National Panel Report : Briefing Papers

Association of American Colleges and Universities, June 2000

Greater Expectations National Panel

Goals for Liberal Learning and College-level Learning As Stated by a Selection of Higher Education Associations, Disciplinary Associations, Accrediting Agencies, Students, and Colleges/Universities

A. Introduction

The following briefing material offers a selection of existing statements about the aims of an undergraduate education. It is neither a complete survey nor necessarily reflective of all institutions and organizations invested in higher education. The examples were chosen because they provide some of the best and most clearly articulated statements of goals for student learning. Surprisingly, many colleges and universities appear to function without such statements or hide them from easy accessibility. Often learning goals were too brief or general to contribute much to the Panel's work.

 

This background paper emphasizes learning goals rather than curricular design. It focuses on the "what" of learning rather than the "how," although the two are intimately connected.

 

The question leading to a statement of learning goals has been variously phrased:

  • What are the characteristics or qualities of mind of an educated person?
  • What is the central function of college?
  • What does College X want all its graduates to know?
  • What capacities should all graduates of University Y have developed?
  • How does college (learning) make a difference in a person's life?

Some institutions describe learning goals as appropriate accomplishments from undergraduate education as a whole; other schools attach the goals to "general education" or to a core curriculum.

 

The process followed on an individual campus for answering the above questions involves extensive collegial discussion. Thus, the campus statements included represent the best thinking of many educators. In the ideal scenario, the learning goals lead to specific objectives, influence pedagogical practices, and shape the curriculum. Unfortunately, practice often does not reach this ideal.

 

The campuses represented in Section F have varying missions, sizes, and student demographics. However, a review of the sixteen appended statements (twelve from campuses) reveals striking similarities, despite their diverse origins. Whereas the following goal-topics may be simply listed, or grouped into categories, or extensively described (with examples), and the exact terms may vary, almost all of the statements refer to:

  • Communication, most especially writing
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Ethical issues/values
  • Quantitative reasoning
  • Cross-cultural understanding, sometimes specifically expanded to the global environment
  • Citizenship
  • Diverse disciplines (as contexts for learning, ways of constructing knowledge, etc.)
  • Integration (e.g., among disciplines, between theory and practice)
  • Self-knowledge/personal values
  • Team work/collaborative learning
  • Life-long learning.
B. Goals Statements from Higher Education Associations

Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
From Contemporary Understandings of Liberal Education by Carol Geary Schneider and Robert Shoenberg, undated, Association of American Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC.

A broad consensus on learning goals is implicit in contemporary campus efforts:

1. Acquiring intellectual skills or capacities:

  • writing,
  • quantitative reasoning,
  • oral expression,
  • technological literacy,
  • second language,
  • moral reasoning,
  • negotiating difference.

2. Understanding and using multiple modes of inquiry and approaches to knowledge in humanities, arts, sciences and social sciences.

 

3. Developing societal, civic, and global knowledge.

 

4. Gaining self-knowledge and grounded values.

 

5. Achieving concentration and integration of learning:

  • inquiry-based learning in the major,
  • integrative learning within majors, across fields, between general studies and majors, in and out of school.
 
American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE)

From http://www.aale.org, Education Standards.

 

Liberal education aims at creating free men and women, those who have control over their lives, not only vocationally, but as citizens and as human beings able to draw on the greatest minds and works of both the past and the present.

 

The Academy understands general undergraduate education to have three broad goals:

  • the cultivation of responsible citizens;
  • preparation for the world of work; and
  • the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.

(R)esponsible citizenship requires knowledge of the history of America and its institutions, as well as of the central ideas that have shaped our diverse culture not to mention other cultures in the world, a knowledge of which may help to combat the overly self-regarding parochialism natural to all human beings.

 

Successful participation in the international political and cultural arena and in a dynamic, global marketplace requires not only a knowledge of computers, but also organizing, writing and speaking skills (in a foreign language as well as in English), and a firm grasp of mathematical reasoning accompanied by a sound knowledge of the laboratory sciences.

