The Collegian

Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: News

Media Credit: William Clayton History Department Chair Mark Kalthoff speaks to history majors during a meeting last Wednesday. The department is changing major requirements.

At a meeting last Tuesday, History Department Chairman Mark Kalthoff announced planned changes to the requirements for majoring in history. The Educational Policies Committee will vote whether to institute these changes at its meeting this afternoon.

One of these proposed changes would require all seniors to take a Senior Comprehensive Examination in order to graduate with a degree in history.

When the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Hillsdale College last year, it requested that the school revise its program assessment, which meant the college needed a better way of evaluating its students, Kalthoff said.

He said the college applies to renew its accreditation periodically. Last year's accreditation applies for 10 years.

The commission explicitly stated that Hillsdale cannot use student grades as part of its program assessment.

Students' scores on this exam will not determine whether they can graduate.

"This year we might determine that an acceptable score is whatever score they make," said Kalthoff. "We have a mandate from the Provost's office and the Higher Learning Commission that this year we must improve our new progress assessment. That includes collecting data, which includes administering these comprehensive exams."

To make the exam, each professor of an upper-level history course will write several questions on the course material. When students take the exam, questions from the courses they have taken will be drawn from a question bank and compiled into a personalized exam.

The exam will contain about 40-50 multiple choice questions.

In late March, students will start receiving e-mails about the scheduling of the exam. The department may offer it two or three times to accommodate all students' schedules.

Kalthoff pointed out that many departments already have comprehensive exams, so it should not deter students from majoring in history.

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