on the diversity of human experience across time, geography and cultures

Interpretive Framework: 

• students will gain knowledge of interpretive frameworks of historical studies and of the significant schools of historical thought

Application: 

• students’ understanding of past societies will be rich and ethically informed (i.e., to exceed the shallow knowledge common to present interpretations and popular culture)

Skills: 

• students will acquire discipline-specific skills in the areas of analytical thinking, research and written & oral presentation

Interpersonal Skills:

• students engage in diverse experiences that require them to learn how to understand the perspectives of and communicate ideas to others in professional situations

Developing Vocational Identity: 

• through reflection and observation, students develop a sense of vocation, including the capacity to navigate the written and unwritten rules that shape behavior in the world
• students develop a sense of who they are, what they are called to do, and how they identify meaning in the world

Integrative Experience: 

• students strengthen their capacity to place their experiences into the context of their broader college trajectory (including their choice of major and/or concentration), the Jesuit mission of the College, the liberal arts education of the College, their home and work experience, other experiential learning opportunities in which they engage and broader contexts including social, natural, cultural, economic and civic environments

Develop a foundational knowledge of mathematics.

• acquire basic competency in single and multivariable calculus
• demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of analysis and algebra

Develop breadth and depth of knowledge of their discipline

• demonstrate knowledge at an advanced level in at least one core area of mathematics
• demonstrate knowledge of fundamental questions and techniques of several core areas of mathematics
• demonstrate awareness of the history of mathematics
• demonstrate awareness of connections between mathematics and other disciplines.

Reason well within mathematics, and communicate effectively about mathematics in both formal and informal settings.

• demonstrate the ability to reason logically from a core set of assumptions
• understand, construct and write mathematical proofs
• demonstrate oral communication skills (informal and formal)
• demonstrate written communication skills (informal and formal)
• make effective use of technology in presenting mathematical material

Integrate and synthesize previously acquired knowledge in new situations and abstract frameworks.

• apply mathematical concepts and techniques
• apply foundational techniques to advanced topics
• demonstrate high-level problem solving skills

Work effectively both independently and in collaboration with peers.

• develop persistence and self-reliance in learning within mathematics, including active reading skills and appropriate experimentation
• understand and follow principles of academic honesty
• complete a significant collaborative project
• make effective use of technology

The Montserrat First-Year Program will:

• develop students’ foundational skills, including critical reading, writing, speaking, analysis and other discipline-appropriate skills
• cultivate students’ critical intellectual dispositions, habits of inquiry, and openness towards interdisciplinary learning through thematic clusters that highlight how different disciplines connect and contribute to common themes and questions
• create an intellectual and social community that extends beyond the classroom into other aspects of students’ lives
• provide opportunities for students to reflect critically on their own views and self-understanding and to begin to articulate their sense of what constitutes a life of meaning and value
• promote mentoring relationships between students and faculty/staff
• foster cross-departmental collaboration among faculty in order build intellectual and pedagogical community across disciplines and beyond the classroom, as well as to model interdisciplinary openness to students
• enhance interaction among different College programs and offices, including the libraries, the College Chaplains and Student Affairs
   

Montserrat seminars provide sustained opportunities for students to develop both their intellectual approach to and execution of writing. Montserrat faculty members seek to cultivate in students a vital shift in their ways of learning, one that reflects the values of a liberal arts education. Through academic writing, students are encouraged to become thoughtful and analytical producers of knowledge, not just consumers and reproducers of information.

By the end of the first year, all Holy Cross students should develop the ability to:

• realize that writing is a means of communication and a reflective process that requires critical thinking and planning, and that evolves through regular reconsideration of different kinds of evidence (texts, data, objects, etc.) and refinement of claims and assumptions through careful revision
• understand that attentive and critical reading and observation is fundamental to good writing
• formulate (and revisit as necessary) a central problem, idea or question worthy of consideration
• identify, evaluate and analyze primary and secondary sources to develop a thoughtful response to a central problem, idea or question
• produce analytic arguments that reflect independent thinking and appropriate modes of inquiry, are supported by relevant evidence and are presented in a logical and coherent manner
• identify an audience and write with clarity, precision and in a style that communicates effectively and persuasively to that audience
• develop control over mechanical features, such as syntax, grammar, punctuation, spelling and proper citation of sources
• understand the rules of academic honesty in writing and why they are important to follow
• recognize that resources are available on campus to support student writing