 

(T)he study of the great ideas in art, literature, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and philosophy is a noble and reflective activity that requires no further purpose beyond itself.

C. Goals Statements from Disciplinary Associations

 

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
From The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 1998, Washington, DC.

 

Liberal learning provides a solid foundation for the development of clinical judgement skills required for the practice of professional nursing...

 

Liberal education should provide the professional nurse with the ability to:

  • develop and use higher—order problem-solving and critical thinking skills;
  • integrate concepts from behavioral, biological, and natural sciences in order to understand self and others;
  • interpret and use quantitative data;
  • use the scientific process and scientific data as a basis for developing, implementing, and evaluating nursing interventions;
  • apply knowledge regarding social, political, economic, and historical issues to the analysis of societal and professional problems;
  • communicate effectively in a variety of written and spoken formats;
  • engage in effective working relationship;
  • appreciate cultural differences and bridge cultural and linguistic barriers;
  • understand the nature of human values;
  • develop and articulate personal standards against which to measure new ideas and experiences; and
  • appreciate and understand the character of professions.

Core competencies:

  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Assessment
  • Technical skills
D. Goals Statements from Accrediting Agencies

 

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET)

From http://www.abet.org/downloads/2000_01_Engineering_Criteria.pdf.

 

Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have:

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

 

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

 

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs

 

(d) an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams

 

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

 

(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

 

(g) an ability to communicate effectively

 

(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context

 

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

 

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues

 

(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

 

Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). From http://www.neasc.org/cihe/stancihe.htm.

 

Graduates demonstrate competence in written and oral communication in English; the ability for scientific and quantitative reasoning, for critical analysis and logical thinking; and the capacity for continuing learning. They also demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific, historical, and social phenomena, and a knowledge and appreciation of the aesthetic and ethical dimensions of humankind.

 

Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, (MSA)

 

From Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education, Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 1994, Philadelphia, PA.

 

A basic characteristic of excellence in an educational institution is the clear expression and active pursuit of its mission and goals in relation to its students, its staff, its supporters, and the community-at-large. Each institution operates in terms of such fundamentals as the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge and information, the development of student character, and the preparation of its students to live in a constantly changing world. It aims to introduce students to general and specialized knowledge, to increase their interest in intellectual matters, to enrich their cultural lives, to help them develop powers of discrimination and judgment, to foster their commitment to ethical, intellectual, social, and–where appropriate–religious values, and to encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning.

 

E. Goals Statements from Students

 

Sources for students' expectations: First four entries from "The American Freshmen: National Norms for Fall 1999." American Council on Education and University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute. Last two entries from College: The Undergraduate Experience in America, by Ernest L. Boyer, 1987, New York: Harper and Row, p. 67.

  • Nearly three-quarters of freshman surveyed in 1999 reported that the ability to get a good job and to be able to make more money were very important reasons for deciding to go to college.
  • Fifty-nine percent reported that gaining a general education and appreciation of ideas was a very important reason.
  • Sixty-four percent of the students surveyed expected to major in a pre-professional or technical field.
  • Twenty-eight percent expected to major in a liberal arts field.

Other "essential" outcomes from a college education cited by undergraduates:

  • learning to get along with people; and
  • formulating values and goals for my life
F. Goals Statements from Colleges and Universities

Keywords Contained in College Goals Statements Sampled from 14 colleges and universities

 

Broader Concepts

Note: most often cited in boldface

Communication

Reading

Listening

Writing

Speaking

Thinking

Analysis, analytical thinking

Critical thinking

Inquiry

Problem solving

Values/ethics

Global perspectives

Cross cultural knowledge

Social interaction

Personal perspective

Aesthetic responsiveness

Love of learning/continual learning

Social responsibility

Connections

Integration

 

and less often

Adaptiveness, Group participation, Job readiness, Personal leadership, Diversity, High achievement, Work independently, Physical well-being, Tolerance and understanding, Effective citizenship, Creativity, Research, Broad perspective, Pursuit of truth, Intellectual integrity, Transfer of learning, Application of knowledge, Action

