University Essential Learning Outcomes

Professional Competence

Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to succeed in their chosen profession.

Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for lifelong learning, including competence in communication, critical and creative thinking, quantitative and scientific reasoning, and the ability to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge from multiple perspectives when making decisions and solving problems.

Global and Community Citizenship

Graduates will demonstrate the necessary skills, including an awareness of ethical responsibility and cultural/ global diversity, to live and work collaboratively as contributing members of society.

JWU's University Essential Learning Outcomes are evaluated through the Educational Effectiveness framework, summarized below. 

Educational Effectiveness of Majors and Programs

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes

At JWU, all program-level student learning outcomes (SLOs) align with one or more of the University Essential Learning Outcomes. Program-level SLOs are continuously assessed by JWU faculty through projects, exams and other assignments using standardized rubrics. Faculty review these assessments to determine how well students are meeting program outcomes. Based on assessment results, program faculty collaborate to design a Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) to be implemented the following academic year. Assessment results are analyzed each academic year in order to determine the effectiveness of the CIP.

Additionally, performance indicators such as retention rates, graduation rates and job placement data are also tracked. Insights from these assessments lead to curriculum adjustments that better align academic programs with industry needs and student goals.

University Educational Effectiveness Committee

The University Educational Effectiveness Committee oversees educational effectiveness, ensuring that student learning assessments guide meaningful improvements. This committee includes faculty representatives across each college, as well as administrators who collaborate on policies, procedures and best practices for evaluating student success.

Educational Effectiveness Day

Each academic year begins with Educational Effectiveness Day, where college faculty meet to review assessment data, discuss improvement plans, and evaluate the impact of previous interventions, including curricular changes, new educational approaches, or adjustments to assessment documents like rubrics or signature assignments. This annual event ensures continuous improvement and alignment between course delivery, student needs and industry expectations.

Evaluating Work-Integrated Learning Outcomes

JWU has integrated assessment of the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) approach into the aforementioned Educational Effectiveness practices and processes. College and university-level educational effectiveness committees leverage student, employer and data provided by Institutional Research to evaluate student outcomes and overall educational effectiveness of the WIL approach. These efforts are integrated into each college’s ongoing educational effectiveness work, including the Educational Effectiveness Day, allowing for a comparative look at student performance within both the 90-credit and 120-credit programs while supporting continuous improvement.