Goals of the Core

Goal I

Develop the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for informed inquiry, decision-making and communication.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

1. Express the product of critical, analytical, and imaginative thought in writing;
2. Find and use information to support the process of critical and analytical pursuits;
3. Use quantitative methods and perspectives to understand and solve real-world problems.

Goal II

Develop the knowledge and skills for acting ethically in everyday life.

Learning Outcomes:

The student will be able to:

1. Recognize the limits of relativism and absolutism;
2. Recognize and frame the ethical dimensions of novel problems and situations;
3. Analyze a problem or situation using various ethical theories;
4. Come to a tentative judgment about an ethical problem he or she has framed and analyzed.

Goal III

Examine faith, its place in one’s life, and in the lives of others.

Learning Outcomes:

The student will be able to:

1. Explain how faith may provide meaning and purpose to one’s life;
2. Explain faith as an experience, as a worldview, and as an activity;
3. Explain the importance assigned to faith as it shapes the expectations and aspirations of those other than oneself.

Goal IV

Diversity and Difference: Learn to live and contribute in a diverse society and interdependent world.

Learning Outcomes:

The student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an ability to critically examine the ideas and traditions of western civilization within a global context.
2. Recognize how social and political factors, psychological factors, religious factors, culture, national identity, race, gender, and/or communication shape the way we view the world and identify differences between and within societies and other diverse groups of people;
3. Recognize social, political, historical, economic, and/or religious factors contributing to cultural differences;
4. Demonstrate an understanding of religious, political, historical, and/or social concepts necessary to be informed and engaged citizens living in an increasingly interdependent world.