 

Linked to Subjects/Disciplines

Science

Technology

Humanities

Quantitative reasoning

History

Literature

Fine arts

Math

Foreign language

Economics

Social science

Political issues

Philosophical issues

Theological issues

Information literacy

Knowledge of the natural universe

Disciplinary perspectives

Knowledge outside major

Alverno College—Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2,157 students, female

 

Mission

Alverno College is an institution of higher education to educate women. The student – her learning and her personal and professional development – is the central focus of everyone associated with Alverno. Agreement regarding this mission is evident throughout the college in its publications and operating

 

philosophy. It is the recurring theme in messages of the Board of Trustees and the president of the college, in catalogs and educational publications, and in the daily approach of faculty and staff to their work.

 

Degree Requirements

The Alverno baccalaureate degree is awarded when a student has completed a program of learning that integrates her accomplishment in required areas of knowledge with her achievement of required levels of competence in all of the following eight areas:

  • Communication
  • Analysis
  • Problem solving
  • Valuing in decision-making
  • Social interaction
  • Global perspectives
  • Effective citizenship
  • Aesthetic responsiveness

In general education, a student masters the eight abilities that form the core of Alverno's ability-based education. To accomplish this goal, a student will need a broad range of knowledge, ability to use technology, and systematic practice and critique. The courses that are part of Alverno's general education provide the means for all three.

The knowledge that a student needs for mastery of the eight abilities includes history, English, philosophy, religious studies, arts, sciences, mathematics, psychology and social science. This broad base of general

 

knowledge also becomes the foundation upon which a student adds the specialized knowledge associated with her major and support area.

 

Professions such as business, education and health care, for example, count on basic insights about human motivation gained from a general knowledge of psychology, history and philosophy. Decision makers in

 

corporations or community groups rely on values formed in the study of the arts and humanities or analysis skills developed in mathematics and science. Such fields as biology and chemistry increasingly depend on

 

other areas of knowledge to establish the context and significance of their discoveries.

 

The distinctive, ingenious aspect of Alverno's curriculum is that all courses have been structured so that, as students acquire this essential general knowledge, they also practice and master the eight abilities.

American University of Paris, France

Enrollment: 800, coed

 

Mission

The American University of Paris aims to provide the finest American undergraduate degree program to students from all national, linguistic, and educational backgrounds. AUP's philosophy of higher education brings students the unique advantage of an American interdisciplinary liberal arts education, enriched by the university's European location. The education is based on understanding of and sensitivity to diverse cultures. With its international perspective, AUP educates and prepares young people for a broad range of careers to meet the challenges of today's intercultural world.

 

Students study literature, languages, social sciences, and sciences, with an emphasis given to critical thinking and problems-solving. AUP helps develop proficiency in English and in French.

 

Goals for General Education

Pillar I: Knowledge and Perspective

  • historical
  • textual
  • social
  • aesthetic
  • scientific
  • ethical
  • philosophical

Pillar II: Intellectual Skills

  • individual skills

decoding, encoding, and translation of ideas, words, images, information, and math principles

  • interactive skills

public speaking and debating, assuming and delegating responsibility, working in teams, writing collaboratively, persuading and being receptive to others

 

Pillar III: Contexts

in which to situate knowledge and practice intellectual skills

  • communities
  • multicultural world

Pillar IV: Creativity and Production

combines knowledge, skills and contexts to prepare producers of knowledge, lifelong learners, contributors to society

  • authentic personal voice
  • intellectual curiosity
  • creativity
  • courage to take initiative and informed risks
  • sense of vision
  • ability to make connections (between theory and practice, private and the public, education and the larger world)
Community College of Denver, Colorado

Enrollment: 6251, coed

 

Mission Statement

Community College of Denver pledges responsibility for the following:

 

Transfer programs for the baccalaureate degree, Occupational programs for job-entry skills or upgrading, General education courses, Remedial instruction and GED preparation, Continuing education and community services, Cooperative inter-institutional programs.