Students studying music will gain:

• expertise in the structural properties of music
• knowledge of a variety of musical styles and the ability to place these styles within their appropriate historical and cultural context(s)
• performance skills appropriate to the Bachelor of Arts
• the ability to think, speak and write clearly and effectively about music and related topics
• the capacity and desire to reflect critically on cultural similarities and differences
• the preparedness for graduate study and/or careers in music (whether musicology, ethnomusicology, theory, composition, performance, education, music technology and related fields)

Three main learning goals of the neuroscience major:

Principles of Neuroscience and Scientific Inquiry

• Describe major principles and processes of nervous system structure and function.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the major modes of neuroscience inquiry at multiple levels of analysis (genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, systems, behavioral and cognitive).
• Demonstrate the ability to critically read and discuss neuroscience literature.

Broad-based Proficiency in STEM

• Demonstrate an understanding of relevant concepts from the natural and quantitative sciences and their application in the integrative discipline of neuroscience.

Theoretical Grounding in the Assumptions of Scientific Inquiry

• Support the intellectually sound application of neuroscience to address fundamental questions and societal challenges.

Philosophy students will:

• learn about the major traditions and modes of philosophical inquiry
• gain analytic and interpretive skills for critically engaging with philosophical arguments and positions
• ideally recognize that philosophical reflection goes beyond the classroom and is relevant to their lives

Physics student will:

• have a solid foundation in physics theory and its applications
• acquire skills in experimental physics
• understand and be able to apply advanced mathematical methods
• have the ability to communicate scientific ideas and results
• recognize the impact of physics in the world and will be aware of the responsibilities of scientists

Provide our majors with substantive knowledge in political science. This includes:

• understanding of political institutions, actors and processes in the United States, other countries, and at the international level, as well as major political theories and enduring philosophical debates
• provide our majors with the analytical skills to read discerningly, evaluate evidence, critically assess competing perspectives and develop reasoned arguments of their own
• cultivate effective skills of communication and collaboration
• help prepare our majors for success in post-graduate study and in a wide range of careers
• develop our majors’ capacity for informed and thoughtful civic engagement

Students studying psychology will: 

• acquire comprehensive knowledge of psychology that reflects the discipline’s breadth of perspectives and approaches
• develop the skills necessary for the critical evaluation and effective communication of evidence that informs claims about psychological phenomena
• develop an awareness of how psychological knowledge is related to broader social and cultural contexts

Knowledge: 

• Religious Studies majors will be familiar with the sacred writings, beliefs, moral teachings, and rituals of Christianity and at least one other major world religion, and they will learn the key methodologies, approaches and research techniques used to study religions.

Intellectual Competencies: 

• Religious Studies majors will be able to reason, write and speak effectively and to read and analyze primary and secondary sources critically.

Values: 

• Religious Studies majors will be able fairly to articulate the diverse ways in which people define themselves, their communities and the world in relationship to the divine and so will be able to evaluate and interpret the theologies, practices, ethics and social structures of their own faith tradition against a global backdrop.

Students studying sociology will learn to analyze social relationships and institutions in society, with particular attention to cultural diversity and social bases of inequality. They will be equipped to understand:

• the process and structure of human interaction — from two-person encounters to groups, organizations, institutions and societies as wholes
• issues of stratification and inequality
• that socially structured categories and experiences of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and religion vary across time and space with significant impacts on the lives of individuals

The curriculum in sociology enables majors:

• to understand the varied theoretical traditions in sociology
• to understand qualitative and quantitative research methods and apply them to sociological studies

Communicate effectively in Spanish.

• demonstrate written proficiency in Spanish
• demonstrate oral proficiency in Spanish
• use the language in a culturally appropriate manner

Appreciate the structural, symbolic and rhetorical dimensions of human expression.

