Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes

Note: Institutional learning outcomes, effective for all undergraduate programs in Fall 2018, per the Faculty Senate, 11/6/17.

The University of Arizona’s undergraduate General Education Curriculum, managed by the University-Wide General Education Committee, has four overarching learning outcomes: to Think Critically, Communicate Effectively, Understand and Value Differences, and Use Information Effectively. Every University undergraduate program also has student learning outcomes, all of which align with one or more of the four General Education outcomes, to measure learning within the discipline. Furthermore, the UA faculty recognizes the importance of assessment and evaluation in improving the quality of its academic and support programs for students.  

Therefore, to ensure that UA undergraduates are gaining the most from their academic programs, the faculty approved the General Education Curriculum’s learning outcomes as institution-wide Learning Outcomes. Learning and attainment of these outcomes are regularly assessed and evaluated by the faculty from the students’ first year at the UA until they graduate with a baccalaureate degree. Each major program of study, along with the General Education Curriculum, provides the opportunity for students to achieve the following four outcomes:

• Think Critically
  • Exercise synthetic, analytic and/or computational/quantitative reasoning as needed to solve problems.
  • Raise salient questions about the evidence, inferences, and conclusions of inquiries, including one’s own inquiries.
  • Infer and assess the ambiguities, assumptions, values, and purposes at issue in inquiries, including one’s own work.
• Communicate Effectively
  • Interpret and clearly present information in varied formats, such as graphs, charts, and multimedia projects.
  • Compose correct and clear written material in multiple formats such as research logs, researched reports, exam answers, and reflective essays.
  • Improve written and visual documents in response to feedback.
• Understand and Value Differences
  • Assess how different modes of inquiry and expression are appropriate in varied cultural and disciplinary contexts.
  • Exercise flexible habits of mind when exposed to diverse opinions, new ideas, and complex societal problems. 
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nature of interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup dynamics, and skills.
• Use Information Ethically and Effectively
  • Access and evaluate the reliability of information from varied sources, such as internet and library resources.
  • Use information sources ethically and responsibly.