 

Statement of Values for Teaching Excellence

 

CCD faculty are committed to a teaching/learning process that:

 

1. Enables students to become independent learners.
2. Demonstrates a commitment to student outcomes (job readiness, skill levels, mastery of subject matter).
3. Provides an opportunity for critical thinking and problem solving.
4. Provides linkages between instruction and real-world applications.
5. Demonstrates an excitement about teaching and learning.
6. Maintains high but realistic expectations.
7. Demonstrates appreciation of a diverse student population.
8. Encourages growth in students' self-esteem.

 

The general education core requirements, when completed at CCD, meet the lower division general education requirements of all public baccalaureate colleges and universities in the state of Colorado. Students graduating with the AA degree may transfer into liberal arts programs in all public baccalaureate colleges and universities with junior standing.

 

Student Performance Objectives for Transfer Education (AA Degree)

 

1. Students will plan and write well-structured compositions demonstrating the writing capabilities to express, inform, analyze, evaluate, persuade, argue, conduct research, and use primary and secondary sources logically and stylistically.

 

2. Students will compose and deliver oral presentations, providing ideas and information, and using delivery skills suitable to the topic, purpose and audience. Students will demonstrate an understanding of speeches and be able to evaluate speeches.

 

3. Students will read and think critically about a variety of interdisciplinary topics, demonstrating college-level reading skills in a variety of disciplines, including humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences.

 

4. Students will demonstrate orally and in writing the critical-thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

 

5. Students will analyze and use numerical data and qualitative reasoning skills, including applying proper formulas to mathematical data and calculating results, illustrating quantitative data graphically, rearranging general formulas to solve for any term, and interpreting graphic data and assessing the importance of the portrayed trends.

Eastern New Mexico University, Portales (main campus) and Roswell

Enrollment: 3,495 and 3,261 respectively, coed

 

Mission

Eastern New Mexico University combines a traditional learning environment with twenty-first century technology to provide a rich educational experience. Eastern emphasizes liberal learning, freedom of inquiry, cultural diversity, and whole student life. Excellent teaching and active learning define campus relationships. Scholarship, both primary and applied, cultural enrichment, and professional service are also important contributions of the University community.

 

Eastern's Focus:

  • Prepare students for careers and advanced study,
  • Impart citizenship and leadership skills and values,
  • Support and expand the role of education and excellent teaching at all levels, and,
  • Enable citizens to respond to a rapidly changing world.

Philosophy of General Education

Traditionally, one purpose of the bachelor's degree at a state university has been to prepare graduates for a lifetime of learning and responsible citizenship.

 

The general education curriculum at Eastern New Mexico University is designed to foster these goals through the study of a broad spectrum of subjects, many ranging far beyond a student's chosen field. The curriculum is designed to help students develop substantial analytical and communicative skill, gain a sense of social, ethical and cultural values, and appreciate the application of these values in societies.

 

To complete general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree at Eastern New Mexico University, the student shall:

  • use written and spoken English effectively, which includes the ability to read and to listen with understanding and critical discernment;
  • understand and apply scientific principles and develop an awareness of the role of science and technology in the contemporary world;
  • understand and apply basic mathematical principles;
  • gain a basic understanding of human society and cross-cultural variation, including the ways individuals and groups function, interact and change;
  • gain a perspective on the humanities in order to appreciate their value to the individual and society;
  • develop an awareness and appreciation of fine arts through cognitive activities and affective experiences;
  • acquire abilities to promote his/her physical well being;
  • pursue the opportunity to explore or further develop interests outside his/her major or minor.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Enrollment: 27,036, coed

 

These principles describe the fundamental intellectual competence and cultural and ethical awareness that... every graduate of an IUPUI baccalaureate degree program should attain.

 

1. Core Communication and Quantitative Skills

 

Definition: The ability of students to write, read, speak and listen, perform quantitative analysis, and use information resources and technology—the foundation skills necessary for all IUPUI students to succeed.