• discuss the contrast between prescriptive and descriptive approaches to language
• demonstrate an understanding of language as a rule-governed system encompassing different components (morphology, syntax, phonetics/phonology, etc.)
• recognize the intersections and disjunctions between languages, particularly between English and Spanish
• appreciate the way that language creates and shapes meaning

Value the aesthetic, literary, and intellectual traditions of Spanish-speaking communities.

• read critically and analyze texts, focusing on their form, genre and/or style
• situate texts within their historical and sociocultural context
• demonstrate knowledge of relevant themes, periods, authors and genres in the literature of Spanish-speaking communities
• write effective essays on literature, culture, film and/or language, using appropriate research and learning tools

In addition, some majors who take appropriate courses will also be able to:

• interpret texts using a variety of critical and theoretical approaches
• produce critical or creative analyses of aesthetic forms

Cultivate a critical global perspective:

• perceive the diversity of perspectives within Spanish-speaking communities, including those in the US
• recognize the tensions between identity and otherness, conformity and subversion, dominant and marginal discourses in the Hispanic world
• reflect critically on their own cultural assumptions and world views

The Summer Research Program will:

• develop students’ understanding of the value of scholarship and the importance of situating a research agenda in a larger context
• advance students’ understanding of the scholarly and/or creative process and scholarly integrity
• foster students’ appreciation for what it means to be part of a dynamic and diverse scholarly community, both on campus and beyond
• strengthen students’ ability to communicate scholarly knowledge and engage effectively with different audiences
• enhance students’ capacity for integrative thinking across courses and disciplines, over time, and over different dimensions of their educational experience
• improve student’s ability to think creatively when generating questions and engaging in inquiry, analysis and problem solving
• prepare students for advanced study and vocational discernment
• inspire continued intellectual accomplishment and future projects
• cultivate mutually beneficial scholarly collaboration between faculty and students

Theatre and Dance students will:

• demonstrate a basic knowledge of western dramatic literature and theatre history
• illustrate close textual reading (and writing) skills for dramatic and visual texts
• demonstrate voice and movement performance skills, as well as the integration of voice and movement with text
• master the rudiments of Shakespearean verse (performance track)
• master the rudiments of a specific dance style (performance track)
• participate in or attend non-western performance
• demonstrate an understanding of the elements of the theatrical process (e.g., technical theatre)
• demonstrate familiarity and competency with design elements in all major areas (design track)

Knowledge: 

• students will develop a critical understanding of significant works of art and architecture in a global context

Research/Creative Work: 

• students will demonstrate that they can participate in a discourse of a community of scholars, engaging in dialogue according to the norms and standards of scholarship and/or studio practice

Communication: 

• students will articulate ideas through words and works of art

Community and Environment: 

• students will explore and participate in the artistic communities of Holy Cross, Worcester and beyond

Life Skills: 

• students will see connections among cultural, academic and life experiences

Communicate effectively in languages other than English:

• demonstrate expressive and receptive proficiency in the target language in oral/signed and written modalities, as appropriate
• communicate within a variety of contexts and disciplines, recognizing that learning a language goes beyond mastering structures and vocabulary
• use language in a culturally appropriate manner

Understand and value the linguistic, aesthetic, literary and intellectual traditions of other cultures:

• appreciate the way that language creates and shapes meaning
• analyze texts, focusing on their form, genre and style
• situate texts within their historical and sociocultural context
• interpret texts using a variety of critical and theoretical approaches
• produce critical or creative analyses of aesthetic forms

Cultivate a critical global perspective through interaction in local communities and the globalized world:

• perceive the diversity of perspectives within and across national and linguistic communities
• recognize the tensions between identity and otherness, conformity and subversion, dominant and marginal discourses
• reflect critically on their own cultural assumptions and world view

Reflect on the differences and similarities between other cultures and our own:

• recognize differences and similarities in the structures and functions that are used to communicate in various languages
• understand the historical and geographical conditions that shape different cultural perspectives
• perceive differences in the literary and aesthetic traditions of other cultures and our own

Connect with other disciplines in and out of the classroom:

• build and reinforce and expand knowledge of the language and culture through coursework in a variety of disciplines
• expand knowledge through active engagement in a variety of cocurricular and extracurricular contexts