Department of Economics CSU Bakersfield

Contact Information:
Abbas P. Grammy, Chair
Tel: (805) 664-2466
Fax: (805) 664-2049
Email: agrammy@csubak.edu

Program Summary

The CSUB Department of Economics conducts its annual student outcomes assessment in the final requirement of the major, Economics Senior Seminar (Economics 490). This course aims at achieving three objectives:

 To enhance personal effectiveness
 To enhance independent research skills
 To assess major field achievements and competencies

To achieve the first objective, students read and complete personal effectiveness exercises from Steve Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Students are also required to carry out a term-long independent research project on a topic of their interest. They are expected to produce high quality research projects that can be nominated for various university awards. To facilitate this process, students are encouraged to enhance and expand previously completed research projects being undertaken in Intermediate Economic Theory (Economics 301 and 302), Economic Forecasting (Economics 420), or economic electives. Deadlines are established to provide faculty feedback and to monitor student progress.

Two instruments are used to assess major field achievement and competencies. One is the taking of a nationally normed achievement test in economics, The Major Field Achievement Test (MFAT), and the other is to compile a major field competencies portfolio (The Portfolio). The MFAT is a set of two one-hour 75 multiple-choice tests on microeconomics (40%), macroeconomics (35%), statistics (10%), and other areas (15%). Faculty offer several review sessions to prepare students for the MFAT. They analyze the test scores and sub-scores to determine performance of their majors relative to those of the nation and to make necessary adjustments in the teaching of requirements in economic theory.

The Portfolio consists of a collection of student academic and professional work in order to document competencies in nine areas:

 Communicating effectively
 Utilizing computing technology
 Acquiring information from published sources of data
 Using mathematics to draw out and convey information
 Critically evaluating knowledge
 Understanding economic concepts and theories
 Understanding real-world economic environments
 Applying economics to real-world situations and decisions
 Independent research project

Students submit their completed portfolios in hard or electronic (e.g., Web pages) copies in individual interviews and take them back upon evaluation by the faculty.