 

Outcomes: This set of skills is demonstrated, respectively, by the ability (a) to express ideas and facts to others effectively in a variety of written formats, (b) to comprehend, interpret, and analyze texts, (c) to communicate orally in one-on-one and group settings, (d) to solve problems that are quantitative in nature, and (e) to make efficient use of information resources and technology for personal and professional needs.

 

2.Critical Thinking

 

Definition: The ability of students to analyze carefully and logically information and ideas from multiple perspectives.

 

Outcomes: This skill is demonstrated by the ability of students (a) to analyze complex issues and make informed decisions, (b) to synthesize information in order to arrive at reasoned conclusions, (c) to evaluate the logic, validity, and relevance of data, (d) to solve challenging problems, and (e) to use knowledge and understanding in order to generate and explore new questions.

 

3. Integration and Application of Knowledge

 

Definition: The ability of students to use information and concepts from studies in multiple disciplines in their intellectual, professional, and community lives.

 

Outcomes: This skill is demonstrated by the ability of students to apply knowledge (a) to enhance their personal lives, (b) to meet professional standards and competencies, and (c) to further the goals of society.

 

4. Intellectual Depth, Breadth, and Adaptiveness

 

Definition: The ability of students to examine and organize disciplinary ways of knowing and to apply them to specific issues and problems.

 

Outcomes: (a) Intellectual depth describes the demonstration of substantial knowledge and understanding of at least one field of study; (b) intellectual breadth is demonstrated by the ability to compare and contrast approaches to knowledge in different disciplines; (c) adaptiveness is demonstrated by the ability to modify one's approach to an issue or problem based on the contexts and requirements of particular situations.

 

5. Understanding Society and Culture

 

Definition: The ability of students to recognize their own cultural traditions and to understand and appreciate the diversity of the human experience, both within the United States and internationally.

 

Outcomes: This skill is demonstrated by the ability (a) to compare and contrast the range of diversity and universality in human history, societies, and ways of life; (b) to analyze and understand the interconnectedness of global and local concerns; and (c) to operate with civility in a complex social world.

 

6. Values and Ethics

 

Definition: The ability of students to make judgments with respect to individual conduct, citizenship, and aesthetics.

 

Outcomes: A sense of values and ethics is demonstrated by the ability of students (a) to make informed and principled choices regarding conflicting situations in their personal and public lives and to foresee the consequences of these choices; and (b) to recognize the importance of aesthetics

Kings College—Wilkes-Barre, PA

Enrollment: 2,222, coed

 

Liberal Learning At King's College

 

A Statement of Purpose
As affirmed in its Mission Statement, King's College is committed to offering its students an education which prepares them for a purposeful life, which makes explicit the human values inherent in a broadly based curriculum, and which actively encourages the religious and moral as well as the personal and social development of its students.

 

More specifically, King's seeks:

  • to develop in students the fundamental thinking and communication skills required of every educated person;
  • to convey to students knowledge of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences;
  • to give students an understanding of how the various disciplines differ, how they are related and how their distinct perspectives enrich our lives;
  • to endow students with a respect for their culture and the cultures of others;
  • to provide students with traditional academic and pre-professional major programs of study that build upon the foundational courses of the CORE Curriculum;
  • to engage students in the philosophical and theological dimensions of an examined life;
  • to cultivate students' capacity and desire for independent and continuing learning;
  • to lead students to recognize their personal worth and to develop a sense of purpose and willingness to assume responsibility for their own lives and decisions;
  • to encourage students to examine their own religious and moral convictions so that they may discover appropriate ways of attaining personal fulfillment and of improving the quality of life in society at large.
Millikin University—Decatur, Illinois

Enrollment: 1,997, coed

 

Student Learning Goals

 

Learning goals in the following areas of knowledge, skills, and values serve as the
basis for the proposed program:

 

Knowledge

 

The diversity of human experience, especially of the history, social institutions, and cultures of the United States, and other American, Western, and non-Western societies

Scientific understanding of the social and natural world

Interaction between technology and society

Multiple perspectives of different disciplines

Concepts, methods, contributions, and limitations of a specific discipline

Skills

 

