Liberal Arts Learning Outcomes

Art & Design Learning Outcomes

Art (Teaching) Bachelor’s Degree

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Design Thinking Minor

Students in this program will:

• apply design thinking to complex, real-world problems. Students will be able to apply a full design thinking process (i.e., empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test) to frame, investigate, and address complex problems in their home discipline and beyond.
• demonstrate proficiency in core principles of visual design. Students will be able to use visual design principles—including hierarchy, balance, contrast, rhythm, scale, typography, and color—to organize information and communicate ideas effectively across print, screen, and spatial formats.
• employ diverse creative methods and research strategies. Students will be able to select and employ appropriate creative methods—such as visual brainstorming, mapping, co-design, speculative scenarios, and iterative prototyping—supported by basic research and testing with users or stakeholders.
• utilize digital tools and fabrication technologies safely and effectively. Students will be able to translate ideas into digital and physical prototypes by using relevant software and digital fabrication tools (e.g., laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC or related technologies), following appropriate technical, ethical, and safety protocols.
• demonstrate digital and visual literacy in contemporary media environments. Students will be able to critically analyze, create, and curate digital visual content, demonstrating awareness of audience, context, accessibility, and ethical considerations in networking and technology-rich environments.
• collaborate and communicate effectively in cross-disciplinary design contexts. Students will be able to work collaboratively with peers from diverse disciplines, using professional communication practices, shared vocabularies, and constructive critique to advance project goals and document design decisions.
• synthesize learning in an advanced, portfolio-worthy design project. Students will be able to plan, execute, and present an advanced design project that integrates design thinking, visual design principles, creative methods, digital tools, and domain knowledge from their primary major, resulting in a portfolio-ready artifact, system, or experience.

Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• demonstrate mastery of visual communication principles to create compelling and effective design solutions. Students apply typography, layout, composition, hierarchy, color theory, and visual systems to communicate clear messages across print, digital, and motion formats.
• apply a strategic design process that integrates research, audience analysis, and conceptual development. Students conduct research, define problems, develop creative concepts, and produce iterative prototypes that address client or user needs through targeted outcomes.
• demonstrate technical proficiency in professional design software, tools, and production workflows. Students skillfully use industry-standard software (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) and production methods for print, digital, and interactive media.
• develop integrated campaigns and visual systems across multiple platforms and production workflows. Students design cohesive brand and publicity systems that extend across 2D, 3D, and new media environments, demonstrating scalability, consistency, and adaptability.
• communicate and present design work professionally through visual, verbal, and written formats. Students articulate design intent, process, and outcomes in critiques, client presentations, and public displays using professional language and presentation skills.
• produce a professional portfolio that demonstrates creative identity, technical competence, and career readiness. Students curate, refine, and package design work into targeted portfolios for employment, showcasing strengths in visual communication and conceptual thinking.
• engage in professional practice, collaboration, and ethical design decision making. Students work with clients, peers, and stakeholders; manage deadlines; navigate feedback; and apply professional standards, inclusive practices, and ethical judgment.
• adapt to evolving industry trends, technologies, and career pathways in the design field. Students analyze current design trends, explore new tools and media, and apply critical reflection to remain relevant and innovative within the design profession.

