Institutional Competencies

The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Consider, engage, and analyze opposing viewpoints or arguments
• Evaluate the credibility of information
• Support one’s own conclusion, decision, or action with sound reasoning and judgment
• Interpret inferences and develop subtleties of symbolic and indirect discourse

The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.

Learning Outcomes:

• Express and manipulate quantitative information, concepts, and thoughts in verbal, numeric, graphical, computational, and symbolic forms
• Identify and apply appropriate methodology or theoretical frameworks to inquiry
• Organize and synthesize evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities
• Support, evaluate, and communicate conclusions based on quantitative or qualitative data

The ability to effectively develop, express, and exchange ideas in written, oral, or visual form.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop, support, and effectively express ideas in written or oral form using language with clarity and precision
• Tailor communication strategy, style, and convention appropriately for various audiences and/or contexts
• Navigate interpersonal communication with respect, maturity, and/or awareness of cultural differences

The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize ethical issues and apply different ethical perspectives to ethical dilemmas in a variety of settings
• Analyze the impact of human behavior(s) on the physical, organizational, and/or social environment
• Reflect upon how one’s social identities and roles shape one’s worldview and interactions
• Develop an awareness, appreciation, and knowledge of cultures and communities beyond one’s own

The capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginitive way characterized by innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.

Learning Outcomes:

• Experiment and take appropriate risks to creatively solve problems and advance knowledge
• Synthesize and/or transform ideas in original ways
• Consider and incorporate alternative or contradictory perspectives in designing solutions
• Develop imaginative or original response(s) to a need or inspiration

The capacity to engage in the relational process of optimizing personal and collective strengths toward a common goal.

Learning Outcomes:

• Engage and motivate others toward a shared vision through encouragement and trust
• Plan, initiate, manage, complete, and evaluate a project or process individually or as a group
• Address conflict directly and constructively to strengthen team cohesion and effectiveness
• Consider and incorporate perspectives and feedback from community members to inform equity-minded, sustainable solutions

At UGA, we believe that fostering institutional competencies is not just a priority, but a cornerstone in shaping well-rounded individuals prepared to excel in an ever-evolving global landscape. Assessing students’ acquisition of institutional competencies is crucial as it provides valuable insights into their holistic development and world readiness. By evaluating these competencies, UGA ensures that its educational programs continually refine their approaches to effectively cultivate essential skills.

UGA assesses institutional competencies on a semesterly basis. The Institutional Competencies Subcommittee of the University Curriculum Committee approves courses that map to one or more competencies by reviewing the alignment between course learning outcomes and competency learning outcomes. Once approved, the Office of Assessment works with course instructors to identify appropriate, assessable artifacts and evaluate student work using corresponding rubrics adapted from the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics.    

• Critical Thinking Rubric (PDF)
• Analytical Thinking Rubric (PDF)
• Communication Rubric (PDF)
• Social Awareness and Responsibility Rubric (PDF)
• Creativity and Innovation Rubric (PDF)
• Leadership and Collaboration Rubric (PDF)

We will begin formally assessing institutional competencies in Fall 2024. The following cumulative reports offer data from direct assessment of the former General Education competencies, which were in place until Spring 2024. See Archives section for additional general education assessment reports.

• Written Communication Cumulative Report – 2019-2023 (PDF)
• Critical Thinking Cumulative Report – 2019-2023 (PDF)

The university core curriculum emphasizes critical thinking. The CLA is a measure of critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing developed by the Council for Aid to Education and used by hundreds of universities across the country, including some of the university’s peer and aspirational institutions. For this reason, the CLA was selected as a potentially useful measure for tracking student learning outcomes for the core curriculum.

Reports:

• 2014-2015 CLA Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CLA Report (PDF)
• 2011-2012 CLA Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CLA Report (PDF)
• 2010-2011 CLA Administration: CLA Report (PDF)
• 2009-2010 CLA Administration: CLA Report (PDF)
• 2008-2009 CLA Administration: CLA Report (PDF)

Developed by the Assessment Resource Center at the University of Missouri and focused on college juniors, College BASE is a criterion-referenced academic achievement examination that assesses students’ knowledge and skills in the subject areas of English, social studies, science, and mathematics, as well as their performance in certain higher order, critical thinking skills.

The General Education Subcommittee of the University Curriculum Committee has determined that the exam correlates well with the competencies defined for the General Education Core Curriculum. Periodic administration of the exam has shown that university students achieve the core learning outcomes and consistently perform at high levels in relation both to the competency-based criteria and to the performance of comparative student groups at similar institutions.

Reports:

• 2018 CBASE Administration: CBASE Report (PDF)
• 2013 CBASE Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CBASE Report (PDF)
• 2010 CBASE Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CBASE Report (PDF)
• 2007 CBASE Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CBASE Report (PDF)
• 2003 CBASE Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | CBASE Report (PDF)

UGA piloted the Global Perspectives Inventory (GPI) in 2011 to assess student learning and development regarding global and intercultural awareness, abilities closely related to the desired learning outcomes for the World Languages and Culture portion of UGA’s Core Curriculum Area IV.  The pilot administration of the GPI sought to answer two essential research questions about UGA students:  1) Do UGA students who have completed Area IV of the Core Curriculum indicate comparable or more developed perspectives on global and intercultural awareness than peers? 2) Do students completing Area IV of the Core Curriculum with different types of courses indicate different levels of developed perspectives on global and intercultural awareness than peers? The GPI was administered again in 2012, and reports from both years are linked below.

Reports:

• 2012 GPI Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | GPI Reports (PDF)
• 2011 GPI Administration: UGA Report (PDF) | GPI Reports (PDF)

Ongoing assessment allows the University of Georgia to examine levels of student engagement as new students enter the University and to track their engagement during their first and senior years. The principle instrument used in this endeavor is the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, pronounced nessie). NSSE was developed by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research and has been in use since 2000 in the US and Canada; UGA first administered NSSE in 2003.

A widely utilized instrument among North American colleges and universities, NSSE surveys freshmen and senior students about their academic experiences and provides university leaders with important information about the quality of undergraduate education at their institutions. At UGA, these data are used to recommend programs, initiate changes to current programs and make improvements to the UGA student experience. Several major initiatives have been developed or expanded at UGA as a result of responses in past years, including the creation of the Office of Service-Learning, UGA Writing Centers, Learning Communities, and the Bulldog Book Club.

Among the NSSE family of assessment instruments are the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), both of which have been implemented at UGA in order to provide comprehensive data designed to address the experiences and expectations of UGA students and faculty. The BCSSE is designed to collect data about entering students’ high school academic and co-curricular experiences and their expectations for their first year of college. The FSSE is designed to measure faculty expectations for student engagement in educational practices linked to high levels of learning and development

Taken together, the iterative data collected longitudinally from the NSSE, BCSSE, and FSSE instruments provide a rich portrait of student expectations and experiences. Such a comprehensive illustration allows the University of Georgia to continually grow in response to the academic and intellectual needs of its community of learners.

Reports:

• 2020 NSSE Administration: UGA Snapshot (PDF)
• 2017 NSSE Administration: UGA Snapshot (PDF)
• 2014 NSSE Administration: UGA Report (PDF)
• 2012 NSSE Administration: UGA Report (PDF)
• 2011 NSSE Administration: UGA Report (PDF)