Communication:

  • Using spoken and written English accurately, appropriately, and effectively
  • Using a language other than English functionally
  • Using technology to create and present information
  • Expressing oneself through creative activity

Critical Thinking:

  • Questioning assumptions, detecting fallacies, constructing logical arguments, solving problems and making decisions in a variety of contexts
  • Recognizing, constructing, and evaluating arguments and judgments in terms of truth, validity, and soundness
  • Developing a critical understanding of aesthetic expression

Quantitative Reasoning:

  • Collecting, classifying, and analyzing data
  • Constructing, applying, and evaluating models
  • Using technology to access, organize, and analyze information

Interpersonal:

  • Working collaboratively
  • Taking initiative and demonstrating leadership
  • Understanding the motivations, intentions, and emotions of oneself and others

Moral and Ethical Reasoning:

  • Clarifying personal values
  • Recognizing and reconciling moral dilemmas
  • Making ethical decisions

Values:

  • Intellectual curiosity and risk taking
  • Service, social justice, and civic responsibility
  • Self-respect
  • Aesthetic sensitivity
  • Respect for differences and human dignity
  • Commitment to professional excellence
  • Personal integrity
  • Environmental responsibility
Mount Saint Mary's College—Los Angeles, California

Enrollment: 1,984, female

 

An educated person is one who is not only academically prepared in an area of specialization but also one who has knowledge and appreciation of the diverse fields of human endeavor. To achieve this, a student is expected to explore areas of learning outside the major through the General Studies curriculum.

 

The college has adopted the following components of a liberal education as fundamental in developing excellence of mind and spirit. The components are integrated into the educational program, and into the General Studies Curriculum, in a way that enables the growth of students as free, imaginative, and responsible human beings, sensitive and responsive to the needs of the human person and human society. These components are:

  • effective written expression of ideas;
  • effective oral communication;
  • analysis of assumptions, methods of argumentation, values;
  • problem-solving: defining problems, identifying issues; organizing, analyzing, synthesizing ideas; comparing, contrasting ideas; decision-making;
  • understanding of personal and group behavior;
  • effective participation in a group or organization;
  • sense of history as providing perspective for interpreting human events;
  • sense of literature as reflecting and interpreting human experience;
  • understanding of and appreciation for music and the visual arts;
  • curiosity about and a spirit for investigating the natural universe;
  • ability to recognize patterns of thought used in science and mathematics;
  • understanding of the impact of advancing technology on human society and culture;
  • understanding of social classes and social structures in diverse societies;
  • understanding of contemporary economic, social, and political issues;
  • understanding of criteria and standards to assess personal moral values and ethical judgments;
  • openness to understanding of, and respect for philosophical, religious, and ethnic diversity;

17. awareness of the religious and spiritual dimensions of human existence.

 

Northeastern University—Boston, Massachusetts

Enrollment: 24,325, coed

 

Goals of the Academic Common Experience

 

Skills

 

1. Effective thinking

2. Effective communication

3. Information literacy

4. Life management, career, interpersonal

 

Contexts

 

1. Natural world

2. Social & cultural world

 

Perspectives

 

1. Historical perspective

2. Ethical perspective

3. Esthetic perspective

4. Personal perspective

 

Connections

 

1. Between disciplines

2. Between theory arid applications

3. Between academia and the world of work

4. Between general education and major

5. Between individual and society

6. Between college and life-long learning

 

The guiding philosophy of ACE is as follows:

  • The best education for our undergraduates must stimulate a sense of inquiry and a love of learning. It should help students develop skills transferable from discipline to discipline and from the classroom to life experience.
  • These skills—effective thinking, effective communication, information literacy, and inter-personal skills—are best acquired while learning information and ideas across a broad range of arts and sciences courses and in-depth, within a specific discipline.
  • The natural world and the social/cultural worlds provide the contexts for learning these transferable skills.
  • A variety of perspectives—historical, ethical, esthetic, and personal —provide further explanations to these contexts.

