Goals and Student Outcomes: Core Curriculum

Department Goals and Objectives

Core I

1. First-semester students have a shared intellectual experience.
2. Students are introduced to interdisciplinary approaches to studying problems of historical and contemporary interest.
3. Students develop analytical skills in reading and oral expression through small-group discussions.
4. Students develop writing skills that emphasize argumentation and textual analysis.

Core II

1. Understand how and why different disciplines approach seemingly similar objects of contemporary interest and/or historical importance from different perspectives, leading to different conclusions and material consequences.
2. Use various disciplinary methods.
3. Develop their own written and oral arguments in interdisciplinary contexts.

Core III

1. Students independently and creatively will develop their understanding of different disciplines and interdisciplinary inquiry acquired in Core 1 and 2.
2. Students explore and interrogate the historical construction of a particular field of inquiry.
3. Students formulate, research, and execute a substantial project of their own design.

Student Learning Outcomes

Core I

• SLO1: Students demonstrate comprehension of key terms from texts and lectures.
• SLO2: Students are able to examine a variety of issues from different disciplinary perspectives.
• SLO3: Students display a comprehension of course materials (i.e., the claims, arguments, interpretations of texts and lectures).
• SLO4: Students display a capacity to present and to respond to claims and arguments orally.
• SLO5: Student essays emphasize argumentation and textual analysis.

Core II

• SLO1: Demonstrate knowledge of various disciplinary methods.
• SLO2: Effectively communicate arguments orally.
• SLO3: Effectively present arguments in written form.

Core III

• SLO1: Student synthesizes and critically explains issues.
• SLO2: Student articulates a clear and informed argument.