General Education Program Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

The student who completes each course that emphasizes knowledge will be able to demonstrate an introductory understanding of a body of knowledge in a specific discipline and of the ways of thinking about that knowledge. This understanding may provide a foundation for future study and/or a framework for relating that body of knowledge to an overall understanding of theoretical and real life issues.

Skills

The student who completes each course that emphasizes skills will be able to demonstrate an increased level of proficiency in the core competencies - critical thinking, written communication, oral communication, information literacy, and quantitative reasoning and in other skills, such as making informed, meaningful, and ethical decisions based on logical reasoning and consistent, thoughtful, and appropriate methodologies; acquiring language skills; or appreciating artistic, musical, or theatrical performance.

Perspectives

Students can identify ethical standards for an ethical problem.

PLO 1

Acquire a basic knowledge of America's history, including its economic, social, and cultural aspects, with particular attention to its political systems and their historical context.

PLO 2

Develop the capacity to think critically about the American political system and American history by exploring individual and social identity.

PLO 3

Consider the experiences of a variety of individuals and groups in American history from various classes, religions, regions, and ethnic, gender, and racial groups.

PLO 4

Develop an understanding of the history and challenges of maintaining democratic governance in a pluralistic, ethnically diverse society.

PLO 1

Cultivate an appreciation for religion (especially Christianity).

PLO 2

Explore the multifaceted relation of religion to ancient and contemporary society. 

PLO 3

Grapple with the implications living a life of faith. 

PLO 1

Read texts critically and recognize the rhetorical moves that writers make as they articulate arguments and ideas.

PLO 2

Begin making conscious rhetorical choices of their own as they compose various types of essays.

PLO 3

Develop a clear argument/thesis and provide evidence to support it.

PLO 1

The student who successfully completes the Fine Arts GE requirement will be able to create, perform, or analyze artistic works.

PLO 1

Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills appropriate to the subject matter covered in the seminar.

PLO 2

Communicate clearly in well-organized and persuasive oral presentations.

PLO 3

Communicate effectively in well-organized and clear written discourse.

PLO 4

Demonstrate the ability to interpret research findings appropriate to the subject matter covered in the seminar.

PLO 5

Demonstrate the ability to document sources using a format appropriate to the subject matter covered in the seminar.

PLO 6

Articulate an understanding of vocation in the Christian context.

PLO 7

Articulate an understanding of the Christian mission of the University.

PLO 1

Develop a historical and sequential understanding of the history of Western civilization.

PLO 2

Experience the West's important primary cultural "texts" (literature, philosophy, art, and music) and explore their historical contexts.

PLO 3

Understand the consequences and costs of Western cultural achievements both to men and women in the West and other civilizations with which the West has interacted.

PLO 4

Learn, use, and evaluate ideas of historical periodization, such as the Ancient, Classical, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern, and Postmodern eras. 

PLO 1

Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills through rigorous analysis of literary texts in diverse historical and cultural contexts.

PLO 2

Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the concept and practice of literary research.

PLO 3

Students will demonstrate effective writing and/or oral presentation through literary analysis.

PLO 4

Students will demonstrate the way meaning is expressed through the formal elements of language and genre.

PLO 1

Provide examples that illustrate the beauty, creativity, and pervasiveness of mathematics.

PLO 2

Demonstrate logical reasoning ability and problem-solving skills that employ mathematical strategies.

PLO 3

Demonstrate an understanding of the creation, use, and limitations of mathematical or statistical models.

PLO 1

Understand how theories of human behavior are tested scientifically.

PLO 1

Choose papers they have written that demonstrate their writing competency across the curriculum.

PLO 2

Articulate and reflect on their writing process and their writing strengths and weaknesses.

PLO 1

Students who successfully complete this lab science GE will understand the methods used by scientists to investigate and answer questions about the natural world and will demonstrate the ability to assess the reliability and limitations of those methods.

Orally and in writing students can... 

PLO 1: Discuss information, opinions, and emotions in spontaneous exchanges on familiar topics as well as possible and future actions 

PLO 2: Understand and analyze the main idea, key details, and cultural viewpoints in written, audio, and audiovisual target language texts

PLO 3: Present information and viewpoints about familiar cultural topics and personal experiences in paragraph-length discourse

PLO 4: Identify, describe, and compare practices and perspectives of target language cultures (e.g., music, holiday rituals, family, etc.) 

PLO 1

The student who completes the World Civilizations GE will be able to demonstrate an open-mindedness and empathy toward global communities and through a transformed awareness of self and through a knowledge of cultures outside the West.

PLO 1

Acquire and demonstrate both introductory and advanced methods of research and discovery used in a particular academic discipline.

PLO 2

Use research language effectively.

PLO 3

Develop extensive methods and procedures for conducting and recording effective research in different formats and settings.

PLO 4

Identify, synthesize, and assess research literature.

PLO 5

Plan, structure, and write a research paper.

PLO 6

Present research findings both formally and dynamically to an academic audience.

PLO 1

Use writing to improve learning of subject matter and promote the development of critical thinking.

PLO 2

Learn discipline-specific ways of thinking and communicating, indicating writing skills important for continuing study in the discipline, for careers, and for communicating discipline-specific knowledge to audiences outside the discipline.

PLO 3

Improve writing processes, developing effective strategies for generating ideas, gathering information, drafting, revising, and editing.

PLO 1

Investigate major intellectual ideas, human institutions, and human behavior as expressed in Great Texts from the Western tradition, including the Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, Modern, and Contemporary Traditions.

PLO 2

Interpret classic texts across the Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, Modernist and Contemporary Intellectual Traditions critically and competently through oral communication within a seminar format, utilizing interpretive questions and responses and supporting interpretations with relevant textual evidence and sensitivity to the views of others.

PLO 3

Communicate effectively in writing that develops a coherent interpretation of intellectual ideas- socio-political, philosophical, literary, religious- both within a great text and across texts from different historical periods (Greek vs. Roman) or intellectual traditions (Epic vs. Philosophical).

PLO 4

Articulate an understanding of Vocation and the Christian Mission of the University through a well-organized and clearly written personal essay.

PLO 1

Demonstrate an understanding of the issues related to racism, sexism, ableism, classism, religious discrimination, and poverty.

PLO 2

Demonstrate competency in writing, research, and argument.