Goals of undergraduate learning

Graduates with a bachelor's degree from Bluffton University are able to demonstrate:

  1. Core competencies and skills in:

    • Written and oral communication.
      • Writes and speaks clearly.
      • Constructs messages that address specific points in a coherent and extended way.
      • Sends persuasive and/or informative messages orally and in writing to a variety of audiences.
      • Uses language and delivery to create and support a specific rhetorical purpose.
      • Interacts professionally and creatively in wide variety of communication contexts, including small groups, interviews and public speaking occasions.
         
    • Critical reading, thinking and problem-solving.
      • Engages a variety of texts with comprehension and critical attention.
      • Listens empathetically and critically to verbal messages.
      • Interprets nonverbal signals sent by others.
      • Analyzes problems and possibilities that present themselves in both written and spoken texts.
         
    • Quantitative thinking and reasoning.
      • Recognizes and describes the significance of quantitative information.
      • Analyzes and compares various quantitative concepts and relationships.
         
    • Critical use of the library and other information resources.
      • Understands the nature and extent of the information needed.
      • Accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.
      • Evaluates information and its sources critically.
      • Incorporates selected information into his/her knowledge base and value system.
      • Uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
      • Understands the economic, legal and social issues surrounding research, leading to ethical and legal use of information.
         

  2. Knowledge and higher level understanding in the following areas:

    • A major field
      • Learns and can apply the appropriate competencies and skills in the major field.
      • Develops ethical understanding of issues in this field.
         
    • Humanities, social science, natural science, mathematics and the arts
      • Learns methods of inquiry in these fields.
      • Perceives their roles in our society.
      • Applies appropriately the various competencies and skills.
      • Develops ethical understanding of issues in these fields.
         
    • Christian faith
      • Understands faith as viewed from the Anabaptist/Mennonite perspective.
      • Gains an appreciation of the Biblical and historic outreach, service, peace and community-building concerns of the founding and supporting churches.
         

  3. Progress in the development of:

    • A personal ethic of integrity, social justice, service, peace and community.
      • Embraces a global, multicultural perspective that accepts all people and appreciates the diversity and commonality of all peoples.
      • Strives for peace, nonviolence and social justice for self, community and the world.
      • Interacts with others with integrity and honesty.
      • Seeks justice and empathy for the “other.”
      • Protects freedom of speech and diversity within the more fundamental value of a just and inviting community that rejects all forms of oppression.
      • Embraces ecumenical dialogue with other faith traditions.
         
    • A mature faith stance.
      • Integrates personal experience, reason, tradition and faith.
      • Reflects upon growth in one’s faith.
      • Seeks to recognize and use one’s gifts in God’s service.
      • Integrates faith and reason as one examines the Bible, religious traditions, and personal faith.
         
    • Respect and care for the natural environment.
      • Accepts personal and corporate responsibility for living in the global community.
         
    • Physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being.
      • Develops attitudes and makes choices that foster well-being through a healthy, disciplined lifestyle concerning exercise, diet, drinking, sexuality, stress levels and avoidance of harmful substances.
         
    • Life-long learning.
      • Understands how a liberal arts baccalaureate education leads to life-long learning.
      • Develops the internal and external resources to ensure life-long growth.
      • Plans for career and life after college.