Program Learning Outcomes
All West Coast University undergraduate programs include the same core General Education components. The learning outcomes are described below.
Following completion of the General Education curriculum, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate competent written communication skills.
a. Demonstrate an understanding of creative, academic, and other professional written
communication.
b. Demonstrate competence in written English communication through intensive, research based practical application of basic and advanced writing principles.
c. Demonstrate the ability to organize, develop, and present coherent written work that reflects a strong command of English grammar, sentence mechanics, paragraph structure, and
paper formatting, and be able to employ these competencies effectively in a range of writing.
2. Employ effective oral communication skills.
a. Demonstrate the ability to effectively apply verbal and non-verbal communication in a range of academic and non-academic settings.
b. Demonstrate the ability to analyze and address usages of ethos, pathos, logical fallacies, audience reception, cultures of communication, language choice, nonverbal cues, effective listening, and speech delivery.
3. Interpret quantitative data using mathematical principles to effectively identify core issues and solve problems.
a. Demonstrate competence in quantitative reasoning by applying mathematical concepts and basic quantitative literacy to real-world applications.
b. Demonstrate the ability to effectively synthesize, analyze, and interpret mathematical data to draw inferences and connect findings to a range of other disciplines.
4. Illustrate competence in the biological, physical, and natural sciences.
a. Demonstrate an understanding of scientific concepts, theories, and principles.
b. Demonstrate an ability to analyze, interpret, and apply scientific theory and investigative methodologies through laboratory and practical experiences.
c. Demonstrate an effective connection of quantitative and critical reasoning to the biological, physical, and natural sciences.
5. Demonstrate technological and informational literacy by locating disparate information through
multiple sources.
a. Demonstrate the effective use of a multidisciplinary and ethical approach to electronic and print information access, retrieval, analysis, and synthesis of general and specialized
information.
b. Demonstrate the application of critical and quantitative reasoning skills to determine reliability and validity of information.
6. Analyze ideas and make decisions using critical thinking skills.
a. Demonstrate an understanding of how to differentiate and analyze critical reasoning, perception, cognitive development, decision making, emotional intelligence, deductive and inductive reasoning, and formal and informal logic.
b. Demonstrate an understanding, recognition, and construction of critical reasoning in relation to written and spoken arguments.
c. Demonstrate competence in the application of critical reasoning techniques to address real-world situations and issues.
7. Describe and interpret diverse perspectives, value systems, histories, cultural traditions, and artistic expressions.
a. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the profound interconnectivity of diverse human behaviors, value systems, societies, cultures, and traditions.
b. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the complexities and interconnections of society and culture across a variety of historical and contemporary contexts.
c. Demonstrate the ability to explain how global culture and diversity impact students’ own values, ethics, character, and judgment.
8. Articulate issues and arrive at a defensible conclusion, given a set of ethical dilemmas.
a. Demonstrate the ability to recognize contexts in which ethical dilemmas arise.
b. Demonstrate the ability to apply ethical values and principles to discipline-specific and other real-world situations.
c. Demonstrate the ability to delineate competing ethical claims in the process of articulating a values-based, critically reasoned defense.