University of Nebraska at Kearney
GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAM ASSESSMENT PLAN 06/06/05
GENERAL STUDIES PHILOSOPHY
Since the primary purpose of education is intellectual development, the General Studies (GS) Program reflects the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s (UNK) mission statement. The program is designed to provide broad intellectual knowledge of the diverse academic disciplines as a complement to the required academic specialization. The program intends to develop a liberally educated person, free to explore knowledge and wisdom from a broad perspective of human culture and experience, is able to think independently, to question, to analyze, to interpret, and to judge. To achieve these goals, the GS Program encourages students to be accurate in the use of language, not only in self-expression, but also in communication with others. The program further encourages students to utilize the disciplines of the humanities, fine arts, mathematics, and the natural, social, and behavioral sciences to further understand the accomplishments of civilizations, disciplined thought, and develop the values of a life-long learner and responsible citizen. Finally, the program encourages students to become aware of the relationships which exist among the disciplines and to understand how to apply the knowledge gained through personal development as well as contemporary problems in the students' natural, social, economic and political environment.
Assessment of student learning and opinions will serve to identify the degree UNK is meeting the objectives of the GS Program. The assessment process described in this plan utilizes input from students and faculty using both direct and indirect measures. The information obtained from the assessment process will be used for making informed decisions to further improve the Program. The groups and individuals involved with the development and implementation of the GS Assessment Plan are listed and described in Appendix 1.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
Across the range of disciplines and courses offered, the GS Program is designed to assist students in their development and demonstration of:
- the ability to locate and gather information,
- the capability for critical thinking, reasoning and analyzing,
- effective communication skills including the ability to read, speak and write effectively, using the materials, ideas, and discourse modes of specific academic areas,
- an understanding of the experiences and values of groups and cultures which have been historically under-represented.
The Structure of the General Studies Program
Assessment for the General Studies Program