Seaver College General Education 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

The student who completes each course that emphasizes perspectives will be able to demonstrate habits of mind characterized by open-mindedness and empathy toward local and global communities through a transformed awareness of self and others.

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 of living a life of faith.

PLO 1

Critique and interpret English, American, and multicultural literary texts.

PLO 2

Communicate an understanding of rhetorical, composition, or literary theory and integrate the understanding in papers that reflect best practices in the discipline of English.

PLO 3

Employ sophisticated critical thinking, research, discussion and presentation skills.

PLO 4

Demonstrate the skill to engage texts, especially those that are ethnically, gender, and culturally diverse, from a spiritual, moral and ethical perspective.

PLO 1

Develop an awareness of and appreciation for a specific art form.

PLO 2

Assess an art form critically and analytically.

PLO 3

Have an applied or hands-on experience with a particular art form.

PLO 4

Develop an awareness of how a particular art form is interconnected with other disciplines and/or career opportunities.

PLO 5

Acquire a general understanding of the history and chronology of an art form.

PLO 6

Develop skills that will enhance and encourage future study and appreciation of the arts.

PLO 7

Possess a sense of responsibility and activism with regard to the place of the fine arts in the broader community.

PLO 1

Share one substantial reading assignment to help build learning communities among all first-year students.

PLO 2

Sharpen their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills through study within a specific academic discipline.

PLO 3

Use written assignments and oral presentations to become more effective written and oral communicators.

PLO 4

Become aware of and understand 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 "Classical," "Medieval," "Renaissance," "Baroque," "Enlightenment," "Romantic," "Modern," and "Postmodern".

PLO 1

Develop an understanding of literature and the mastery of written language as an expression of human experience.

PLO 2

Develop the skills of close reading, analyzing complex texts, explaining their own readings, and examining differing interpretations.

PLO 3

Practice critical thinking skills, engage new ideas through reading, writing, classroom discussions, and oral argument and presentations.

PLO 4

Explore spiritual, moral, and ethical standards of other societies and historical periods, as well as those of the society in which they live.

PLO 1

Recognize the beauty of mathematics and be able to cite examples illustrating how mathematics is a creative endeavor similar to many other liberal arts.

PLO 2

Demonstrate enhanced reasoning ability through the study and application of formal logic.

PLO 3

Improve their problem-solving skills through the study of various mathematical strategies.

PLO 4

Recognize the pervasiveness of mathematics in our modern society and be able to cite some of its historical underpinnings.

PLO 5

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

PLO 6

Apply knowledge of the basic principles of analyzing numerical data using statistical methods.

PLO 1

Recognize the difference between empirical, theoretical, and ethical questions regarding human behavior.

PLO 2

Understand a model of human behavior, how it departs from the models of related disciplines, and what phenomena it is useful for explaining.

PLO 3

Have a command of the basic concepts from two of the disciplines studied (economics, psychology, sociology).

PLO 4

Understand how theories of human behavior are tested scientifically.

PLO 5

Recognize that human behavior is affected by factors ranging from individual psychology to transnational ideology.

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

Understand that the scientific method is a system of inquiry that requires curiosity, skepticism, tolerance for ambiguity, openness to new ideas, and ultimately, the communication and sharing of knowledge.

PLO 2

Discover that scientific understanding is tentative, limited, and subject to revision.

PLO 3

Participate in a laboratory experience that involves data collecting and careful observation.

PLO 4

Employ those mathematical and statistical concepts that are required to explain scientific phenomena.

PLO 5

Investigate the distinctive roles that faith and science play in answering important questions about how the world works.

PLO 1

Understand simple phone conversations, announcements and media reports, and face-to-face dialogue using learned material.

PLO 2

Engage in a variety of communicative tasks in social situations, ask and answer questions using learned materials, and participate in conversations about topics beyond the most immediate needs.

PLO 3

Recognize sufficient vocabulary when reading at the intermediate level and consistently read texts dealing with a variety of basic and social needs.

PLO 4

Write short, simple passages with accuracy, expressing present time and at least one other time frame.

PLO 1

Identify the cultural and geographical features of a civilization outside of Western civilization.

PLO 2

Recognize its cultural and interpersonal dynamics.

PLO 3

Explain its social and political systems. 

PLO 4

Describe its major historical, philosophical, and religious traditions.

PLO 5

Develop an understanding of how its world view is expressed in artistic and scientific achievements.

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, including 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.

PLO 1

Learn the classical origins of public speaking.

PLO 2

Learn the ethics of public speaking.

PLO 3

Perform effectively in a variety of rhetorical situations.

PLO 4

Structure, write, research, support, and deliver informative, persuasive, and ceremonial speeches.

PLO 5

Understand basic principles of rhetorical analysis.