History of Art Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

I-Design Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• apply interdisciplinary design thinking to solve complex problems across diverse media, contexts, and fields. Students integrate methods from graphic, interactive, environmental, and experiential design to develop innovative and scalable solutions.
• experiment with emerging technologies and digital tools to create time-based, interactive, and immersive design experiences. Students explore coding, AR/VR, motion, 3D modeling, and other advanced technologies to design future-facing creative outcomes.
• demonstrate innovation, originality, global awareness, and personal creative identity through iterative ideation, inquiry, and risk-taking. Students explore unconventional approaches, test prototypes, embrace productive failure, and develop unique stylistic perspectives.
• design with human-centered, inclusive, and global culturally responsive methodologies. Students conduct user research, consider accessibility, equity, and sustainability, and design experiences that reflect diverse audiences and environments.
• integrate 2D, 3D, spatial, and environmental design concepts to create tangible and experiential outcomes. Students develop packaging, installations, products, and spatial systems that merge materiality, structure, and visual communication.
• document and communicate design processes and outcomes through visual, verbal, and written formats. Students articulate research insights, design decisions, prototypes, and final solutions in critiques, presentations, and professional communication.
• collaborate professionally across disciplines and adapt design roles within team-based and community contexts. Students work with peers, stakeholders, and external partners, demonstrating flexibility, empathy, accountability, and leadership.
• develop a reflective, adaptable, and future-oriented design practice aligned with personal and professional growth. Students build portfolios, explore career pathways, evaluate trends, and engage in lifelong learning to remain relevant in evolving design landscapes.

Studio Art Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for these programs.

English Learning Outcomes

Applied & Professional Writing Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Communication Arts & Literature (Teaching), English, and Teaching English as a Second Language Bachelor’s Degrees

Students in these programs will:

• demonstrate the breadth of their reading experience, including scholarship, texts from different genres, and texts representing a range of cultural and individual identities.
• demonstrate that they have written in different modes for different audiences and purposes.
• demonstrate an understanding of language and discourse. Avenues to such knowledge include study in the history of the language, formal grammar, rhetoric, literary forms, genres, and linguistics.
• demonstrate that they understand the significant theoretical “lenses” in their field of study. Possibilities include literary theory, pedagogical theory and methodologies, and theories of language acquisition.
• demonstrate an understanding of how texts are historically, culturally, or rhetorically situated, and how these texts are part of the scope, sequence, and/or framework in their field of study.
• demonstrate an understanding of how their education contributes to their lives and careers outside the classroom. One aim of our program is to develop well-rounded graduates with interests not only in their fields of study, but also in the social and ethical issues of our changing world.

Creative Writing Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Film Studies Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• develop critical skills through careful analysis of cinematic techniques, major movements, film genres, and theoretical paradigms.
• apply evaluative and aesthetic judgments to a variety of cinematic texts—such as fiction and nonfiction, experimental and mainstream, feature and short form—through careful contextualization and interpretation.
• recognize the various collaborative roles of film pre-production, production, and post-production—in the work of such professionals as the writer, production designer, producer, director, cinematographer, actor, gaffer, editor, composer, or sound designer.
• employ academic databases and a variety of research sources in formal writing projects and presentations.
• develop, produce, review, and exhibit creative fiction and/or nonfiction film and digital media works.

Literature & Language Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

History & Legal Studies Learning Outcomes

History Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• explain a general knowledge of the flow of history over time as it occurred in the United States, Europe, and one other region of the world.
• apply library and/or archival research skills to find and evaluate primary source documents, journal articles, scholarly monographs, and other historical information.
• apply basic historical thinking skills to ask appropriate questions, develop arguments and interpretations, and demonstrate this knowledge to a group of peers.
• develop an understanding of what it means to think historiographically: namely, analyzing the ways scholars differentially study and interpret a common historical subject.
• organize and write a senior thesis that demonstrates advanced historical skills, such as analyzing primary source documents, interpreting secondary sources, and researching a historical problem.

Law (3+3) Bachelor’s & Juris Doctor Degrees

Students in this program will:

• explain and apply substantive knowledge of the U.S. legal and constitutional system, including sources of law, court structures, and legal procedures.
• locate, evaluate, and analyze primary and secondary legal authority and organize relevant information to address complex legal issues.
• synthesize complex facts and relevant law to draft accurate, well-organized legal documents and to communicate legal arguments effectively in oral and written formats.
• manage legal tasks and law office operations and apply professional and ethical rules while interacting effectively with attorneys, colleagues, and clients.
• utilize law office technology and organize and maintain case files and legal records in accordance with standard law office procedures.
• evaluate complex legal problems through advanced legal reasoning, doctrinal analysis, and professional communication consistent with the expectations of first-year law study.

