University Learning Outcomes
According to NILOA’s Transparency Framework, “ Student learning outcomes statements clearly state the expected knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies, and habits of mind that students are expected to acquire at an institution of higher education”. UW-Whitewater has the following Student Learning Outcomes:
- Baccalaureate Essential Learning Outcomes (LEAP ELOs).
- General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs).
- Master's-Level Education Learning Outcomes (MELOs).
UW-Whitewater’s Assessment Strategic Plan
UW-Whitewater's Baccalaureate Learning Outcomes (LEAP ELOs)
In 2010, UW-Whitewater adopted the LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes from the Association of American Colleges and Universities as our baccalaureate learning outcomes for our campus. All students seeking a bachelor's degree are expected to achieve the UW-Whitewater Essential Learning Outcomes through their studies in general education, their major and minor, their elective courses, and through experiences gained in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
These ELOs are:
- Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World - Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts
- Intellectual and Practical Skills
- Inquiry and analysis
- Critical and creative thinking
- Written and oral communication
- Quantitative literacy
- Information literacy
- Teamwork and problem solving
- Personal and Social Responsibility
- Civic knowledge and engagement - local and global
- Intercultural knowledge and competence
- Ethical reasoning and action
- Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
- Integrative Learning - Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies
General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs)
General Education Program provides the foundation for success in college, work and life. Rapid change, globalization and
diversity are the hallmarks of today's world. The general education program ensures that all Warhawks have the opportunity
to develop the intellectual and practical skills, breadth of knowledge and appreciation for interconnections among areas of
study that employers and society expect of today's college graduate.
The goals of the general education program are to help students develop the skills and knowledge that are needed for success
in our rapidly changing, increasingly diverse and interconnected world.
These GELOs are:
- Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Natural World
- Critical and Creative Thinking
- Communication Skills
- Information Literacy
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Personal and Civic Responsibility
- Foundations for Life-Long Learning
For more information on the new General Education Learning Outcomes, which took effect in Spring 2016, please click here.
The School of Graduate Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater oversees programs whose goal is to provide high quality, practitioner-oriented programs that use knowledge and skills acquired through baccalaureate degrees as a foundation for advanced preparation and professional development for careers in business and industry, education and human services. The graduate programs achieve this through provision of learner-centered processes which couple professional experiences with advanced knowledge and highly-refined analytic, communicative and functional skills such that their students are capable of performances that characterize the best practices of their profession.
Master's-Level Education Learning Outcomes (MELOs)
- Advanced abilities in gathering, investigating, documenting, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and synthesizing complex information from the discipline and its practice.
- Ability to apply discipline-specific skills (e.g., procedures, techniques, craft, technology and tool use) and knowledge (e.g., ideas, problems, concepts, vocabulary, history and theory of the discipline) to real-world contexts.
- Highly developed functional skills and behaviors necessary for maturing professionals including self-direction, problem-solving, decision-making, collaboration, and the capacity for networking and leadership.
- Writing skills that reflect advanced practice in professional contexts.
- Effective oral communication and interpersonal skills that support successful interaction with colleagues and professionally relevant constituents.
- A capacity to recognize ethical challenges relevant to disciplinary practice and the ability to articulate and justify a professional response.
- The ability to understand and respond effectively to the diverse interests and needs of domestic and global colleagues and constituents served by the discipline and its practice.
- Recognition of the need for continuous professional development through self-directed learning and on-going engagement with colleagues and other professionals.