Individual Development Plan
The information contained below is intended to help undergraduate Anthropology majors understand and develop their Individual Development Plans.
What is the Purpose of Creating an IDP?
We are excited that you have chosen to pursue your undergraduate degree in Anthropology. To increase the benefits from becoming a learner and to help you get the most out of your efforts as an undergraduate at Boise State, the department has developed Individual Development Plans. Working on your IDP is impactful for three reasons.
- Reflect, Synthesize, and Make Plans for the Future – Your IDP provides a mechanism for planning and reflecting on your courses and experiences during your time in the program. By updating your IDP regularly you will be able to make connections between what you are learning now and what you want to do after you graduate. You will need these notes and reflections in your senior portfolio course (ANTH 492).
- Get More from Advising – You should update your IDP, so that it is current before meeting with your advisor. You will review your IDP with your anthropology advisor as part of your advising consultations.
- Prepare for ANTH 492 and Earn Extra Credit – Actively working on your IDP as you progress through the anthropology program will prepare you for the major capstone course: ANTH 492 Senior Practicum Portfolio. Instructors in your anthropology courses may offer extra credit to review and complete portions of this plan. In addition, you will be able to submit your IDP to the departmental professional development program each semester.
Where do I find my IDP?
Your IDP will be developed using a Google Sheet provided by the department. You will develop your IDP using that sheet. You will receive a link to your IDP Google Sheet via email. You can also locate your plan by using the Shared with Me function in Google Docs. The sheet will be named following these conventions:
ZikerJ_Anthropology UG IDP 2021
If you have difficulty locating your plan, please contact the Operations Coordinator or the Advising Coordinator using the email addresses below:
brittanyarchuleta@boisestate.edu – Operations Coordinator
shellyvolsche@boisestate.edu – Advising Coordinator
How do I get started working on my IDP Google Sheet?
Your IDP is provided as a Google spreadsheet (Google Sheet). You may not be familiar with spreadsheets. Please review these notes as needed.
- Here is a sample IDP. You can view this IDP, but you cannot edit it. Please only edit the IDP that the department provides for you.
- Your IDP Google Sheet consists of four tabs. A tab is like a page in a document.
- You access the tabs along the bottom margin of the spreadsheet. It will look like the image below. To navigate, click on the numbered tabs.
- The first tab has instructions for completing the spreadsheet. On each sheet, you will enter specific information. For example, on the main IDP Worksheet, you will list the courses you plan to take. On the second tab, you will list the learning outcomes associated with each course. And on the third tab, you will write a concise summary of what you hope to learn and do (before the course begins) and what you actually did and learned (after the course has ended). The third tab is where you will document and reflect on professional development activities that you did during a semester, such as attendance at department lectures, conferences, and leadership roles. In combination, these three tabs provide a succinct summary for you to track and reflect on your learning. the fourth tab will be used by your advisor to share notes with you about your progress and goals.
If you have questions about your IDP, please reach out to your advisor. If you have suggestions for modifying or improving the IDP, please reach out to the department chair.