WNC Student Learning Outcomes

Student learning is the core of WNCs mission and the college celebrates this importance with institution-wide student learning outcomes. The WNC Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) guide all courses, programs, and degrees offered by WNC.

SLOs one through six provide the structure for general education and alignment for academic program outcomes; SLO seven provides a connection for career preparation emphases.

General education provides a broad educational foundation that is essential to meeting educational, social, personal, and career goals. WNCs general education curriculum consists of rigorous, interrelated academic experiences that introduce students to diverse ways of thinking and understanding their world. Through a range of connected learning experiences, general education introduces students to a breadth of knowledge that complements and prepares students for the depth provided in a completed degree program.

Upon completing a degree at WNC, students must demonstrate:

  1. CONTENT KNOWLEDGE Demonstrate understanding of essential information and concepts relevant to a discipline or area of study.
  2. COMMUNICATION Effectively convey and/or interpret a central idea via visual, oral, or written media.
  3. QUANTITATIVE LITERACY Correctly analyze, interpret, draw conclusions from, and communicate quantitative processes and information.
  4. INFORMATION LITERACY Locate, evaluate, and appropriately use information from multiple resources in support of a claim or central idea.
  5. DIVERSITY AND SOCIETY Identify and discuss changing human societies demonstrating an understanding of the subject and respect for various cultural, methodological, and/or theoretical perspectives.
  6. CRITICAL THINKING Integrate knowledge and skills to develop logical conclusions and/or solutions that demonstrate a well-reasoned evaluation of a problem, question, perspective, or solution.
  7. CAREER PREPARATION Apply specialized knowledge, approaches, and skills to successfully complete projects and/or demonstrate relevant professional and/or industry-standard competencies.