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Page 1: Core Proficiency Skills - nicholls.edu Proficiency Skills Effective Communication ... drafting, revising, editing ... Generate and apply conclusions based on pattern recognition Computer

Core Proficiency Skills

Effective Communication

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will be able to effectively use the

English language, writing and speaking with clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness.

Rationale: Students should complete introductory communication requirements within their first

two years of undergraduate work. Basic college-level proficiency in writing is to be achieved by

successful completion of a 6-hour writing sequence, English 101 and English 102, and is to

continue to be developed by the required 3-hour writing-intensive course, as well as by the

integration of writing as a tool of inquiry throughout the major. Oral competency is to be

specified by each degree program from a list of approved courses (See Core Curriculum). Oral

communication skills should continue to be developed within the major.

Learning Objectives for Effective Communication in Writing

Students will be able to

Use the standard diction, grammar, and mechanics of American English

Apply fundamental strategies such as invention, drafting, revising, editing for their

writing projects

Adapt writing to specific purposes, contexts, and audiences

Employ conventions appropriate to academic and professional writing

Develop a controlling idea or thesis for the writing project

Develop effective organizational strategies

Arrange supporting details coherently

Employ a variety of sentence structure, using effective coordination and subordination

Construct logical and persuasive arguments

Locate, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary sources into presentations

without falling into plagiarism

Document sources in at least one standard style of documentation

Learning Objectives for Effective Communication through Speaking

Students will be able to

Apply basic principles of rhetorical communication, especially those related to analyzing

audience and purpose

Generate, evaluate, and organize material for effective oral presentation

Deliver effective oral presentations in a variety of communication settings, using standard

diction of American English

Speak clearly and project the voice sufficiently, employing appropriate verbal and

nonverbal strategies

Utilize visual aids effectively

Lead and participate effectively in group discussions

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Apply active listening skills in interpersonal settings

Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will be able to comprehend and to

use quantitative concepts and methods to interpret and to critically evaluate data and to

effectively problem-solve in a variety of contexts demanding quantitative literacy.

Rationale: Students gain their initial college-level competency in mathematics through

completion of Math 101 with a C or better or by credit in calculus. They are then required to take

a second mathematics course, according their skill level and major. This six-hour core

requirement provides the opportunity to use mathematics as an essential quantitative tool of

analysis, but, more importantly, to provide a foundation for the development of quantitative

reasoning. Because quantitative reasoning is an essential skill in all disciplines, all degree

programs should ensure that students continue to develop their quantitative literacy. Upon

graduation, students should be able to apply basic mathematical methods to solve real-world

problems.

Learning Objectives for Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics

Students will be able to

Perform calculations with integers, fractions (rational numbers), decimals, ratios and

percents

Use arithmetic, algebraic, and/or geometric and statistical methods, to solve applied and

word problems

Demonstrate understanding of the terms and symbols used to generate, present, and

analyze data

Interpret and evaluate quantitative or symbolic models such as graphs, tables, units of

measurement, scales, distributions

Represent and communicate quantitative or symbolic information

Generate and apply conclusions based on pattern recognition

Computer Literacy

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will be able to demonstrate

competence in computer literacy, including fundamental concepts of computing and fluency

in the use of contemporary computing and information technology.

Computing and informational technologies grow and change at a very rapid pace. Therefore, a

firm grounding in the foundational concepts of computing in information technology must be

achieved. These foundational concepts will be applied through the use of contemporary

hardware, software, and network infrastructure. At Nicholls, all students must achieve

competency in computer literacy to enable to them to access, to interpret, and to apply

Page 3: Core Proficiency Skills - nicholls.edu Proficiency Skills Effective Communication ... drafting, revising, editing ... Generate and apply conclusions based on pattern recognition Computer

information that facilitates learning and critical inquiry. Computer literacy is determined by each

department from the list of approved courses or through a competency exam, administered each

semester by the Department of Computer Science.

Learning Objectives for Computer Literacy

Students will be able to

Effectively organize, manage, and present data, using contemporary software applications

such as spreadsheets, word processing, databases, and electronic presentation software

Store and retrieve data from locally (e.g. from within the computer, a CD-ROM, or USB

drive) or remotely (e.g. via a network virtual drive, FTP service, or WebDAV service)

Understand the relationships of key components behind concepts such as hardware,

networks, data storage, operating systems, and software programs.

Breadth-of-Knowledge Areas

Fine Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will have a deeper appreciation and

understanding of the creative process, the pleasures and challenges of artistic expression, and

the role and value of the fine arts in society and culture.

The Fine Arts requirement provides students with the opportunity to explore and to value

aesthetic creation and form as an essential means of conceiving and expressing the human

experience. This exploration can take the form of performance, application, or study in a three-

hour course in art or music. The specific learning objectives are further developed and broadened

through the opportunity to participate in or to attend cultural and artistic events on campus.