Undergirding all these aspects of the common undergraduate experience stands the interconnectedness of learning. True learning:

  • builds cumulatively over time
  • crosses disciplinary boundaries
  • occurs within and outside the classroom, in schools as well as in the workplace
  • continues throughout life
Portland State University—Portland, Oregon

Enrollment: 14,863, coed

 

Mission:

 

The University's mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural, and economic qualities of urban life by providing access throughout the life span to a quality liberal education for undergraduates and to an appropriate array of professional and graduate programs especially relevant to the metropolitan area. The University actively promotes the development of a network of educational institutions that serves the community, and it conducts research and community service to support a high quality educational environment and reflect issues important to the metropolitan region.

 

University Studies: The ultimate goal of University Studies is to enable graduates to develop the appropriate attitudes and skills needed to pursue lifelong learning.

 

THE FOUR GOALS OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES

 

INQUIRY AND CRITICAL THINKING

COMMUNICATION

Students will learn various modes of inquiry through interdisciplinary curricula—problem- posing, investigating, conceptualizing—in order to become active, self-motivated learners.

Students will enhance their capacity to communicate in various ways— writing, graphics, numeracy, and other visual and oral means—to collaborate effectively with others in group work, and to be competent in appropriate communication technologies.

THE VARIETY OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE

ETHICAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Students will enhance their appreciation for and understanding of the rich complexity of the human experience through the study of differences in ethnic and cultural perspectives, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability

Students will expand their understanding of the impact and value of individuals and their choices on society, both intellectually and socially, through group projects and collaboration in learning communities.

 

Tusculum College—Greenville, Tennessee

Enrollment: 1,526, coed

 

The Competency Program specifies three levels of achievement in nine areas important for effective functioning at Tusculum College and in professional, public, and private life. The purpose of the Competency Program is to ensure that Tusculum College students develop both evidence and confidence that they possess the skills and abilities they need to be productive, successful citizens.

 

Level 1. This level represents the minimal skill level needed for success in freshman-level college work. Entering students are assessed early for Level 1 skills in Analytical Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. Some courses may carry a Level 1 achievement of particular competencies as a prerequisite.

 

Level 2. Level 2 performance in each of the competencies is required of every student for graduation. Thus, Level 2 represents what the Tusculum College faculty believes is the minimum standard for educated citizenship. Some courses may carry a Level 2 achievement of particular competencies as a prerequisite.

 

Level 3. This third level represents honors level work and is not required for graduation. Students may work to achieve as many or as few Level 3 validations as they wish. In many cases, Level 3 competency validations may occur in conjunction with a project in the student's major field of study.

 

Graduates who have completed three different competencies at Level 3 receive Competency Honors. Students may earn Competency Honors without earning GPA honors and vice versa.

 

NOTE: The number of Level 2 validations required in each competency for graduation is listed in parenthesis.

 

Foundation
1. Writing (2)
2. Analytical Reading (2)
3. Public Speaking (2)
4. Critical Analysis (2)
5. Mathematics (2)
6. Computer Literacy (1)

The Practice of Virtue
7. Self-Knowledge (1)
8. Civility (1)
9. Ethics of Social Responsibility (1)

University of Delaware, Newark

Enrollment: 21,346, coed

 

Undergraduate Education at the University of Delaware aims to ensure that every student will:

  • Attain effective skills in oral and written communication, quantitative reasoning, and the use of information technology.
  • Learn to think critically to solve problems.
  • Be able to work and learn both independently and collaboratively.
  • Engage questions of ethics and recognize responsibilities to self, community, and society at large.
  • Understand the diverse ways of thinking that underlie the search for knowledge in the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences.
  • Develop the intellectual curiosity, confidence, and engagement that will lead to lifelong learning.
  • Develop the ability to integrate academic knowledge with experiences that extend the boundaries of the classroom.
  • Expand understanding and appreciation of human creativity and diverse forms of aesthetic and intellectual expression.
  • Understand the foundations of United States society including the significance of its cultural diversity.
  • Develop an international perspective in order to live and work effectively in an increasingly global society.