Prince William Sound Community College

Prince William Sound Community College has identified the following Outcomes that encapsulate what all graduates will achieve in completing the required General Education courses. In addition, “Critical Thinking,” Outcome 1, is essential to higher order thinking of any type, and so it has been adopted as a central component for all courses meeting the General Education Requirements of the college and will be demonstrated as a Learning Outcome in all General Education courses.

All General Education Courses must include Outcome 1:

Outcome 1: Develop Critical Thinking Skills.

1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically within a discipline.
2. Identify connections and relationships among disciplines.
3. Use an integrated approach to analyze new situations.

All General Education Courses must include at least one additional outcome, selected from Outcomes 2 through 7.

Outcome 2: Develop communications ability (effectively interpret, send, and respond to communications for varied audiences and purposes)

1. Demonstrate use of effective listening, interpersonal, small-group/collaborative, and public communication skills.
2. Demonstrate effective writing skills that use awareness of audience; clear thesis development; ethical use of sources; and appropriate conventions of format, structure, and language for multiple disciplines.
3. Demonstrate the ability to read critically and analyze, synthesize, and evaluate various forms of information including written texts and other media.

Outcome 3: Develop quantitative reasoning and problem-solving skills

1. Demonstrate degree appropriate skills in applying the principles of mathematics or logic.
2. Apply the scientific method in a laboratory setting.

Outcome 4: Develop the ability to make value judgments and independent decisions

1. Identify own values.
2. Identify and demonstrate an understanding of diverse values.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of relevant ethical and responsible behavior.

Outcome 5: Develop multicultural understanding and global awareness

1. Describe relationships between self and the world.
2. Demonstrate understanding of issues related to global interdependence.
3. Demonstrate understanding of cultural issues such as race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and disabilities.

Outcome 6: Develop aesthetic responsiveness

1. Discuss selected arts in terms of their formal elements.
2. Relate artistic works to the contexts from which they emerge.
3. Defend judgments about the quality of selected artistic expressions.

Outcome 7: Develop the ability to use technology

1. Demonstrate effective use of technology for problem solving, communication, or information retrieval.