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General Education

Written communication skills are assessed in the context of the University Writing Program (UWRP).Quantitative reasoning and mathematical skills are assessed in the University Mathematics Program (UMAP). In addition, many units include evaluation of writing and/or mathematical skills in their own assessments. American Studies, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Communication Disorders and Speech Science, English, EPO-Biology, Fine Arts, Film Studies, French, History, MCD-Biology, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Religious Studies, Theatre and Dance, and Women Studies are among those whose assessments explicitly evaluate their majors' writing ability. Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, EPO-Biology, Mathematics, Physics and the College of Engineering are examples of programs that directly assess majors' mathematical skills. Part of the School of Education's assessment is performance on a standardized test of language use and mathematics ability. The College of Business recommends UWRP and UMAP courses for its undergraduate writing and mathematics requirements.

Students in the College of Arts & Sciences must take three hours of course work at the upper-division level that requires them to practice sustained critical thinkingand to demonstrate such thinking in both written form and oral discussion. Most departments have courses designed and approved as critical thinking (CT) courses which satisfy this requirement. A general assessment of critical thinking piloted in 1992-93 used the Cornell Critical Thinking Test in a sample of CT courses. In addition, since the CU-Boulder outcomes assessment program began, units such as English, History, MCD-Biology, Physics, and Women Studies have used CT courses and assessment as part of outcomes assessment for their majors.

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Last revision 07/12/02