Learning Objectives for the Fine Arts Requirement

In at least one area of the fine arts, students will be able to

Depending upon the nature of the course, demonstrate an understanding of the history of

one art form or describe the historical, political, or social context out of which a notable

category of work arose

Recognize the techniques or forms used in at least one form of art

Articulate the difference between the aesthetic values of two historical periods, cultures,

or civilizations

Identify and evaluate the influence of artistic achievement in society and in their personal

lives

The Humanities: Cultural and Historical Understanding

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Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will have a richer understanding of

the human condition through investigation, appreciation, and evaluation of the aesthetic,

historical, philosophical and literary dimensions of human experience.

Rationale: The general education humanities courses offer students a means for understanding

the human condition through the study, appreciation, and evaluation of the ways that intellectual

and aesthetic endeavors have shaped and continue to shape human culture and experience.

Because these dimensions are expressed through written texts and artifacts, students sharpen

their reading, interpretative and analytical skills as they develop a critical understanding of

cultures and traditions different from their own. Study in the humanities also encourages a

thoughtful examination into the nature of rational inquiry itself and into the values, ethics, and

the moral dimensions of private and public life. The Humanities requirement is fulfilled by a

three-hour history course (Western civilization or World) and three hours of sophomore-level

literature or philosophy.

Learning Objectives for the courses on the Humanities list

Students will be able to

Evaluate contemporary issues and/or historical problems within the discipline’s contexts.

Employ a wide range of methods for recording and explaining the human experience.

Demonstrate awareness of cultural practices and how being from a particular culture

affects experiences and values.

Learning Objectives for the Humanities history requirement

Demonstrate an understanding of the central events and institutions of world civilizations

Describe and analyze the historical, political, economic, and cultural impact of the West

on other areas of the world

Apply historical knowledge to evaluate contemporary issues or problems

Learning Objectives for the Literature Requirement

Students will be able to

Analyze and construct clear and well-supported interpretations of literary texts

Demonstrate a familiarity with central forms and genres of literature, as well as with

basic critical terminology and approaches used to analyze these forms and genres

Understand how literature reflects, interacts, and influences society, history, and culture

Demonstrate a familiarity with a range of influential works and authors from various time

periods and from Western and/or non-Western contexts

Recognize and describe, by example, how literature provides the opportunity for

intellectual and imaginative participation in various modes of human thought and values,

not necessarily their own, thereby offering the opportunity for growth in self-knowledge

and in reflection on their relationship to others and to the world around them.

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Natural Sciences: Scientific Reasoning and Understanding

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will be able to comprehend and to

apply the basic principles of science and methods of scientific inquiry.

Rationale: Through exposure to both the biological sciences and the physical sciences, students

will develop a greater understanding of how science is the process of understanding natural

phenomena. Students also need to be familiar with the vocabulary and methods of science so that

they can understand and value the importance of scientific inquiry in the world around them and

be better prepared to evaluate and to utilize new information and technologies. General education

science courses further develop students’ critical thinking skills by encouraging open-

mindedness and a reasoned understanding of the nature of evidence and the methods of acquiring

and testing it.

To fulfill general education requirements, students choose a six-hour sequence in the biological

or physical sciences and a three-hour course in the area other than that selected for the sequence

as specified by the degree program.

Learning Objectives for Scientific Reasoning and Understanding:

Students will be able to

Differentiate among facts, laws, theories, and hypotheses

Define major concepts, principles, and fundamental theories in at least one area of

science

Demonstrate an understanding of the basic terminology in at least one area of science

Formulate a hypothesis, given a simple problem or questions, and design a valid

experiment to test it

Make informed decisions on contemporary consumer or social issues demanding

scientific literacy

The Social and Behavioral Sciences: The Individual and Society

Goal: Upon completion of their degree program, students will have developed a deeper

understanding of the relation of self to world through investigation of the influence of social,

cultural, economic, and political institutions in shaping human thought, value, and behavior.

Rationale: The social and behavioral sciences are made up of the disciplines that use the

methods of scientific inquiry to understand human behavior and the interrelationship of human

experience and societal, political, and economic systems. Study in these fields enhances

students’ awareness of the interdependent nature of individuals and societies and thus better

equips them for thoughtful participation in a democratic society. Study here also encourages

greater sensitivity to differences among people. However diverse the specific disciplines are in

this category, they all investigate group differences–whether economic, ethnic, psychological–

and thus expose students to significant issues of cultural diversity. Finally, like all breadth-of-

knowledge areas, study in this category requires students to examine their pre-conceptions about

Page 6: Core Proficiency Skills - nicholls.edu Proficiency Skills Effective Communication ... drafting, revising, editing ... Generate and apply conclusions based on pattern recognition Computer

the world and to interpret and analyze logically. The Social and Behavioral Science Requirement

is fulfilled by six credit hours to be chosen from the following disciplines: Economics,

Geography, Government, Psychology, or Sociology. Three of the six hours must be at the

sophomore-level.

Learning Objectives for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirement:

In the context of at least one social science, students will be able to

Demonstrate an understanding of the major concepts and methods used by social or

behavioral scientists to investigate, to analyze, or to predict human or group behavior

Demonstrate an understanding of the major principles, models, and issues under

investigation by the social and behavioral sciences

Describe how the individual or groups of individuals are influenced by social, cultural, or

political institutions both in their own culture and in other cultures

Apply disciplinary knowledge from the social or behavioral sciences to contemporary

ethical or social dilemmas