General Education Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes for the General Education Requirements

Approved April 30, 2015

Distribution Area I: The Humanities - Students will:

Apply analytical and critical reasoning skills when solving problems (critical judgment);
Analyze problems by considering diverse and varying forms of evidence and multiple perspectives within global historical and cultural contexts (historical perspective);
Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate various ethical codes and belief systems including their own (ethical awareness);
Use evidence and sound ethical reasoning to frame analyses and defend them. (ethical awareness);
Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the diversity and complexity of aesthetic expression (aesthetic expression);
Demonstrate the ability to speak and write effectively in languages including, but not restricted to, standard American English (linguistic awareness); and
Demonstrate the above outcomes in their writing.

Distribution Area II: The Scientific World - Students will:

Distribution Area III: The Social Sciences - Students will:

Critically read and understand tabular data, graphs, or other displays of data; (methodological reasoning)
Identify independent variables and dependent variables; (methodological reasoning)
Write or identify a well-formulated hypothesis; (methodological reasoning)
Recognize and interpret types of relationships between variables (positive and negative); (methodological reasoning)
Apply one or more conceptual frameworks to an issue or problem; (conceptual reasoning); and
Identify and explain the various factors that influence human behavior. (conceptual reasoning)

Distribution Area IV: The Visual and Performing Arts - Students will:

Analyze works of art using vocabulary appropriate to the art form;
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between artistic technique and the expression of a work鈥檚 underlying concept;
Analyze the relationship between works of art and the social, historical, global and personal contexts in which they are created or experienced; and
Engage in the artistic process, including conception, creation, interpretation, and ongoing critical analysis.

*Students will achieve at least three of the four identified (Area IV) objectives.

The general education distribution and skill area outcome statements can also be found in the academic catalog's Loading... external website.

Skill Area: Written Communication - Students will:

Produce written texts that sustain a unifying focus with coherently-structured and logically ordered sentences and paragraphs;
Control surface features such as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
Present an argument in writing, with use of evidentiary examples;
Adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality appropriate to different rhetorical situations, genres, and audiences; and
Engage in scholarly research-based practices and document another writer鈥檚 written work and ideas, in a manner appropriate to relevant academic or professional disciplines

Skill Area: Oral Communication - Students will:

Construct a relevant message supported by scholarly and sufficient research;
Organize message content based on an accepted and coherent organizational pattern;
Deliver an audience-centered presentation;
Use language clearly, appropriately, and inclusively that follows to the grammatical rules of Standard American English; and
Effectively deliver, in an extemporaneous manner, informative, persuasive, and special occasion speeches

Skill Area: Computer Literacy - Students will:

Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of technological/computer components and user experience design, and how they are related in practice;
Recognize types of data and procure, process, manage, and communicate/visualize using appropriate tools including search engines, word- and image-processing, computational analytics, and digital communication; and
Understand intellectual property laws, privacy, and security issues related to ethical digital content and responsible consumption, usage, and dissemination (including mass communication) with respect to academic, professional, and personal purposes

Skill Area: Quantitative Reasoning - Students will:

Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally, and interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics;
Apply arithmetical, algebraic, geometric and statistical methods with appropriate technological tools to solve problems;
Think critically and apply common sense in estimating and checking answers to mathematical problems in order to determine reasonableness, identify alternatives, and select optimal results, judging the soundness and accuracy of conclusions derived from quantitative information; and
Communicate mathematical information effectively using symbols, visual, numerical, or verbal representations.

Skill Area: Critical Thinking - Students will:

Use critical thinking to recall relevant information accurately, and structure verbal and written message content based on an accepted and coherent organizational pattern;
Paraphrase, synthesize, and analyze information from multiple sources to explain concepts;
Analyze information and apply it to new contexts; and
Utilize information to formulate and support a position.

Skill Area: Diversity Awareness - Students will:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the local and global communities, including cultural, social, political, and economic differences;
Analyze, evaluate, and assess the impact of differences in race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, native language, sexual orientation, ableism, age, and religion; and
Utilize perspectives of diverse groups when conducting analyses, drawing conclusions, and making decisions.