General Education Student Learning Outcomes
General Education Student Learning Outcomes in the SUNY system define the essential skills and knowledge students are expected to acquire through their Gen Ed courses. These outcomes include critical thinking, effective communication, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and an understanding of diverse cultures and global issues. By achieving these outcomes, students are prepared for academic success, personal development, and responsible citizenship, ensuring they possess a comprehensive skill set for future careers and life endeavors.
Cayuga’s general education curricula are designed to reflect the philosophy that successful careers and satisfying lives require a wide range of skills and knowledge. Guided by the SUNY General Education requirements, the curricula are considered the foundation on which all credit programs flourish. The assessment of general education outcomes evaluates how well students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiencies and contributes to improvements in pedagogy, program curriculum, and institutional-level outcomes.
- Produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms
- Demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
- Research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details
Develop proficiency in oral discourse
- Evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria
- Interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics
- Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally
- Employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems
- Estimate and check mathematical results for reasonableness
- Recognize the limits of mathematical and statistical methods
- Understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena
- Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences
- Understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena
- Knowledge of major concepts, models, and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences
- Knowledge of a basic narrative of American History – Political, economic, social, and cultural, including knowledge of unity and diversity in American society
- Knowledge of common institutions in American society and how they have affected different groups
- Understanding of America’s evolving relationship with the rest of the world
- Demonstrate knowledge of the development of the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of Western civilization; OR
- Relate the development of Western civilization to that of other regions of the world
- Knowledge of either a broad outline of world history; OR
- Knowledge of distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of one non-Western civilization
- Knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities, in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program
- Understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein
- Basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a foreign language; and
- Knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying
- Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own or other’s work
- Develop well-reasoned arguments
- Perform the basic operation of personal computer use
- Understand and use basic research techniques
- Locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of sources
NOTE: Critical Thinking and Information Management are competencies infused throughout the curriculum
Cayuga’s general education curricula are designed to reflect the philosophy that successful careers and satisfying lives require a wide range of skills and knowledge. Guided by the SUNY General Education requirements, the curricula are considered the foundation on which all credit programs flourish. The assessment of general education outcomes evaluates how well students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiencies and contributes to improvements in pedagogy, program curriculum, and institutional-level outcomes.
- Research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details;
- Demonstrate coherent college-level communication (written and oral) that informs, persuades, or otherwise engages with an audience;
- Evaluate communication for substance, bias, and intended effect; and
- Demonstrate the ability to revise and improve written and oral communication.
- Describe the historical and contemporary societal factors that shape the development of individual and group identity involving race, class, and gender;
- Analyze the role that complex networks of social structures and systems play in the creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression, and opportunity; and
- Apply the principles of rights, access, equity, and autonomous participation to past, current, or future social justice action.
- Interpret and draw inferences from appropriate mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, or schematics;
- Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, or verbally as appropriate; and
- Employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems.
- An understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of data analysis or mathematical modeling; and
- Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in natural sciences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities; and
- Recognize and analyze the nuance and complexity of meaning through critical reflections on text, visual images, or artifacts.
- Describe major concepts and theories of at least one discipline in the social sciences; and
- Demonstrate an understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena.
- Demonstrate understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein.
- Demonstrate understanding of United States society and history, including the diversity of individuals and communities that make up the nation;
- Understand the role of individual participation in US communities and government; and
- Apply historical and contemporary evidence to draw, support, or verify conclusions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of a broad outline of world history and the development of the distinctive features of at least one civilization or culture in relation to other regions of the world; and
- Demonstrate understanding of the structures, systems, and interrelationships among civilizations and cultures within historical and contemporary contexts and their impact on well-being and sustainability.
- Exhibit basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a world language; and
- Demonstrate knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying.
- Clearly articulate an issue or problem;
- Identify, analyze, and evaluate ideas, data, and arguments as they occur in their own or others’ work;
- Acknowledge limitations such as perspective and bias; and
- Develop well-reasoned (logical) arguments to form judgments and draw conclusions.
- Locate information effectively using tools appropriate to their need and discipline;
- Evaluate information with an awareness of authority, validity, and bias; and
- Demonstrate understanding the ethical dimensions of information use, creation, and dissemination.
To discuss a waiver of General Education requirements, contact the Office of Academic Programs at 315-294-8660.
