AUA Presents at WASC ARC: Designing a Signature Course for Freshmen in an American University Abroad

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LOS ANGELES, CA – In another first for the American University of Armenia (AUA), last month Melissa Brown, Program Chair of the English and Communications program, and Sharistan Melkonian, Director of Accreditation, gave a presentation at the annual Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission Academic Resources Conference (ARC) in Los Angeles, California.  As part of a panel on General Education, Mission, and Values, Brown and Melkonian spoke about the development and ongoing assessment of the University’s Freshman English program, launched in Fall 2013.  They were joined on the panel by a team from Pepperdine University led by Constance Fulmer, Associate Dean, Teaching and Assessment. The panel was moderated by Tatiana Nazarenko, Dean of Curriculum and Educational Effectiveness at Westmont College.

Freshman English, part of the undergraduate program, is one of AUA’s signature foundation courses designed to promote the University’s core values of academic excellence, free inquiry, integrity, scholarship, leadership, and service while building the skills students need for success at AUA and beyond.

Brown and Melkonian outlined the development of Freshman English, a process which engaged faculty, staff, and alumni in a series of university-wide discussions, workshops, and planning meetings, and a Spring 2013 pilot, with feedback and assessment opportunities throughout. They also discussed the various ways in which student learning is being assessed and how Freshman English is continuously enhanced through the collection and review of data and feedback from students and faculty.

The presentation, attended by administrators and faculty from US and international universities, was followed by a lively and informative discussion.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values. 

 

Director of Accreditation Sharistan Melkonian and English and Communications Program Chair Melissa Brown