General Guidance

This requirement emphasizes understanding and addressing the ways in which social systems and structures perpetuate privilege, power, and difference. 

Can identify, analyze, and transform structures and systems of privilege, power, and difference

Describing and analyzing the interconnected world can range from the ability to compare and/or contrast two or more cultures to being able to explain, analyze, and problem-solve global challenges such as food insecurity, health, housing, and climate change. 

Responding with cultural agility includes the ability to communicate, collaborate, and otherwise engage across cultures; to code switch; to adapt, live, work, and be able to act with impact in new and/or across cultures.

Can describe and analyze the interconnected world and respond with cultural agility

Civic engagement is broadly understood as engagement that works to support or advance the well-being of a community. It may or may not include more explicitly political work. Democratic skills include any of the Big 10 as well as skills such as lobbying, organizing, and political skills. 

Can use democratic skills for community change

The focus here is threefold: 1) on the ability to create something, 2) on the ability to critically evaluate the creative work (strengths, opportunities for improvement, how it compares to other or previous works, ability to find an audience for work), and 3) on being able to step back from the creation itself to reflect on the creative process (how has/does it change, what is hard/easy, what is necessary vs. nice to have, what is the relation between process and product, etc).  

CU students who earn credit for this LIP tend to be either established working artists (e.g. painter, musician) or entrepreneurs who have found that others will pay for their creative work (e.g. selling cups, tee-shirts, decorations, etc. via social networking).

Can produce a creative work, assess it, and reflect upon the creative process

This outcome focuses on the analysis and interpretation rather than the creation of art and literature (the Creative Expression outcome is for the doing of art). In other words, it is about making informed arguments about what a work or works of art, literature, or philosophy mean by using the tools of literary, textual, aesthetic, art, and/or philosophical analysis. We do not have many students who complete LIPs in this area. 

Can apply literary, art, or philosophical concepts and methods to interpret works of literature, art, or philosophy

This requirement is not about the facts of history but about the ways historians think. Historical reasoning focuses on analysis of change over time. 

Immigrant Experience LIP sprints can qualify for this degree requirement when they situate the reasons for immigration in the context of social, economic, political or other factors that were driving immigration from their country at that time. 

The key pieces for framing a historical reasoning LIP are a) a specific time period, b) a specific place/community/institution/organization, c) a specific driver of change that is being followed over time.

Can describe and analyze change in human communities, societies, institutions, or organizations over time

The focus of this outcome is on using the scientific or experimental method, learning involves developing the ability to use scientific and empirical reasoning to evaluate truth claims and construct knowledge. This means being able to critically evaluate information and evidence, and to use logical and empirical methods to draw conclusions based on the available data. 

Can use scientific and empirical reasoning to evaluate truth claims and construct knowledge

Unlike scientific reasoning, this outcome is a source of many LIPs at CU. It focuses on the application of knowledge about science or technology to accomplish goals in the world. Students most often demonstrate it through demonstrating how they use technology for their work. Caregiving LIPs that demonstrate how students have applied their understanding of the underlying biological, neurological, chemical, and/or anatomical causes, symptoms, and/or treatments for a medical condition also work for this outcome.

Can use physical, natural or computer science, engineering, or technology to interpret experience, make meaning, and act in the world

The core of this outcome is the ability to apply quantitative reasoning to real-world problems and use it to help make decisions.

Can use quantitative reasoning to understand natural or social phenomena and to inform decision making

This degree requirement is one of the most commonly addressed with LIPs. It includes all of the social sciences, and many of our students are working in fields based on those disciplines including education, human and social services, and public health.

Can use concepts and methods of the social and behavioral sciences to anticipate, interpret, and/or respond to individual and/or group dynamics

This requirement goes beyond individual and group dynamics, by contextualizing experiences within a field of sociology, psychology, public health, pedagogy, research, or public policy. Without an academic understanding (gained through a course or experience), this would be a challenging LIP portfolio. However, if your profession intersects with one of these fields, it might be a good fit to highlight some of your broader learning.

Uses concepts and methods of the social and behavioral sciences to interpret experience, make meaning, and act in the world

Organizational studies is a much broader category than leadership or change studies. It includes the study of how organizations function, management in general as well as project management, and basic business functions. It includes businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Organizational studies are important to ensure that the group of people working together are efficient, effective, and able to achieve their goals. By understanding how organizations work, individuals can help improve their performance and effectiveness.

Uses concepts and methods of organizational studies to interpret experience, make meaning, and act in the world

Leadership focuses on leading rather than managing (which is located in organizational studies). Students can demonstrate this requirement both through roles that are clearly identified as leadership positions and by assuming leadership even if they do not have a title. In other words, they can demonstrate their ability to lead with or without a title. Reflecting on leadership often means reflecting on how the individual has learned to lead, considering their leadership style, and comparing various leadership models. 

CU students often complete leadership LIPs based upon what they have learned starting a business, taking on a volunteer leadership position (including sports coaching), and based upon training, development, and on-the-job learning they have received as they have moved into leadership positions in their organizations.

Uses concepts and methods of leadership studies to interpret experience, make meaning, and act in the world

Change studies is all about understanding how and why changes happen in different settings, like organizations, communities, or even in your personal life. It involves looking at the processes, strategies, and effects of change.*

This outcome is often confused with but is not about individual change (that would be Individual & Group dynamics). It is about systems, community, or organizational-level change. It often includes the study of and strategies for change management and attending to social-emotional (hearts) as well as cognitive (minds) dimensions of social/organizational/political change.  

Uses concepts and methods of change studies to interpret experience, make meaning, and act in the world

For unique learning that cannot be categorized under any other learning outcome, please use this category. Perhaps you have an expertise in equestrian skills, rock climbing, knitting, or agriculture? You can earn credit for your general electives for those deep wells of knowledge in your specific area of expertise.

Uses concepts and methods of _______________ to _______________.