Law & Society Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• analyze legal systems and institutions within broader historical, political, social, and cultural contexts.
• evaluate legal and social issues using approaches drawn from history, political science, sociology, philosophy, economics, and related disciplines.
• locate, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary sources to construct evidence-based written and oral arguments about legal and social issues.
• analyze how legal systems and public policy shape inequality, access to justice, and social change, and evaluate the role of advocacy, civic engagement, and collective action in shaping legal and social reform.
• compare legal cultures, institutions, and systems across different historical periods, societies, and global contexts.

Legal Studies Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• explain and apply substantive knowledge of the U.S. legal and constitutional system, including sources of law, court structures, and legal procedures.
• locate, evaluate, and analyze primary and secondary legal authority and organize relevant information to address complex legal issues.
• synthesize complex facts and relevant law to draft accurate, well-organized legal documents and to communicate legal arguments effectively in oral and written formats.
• manage legal tasks and law office operations and apply professional and ethical rules while interacting effectively with attorneys, colleagues, and clients.
• utilize law office technology and organize and maintain case files and legal records in accordance with standard law office procedures.

Social Science History (Teaching) Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• demonstrate an understanding across the core disciplines: history, civics and government, geography, and economics. Students will identify professional curriculum in the social studies teaching disciplines.
• create and implement standards-aligned, inquiry-based instructional strategies. Students will effectively utilize authentic assessments to evaluate student learning.
• articulate the importance of advocacy, reflection, and responsiveness in relation to social studies teaching.
• develop intellectual ability to engage in democratic society by:
  • internalizing knowledge critical to building.
  • practicing critical thinking as a guide to belief and action in a democratic society.
  • thinking creatively to build effective strategies to contribute to the common good and civic society.
• understand educational theory and research, apply to classroom practice, and begin the process of continuous professional growth.

Music Learning Outcomes

Arts Administration Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Instrumental Music Education (Teaching) and Vocal Music Education (Teaching) Bachelor’s Degrees

Students in these programs will:

• demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of music theory through analysis, sight-singing, and functional piano playing.
• demonstrate an appropriate knowledge and understanding of music’s historical, cultural, and stylistic foundations.
• prepare and perform musical works to a level suitable for public performance and exhibit effective technical proficiency and artistic expression in their primary performance area.
• demonstrate knowledge in and effective application of effective pedagogical and instructional methods as they pertain to choral, instrumental, and general music education.

Music Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of music theory through analysis, sight-singing, and functional piano playing.
• demonstrate an appropriate knowledge and understanding of music’s historical, cultural, and stylistic foundations.
• prepare and perform musical works to a level suitable for public performance and exhibit effective technical proficiency and artistic expression in their primary performance area.
• demonstrate synthesis of their knowledge and abilities in musical performance, analysis, composition, and/or history and repertory in musical decision making and in pursuit of their specific areas of academic and professional interest.

Music Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Music (Teaching) Minor

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.

Music Business Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of music theory through analysis, sight-singing, and functional piano playing.
• demonstrate an appropriate knowledge and understanding of music’s historical, cultural, and stylistic foundations.
• prepare and perform musical works to a level suitable for public performance and exhibit effective technical proficiency and artistic expression in their primary performance area.
• demonstrate competency and knowledge of business applications and practices as applicable to the music business.

Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree

Students in this program will:

• demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of music theory through analysis, sight-singing, and functional piano playing.
• demonstrate an appropriate knowledge and understanding of music’s historical, cultural, and stylistic foundations.
• prepare and perform musical works to a level suitable for public performance and exhibit effective technical proficiency and artistic expression in their primary performance area.
• demonstrate advanced performing skills and knowledge of representative repertoire in their specific musical performance medium.

