General Education Learning Outcomes
Students in City University of Seattle’s undergraduate programs develop a breadth of knowledge, skills, and awareness that prepare them to engage intellectually in a complex and global world. Students are assessed on general education outcomes that include communication, critical thinking, diversity, ethical reasoning, and quantitative literacy that are integrated throughout the undergraduate curriculum.
Communication
Definition: Communication is the development and expression of ideas to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote changes in attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. It can involve different genres, styles, technologies, and delivery methods. Communication abilities typically develop through iterative experiences across the curriculum.
Outcome: City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate the ability to develop and express ideas, while applying a variety of delivery models, genres, and styles.
Critical Thinking
Definition: Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Outcome: City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate the ability to explore/analyze issues, ideas, artifacts, and events to inform well developed opinions and conclusions.
Diversity
Definition: Students explore complex global challenges; Collaborate respectfully with diverse others; Become informed, open-minded, and responsible people attentive to diversity across the spectrum of differences; Understand how their actions affect local and global communities/contexts; Address pressing and enduring issues collaboratively and equitably.
Outcome: City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate the ability to understand the complexity of various cultures and interact with culturally different others.
Ethical Reasoning
Definition: Ethical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas, and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students’ ethical self-identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical issues.
Outcome: City University of Seattle Graduates demonstrate the ability to reason in an ethical manner and to reflect core beliefs and core competencies in authentic contexts.
Quantitative Literacy
Definition: Use of data to draw conclusions, with the quantitative component fully evident in the discussion and analysis of the problem or project presented.
Outcome: City University of Seattle Graduates demonstrate the ability to reason and solve problems in authentic contexts through the analysis and use of data.
(Policy #3100.02)