The syllabus is a powerful tool for communicating the knowledge and skills students will learn in the course. Transparent syllabi help students make the connection between course assignments, course learning objectives, and university-wide learning goals. It is important for Syracuse University students to understand how courses tagged with Shared Competencies connect to individual course assignments and activities.
This page contains examples of course learning objectives that align with the Shared Competencies and SU course syllabi showcasing how faculty communicate the connection between the Shared Competencies course tags and course content.
Course Learning Objective Examples
These course learning objectives serve as examples for faculty to consider as they intentionally align course learning objectives with the Shared Competencies tags.
Ethics, Integrity, and Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion (EICDI)
- Students will articulate their personal values and how these influence their decision-making processes.
- Students will reflect on their personal histories and how these shape their current behaviors and attitudes.
- Students will identify the role of their community in shaping their identity.
- Students will critique situations in which systems and structures privilege or marginalize people and communities.
- Students will evaluate the impact of systemic inequalities on different communities.
- Students will analyze historical and contemporary efforts to address systemic social injustices and propose informed strategies for promoting equity and inclusion.
- Students will engage in respectful and informed discussions about issues related to cross-cultural competence.
- Students will evaluate the implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in different organizations.
- Students will analyze the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in various social and professional settings.
- Students will evaluate the ethical implications of decisions and actions in real-world contexts.
- Students will formulate a personal code of ethics that reflects an understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
- Students will determine an appropriate ethical framework for given situations.
Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)
- Students will outline a specific idea, artifact, issue, or event for detailed examination.
- Students will define key aspects of a chosen focus.
- Students will explain the significance of an idea, artifact, issue, or event.
- Students will detail the main features of an idea, artifact, issue, or event.
- Students will investigate or examine the origins of the idea, artifact, issue, or event.
- Students will analyze the factors that influenced the creation and development of an idea, artifact, issue, or event.
- Students will interpret the historical and cultural context of the focus.
- Students will identify and label all components of the idea, artifact, issue, or event using appropriate terminology.
- Students will synthesize the components and attributes of an idea, artifact, issue, or event using an appropriate analytic framework.
- Students will integrate various analytic frameworks to provide a comprehensive understanding of an idea, artifact, issue, or event.
- Students will assess the ongoing influence of an idea, artifact, issue, or event in modern society.
- Students will analyze how historical and contemporary perspectives on an idea, artifact, issue, or event shape critical thinking and innovation.
- Students will explore creative approaches to reinterpreting or addressing the significance of an idea, artifact, issue, or event in diverse contexts.
- Students will design a detailed plan for the development of a creative work, including objectives, resources, and timelines.
- Students will generate or improve their creative output through continuous iteration.
- Students will produce or enhance their work by incorporating new insights and ideas.
- Students will document and summarize their reflections on the creative journey.
- Students will present their revised creative work to a specific audience and analyze the feedback received to inform future iterations.
- Students will critically evaluate how audience responses influence their creative decision-making and artistic growth.
Scientific Inquiry and Research Skills (SIRS)
- Students will analyze the historical and cultural context of their research.
- Students will examine the environmental factors influencing their research.
- Students will describe the theoretical framework surrounding their research.
- Students will critique the current literature related to their research interests.
- Students will assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing studies.
- Students will synthesize information from multiple sources to form a specific research question.
- Students will formulate research questions that are both feasible and ethical.
- Students will outline the methodology for their research plan.
- Students will propose strategies to ensure ethical considerations are met in the research process.
- Students will execute their research plan according to the outlined methodology.
- Students will document their research process and findings in detail.
- Students will draw conclusions based on the data collected and analyzed.
- Students will present their research findings to academic and/or non-academic audiences.
- Students will collaborate with peers and experts to discuss their research.
- Students will advocate for the importance of their research to various stakeholders.
Civic and Global Responsibility (CGR)
- Students will reflect on their personal civic and global identities.
- Students will explain how their civic/global identity is shaped by the people, place, and community in context.
- Students will evaluate their level of commitment to civic engagement.
- Students will explore the factors that influence their civic and global identities.
- Students will evaluate the consequences of various interventions on civic and global issues.
- Students will assess the impact of policies and practices on civic and global challenges.
- Students will analyze the interconnectedness of local and global factors in shaping civic challenges and propose informed solutions.
- Students will define the key principles of deliberative democracy.
- Students will analyze how principles of deliberative democracy can be applied to civic engagement.
- Students will evaluate the effectiveness of deliberative democracy in different contexts.
- Students will explore case studies of successful deliberative democracy initiatives.
- Students will demonstrate active listening skills to foster open dialogue around complex topics.
- Students will maintain an environment where all perspectives and ideas are welcome and respected during discussions.
- Students will summarize and clarify varying points of view to ensure understanding in discussions.
- Students will manage conflicts effectively to promote constructive dialogue.
Communication Skills (CS)
- Students will adapt their communication strategies to different contexts and audiences.
- Students will implement tailored communication approaches for specific situations.
- Students will refine their approach based on audience feedback and contextual demands.
- Students will effectively attend to tone, diverse images/audio/tactile mediums, and/or inclusive language appropriate and accessible in context.
- Students will develop strategies to ensure their communications are inclusive.
- Students will critically assess their communication for biases and implement revisions to enhance inclusivity and accessibility.
- Students will select appropriate communication tools for different mediums.
- Students will demonstrate the use of various communication tools in specific contexts.
- Students will analyze the effectiveness of different communication tools.
- Students will analyze the feedback received to identify areas for improvement in communications.
- Students will implement changes based on the feedback to enhance their communication.
- Students will accurately incorporate all relevant feedback to achieve the intended communication purpose.
Information Literacy and Technological Agility (ILTA)
- Students will formulate a clear and concise research question.
- Students will identify gaps in existing knowledge to define their information need.
- Students will refine their research question through iterative feedback.
- Students will locate primary and secondary sources pertinent to their research.
- Students will utilize advanced search techniques to locate relevant information.
- Students will navigate different information systems to gather necessary resources.
- Students will assess the relevance and accuracy of their sources using appropriate evaluation criteria.
- Students will assess the credibility and reliability of their sources using appropriate evaluation criteria.
- Students will critique the relevance of materials to their research question.
- Students will cite sources accurately using the appropriate format.
- Students will ensure that all information sources are properly credited and used ethically in their assignments.
- Students will utilize digital tools to organize and analyze data.
- Students will use new technologies to enhance their research process.
- Students will employ technology to interpret and analyze information effectively.
- Students will integrate multiple diverse sources to provide a comprehensive perspective.
- Students will identify multiple biases, worldviews, and inequities in information and/or data systems.
- Students will adapt their research process to minimize bias in information systems.