Meaning

"Defining the meaning of higher degrees can provide clarity for institutions, for students, and for a public that seeks to understand what unique educational experience will be had at that particular institution and what makes the investment in that experience worthwhile...Exploring the meaning of a degree thus involves addressing questions about what the institution expects its students -- undergraduates and graduates alike -- to know and be able to do upon graduation, and how graduates embody the distinct values and traditions of the institution through their dispositions and future plans."

- WSCUC 2013 Handbook of Accreditation, pg 29

Meaning can be defined through PLOs and Curriculum Maps

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Identify major historical periods, ideas, issues, people and/or events in multiple civilizations or cultures, such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, or Asia. Demonstrate awareness of diversity within those cultures studied.
2. Demonstrate historical understanding by constructing interpretations of the past, identifying causal factors, tracing change and continuity, explaining historical development in context, and making meaningful connections between past and present.
3. Craft and defend coherent and persuasive arguments orally and in writing; write clearly and effectively in a variety of genres, consistently formatting written communication in the predominant style of the discipline (Chicago Manual of Style).
4. Locate, evaluate and interpret historical primary and secondary sources (information literacy). Conduct research ethically and effectively. Interpret sources accurately and empathetically. Craft arguments courageously and fairly.
5. Articulate moral, religious, and/or ethical implications of ideas and actions of the past. Demonstrate the relevance of history to moral, religious, and/or ethical issues of today.