Political Science & Public Administration Learning Outcomes

Ethnic Studies Minor

Students in this program will:

• enhance their understanding of the complex issues surrounding past, present, and future challenges to living and working in a racially diverse society.
• highlight the racialized experiences of people of color in the United States.
• have the opportunity to approach questions of race, ethnicity, identity, and power from an interdisciplinary perspective.
• build analytical and language skills that enable them to thoughtfully consider problems connected with racial oppression within policy, equity, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Latinx Studies Minor

Students in this program will:

• describe the diverse mix of Latin American, Hispanic, and Caribbean people and cultures existing within the United States today and the historical contributions these groups have made to the United States over time.
• comprehend the international social, political, and historical forces that have impacted Latinx communities, as well as how they continue to shape and share connections with Latin American people, cultures, and institutions.
• apply anti-racist, global competencies, and cross-cultural perspectives to their broader understanding of Latinx communities.

Political Science Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• analyze and evaluate the foundations, institutions, and practices of local, state, national, and international politics.
• demonstrate a deep understanding of the scholarship, analytical methods, and theories of politics in one or more of the disciplines four sub-fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory.
• evaluate political phenomena through critical thinking, political theory, and applied empirical analysis such as survey work.
• demonstrate competence in written and verbal communication consistent with the professional norms and standards of political science scholarship.
• devise research designs that effectively review the existing scholarly literature, test hypotheses, and construct persuasive arguments using qualitative and/or quantitative research methods.
• demonstrate both theoretically and practically the values of citizenship.

Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• understand the different structures of government, including federalism, intergovernmental relations, and intersectoral partnerships.
• understand budgeting, financial management, and the complexities of public funding.
• identify and assess ethical problems in public administration and create appropriate solutions.
• apply administrative and leadership skills in real-world settings.
• demonstrate the integrative knowledge, skills, and ethics necessary for responsible administrative, management, and leadership positions. 
• learn research methods and evaluation techniques to assess the effectiveness of public programs and policies.

Sociology & Criminal Justice Learning Outcomes

Corrections & Justice Services and Police Science Bachelor’s Degrees, and Criminal Justice Minor

Students in these programs will:

• demonstrate a critical understanding of diversity and inequality as manifested in the American justice system. Students will demonstrate an understanding of what it means to act within the justice system in a manner that exhibits anti-racist principles and culturally competent approaches to victims, offenders, and the community.
• identify and assess the components of the American Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems. Based on track specialization, students will have more specific knowledge:
  • Corrections & Justice Services: Students will be able to differentiate between juvenile and adult corrections, assess offender management strategies, and evaluate correctional intervention programs.
  • Police Science: Students will be able to evaluate police procedures, differentiate crime prevention strategies, and apply established criminal investigative techniques.
• compare theories of criminal and delinquent behavior.
• demonstrate oral and written proficiency in communication relevant to the field of criminal justice.
• critically evaluate the research process and its impact on our collective understanding of crime and its control.

Geography Minor

Students in this program will:

• learn about where physical (e.g., mountains, rivers, plains) and human landscapes (e.g., cities, countries, and provinces) are located.
• learn how human interaction action with the environment leads to climate change and changes in the landscape.
• learn how diverse groups of people migrate from one place to another which changes the cultural landscape and adds to the human diversity of a place.
• learn about the natural and physical processes of the earth that shape the landscape and climate.
• learn how places and regions are defined by their unique physical and human characteristics.

Sociology Bachelor’s Degree and Minor

Students in these programs will:

• apply the sociological imagination.
• apply sociological theories to social phenomena.
• apply social scientific principles to evaluate and conduct empirical research.
• use sociological skills and knowledge to engage with social issues.
• evaluate the causes and consequences of social inequality.
• practice critical thinking and communication skills.
• navigate and understand an increasingly diverse and global society.

Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Learning Outcomes

These learning outcomes apply to the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies minor.

Learning outcomes are in development for this program.