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last modified:2009-11-12 15:06:01


General Education Learning Outcomes Assessment

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Background

In the fall of 2008, the University of Utah's Undergraduate Council endorsed a set of Learning Outcomes for the General Education program (see http://www.ugs.utah.edu/?pageId=3988).

In order to assess the impact of these learning outcomes on courses and student learning in General Education,  Undergraduate Studies has added a step to the General Education requirement application process.

Assessment Process

Beginning in the fall of 2009, departments that are applying for a new General Education Requirement designation or the renewal of an existing designation for their courses are asked to do the following:

  • Select at least three of the General Education Learning Outcomes that they believe students in the course will achieve.
  • Describe an assignment from the course syllabus (which is also requested as part of the existing application process) that can be used to measure students' achievement of the learning outcomes selected for the course.


After the course has been taught using these new guidelines, Undergraduate Studies will randomly select a sample of courses and ask the department to provide documentation highlighting the achievement of student outcomes in the course, including:

  1. A description of the assignment that was given to students to assess the learning outcomes (understanding that a different assignment might be used than the one initially offered during the application process)
  2. A summary table showing how students scored on the assignment according to the instructor's rubric (if desired, sample rubrics are available from the national organization that developed the learning outcomes).
  3. Three or more examples of exemplary student work on the assignment.


All of these items will be presented on a course portfolio web page to improve the amount and depth of information available to the General Education Requirement Area Committees as they review courses, students, faculty developing Gen Ed courses, and anyone else who is interested.