Student Learning Outcomes
In keeping with the University of South Carolina Aiken's mission, the university offers certificates programs and undergraduate and graduate degrees in the arts, sciences and professional disciplines all grounded in a strong liberal arts and science curricullum. The university prepares students for success by challenging them to think critically and creatively, to communicate effectively, to learn independently, and to acquire breadth and depth of interdisciplinary knowledge through a general education core. In addition to general student learning outcomes, students must meet learning outcomes unique to the program that they are pursuing.
Academic effectiveness is measured by assessing the extent to which students achieve the learning outcomes of their program of study. Faculty and administrators use annually collected assessment data to continually make adjustments in their instructional strategies to improve the likelihood of student successs. Changes to improve performance can be at a macro-programmatic level in terms of course sequencing, setting of course prerequisites, development of new courses, and modification of existing courses, or at a micro-course level in terms of new course assignments and activities, or spending more instructional time on areas that students have difficulty. Efforts to improve student outcomes are documented and reported annually.