Learning Objectives
All students in the College of Communications, whatever their chosen major, achieve a common set of learning objectives. The faculty of the College teach to assure our students acquire the knowledge, master the skills and value the standards and ethics required for success both as engaged citizens and as professionals or scholars in media and telecommunications. Based on standards adopted by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (http://www2.ku.edu/~acejmc/index.html), the 11 values and competencies our students achieve are:
- An understanding of and ability to apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances;
- An understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications;
- A broad view of the diversity of groups in a global society in relationship to communications;
- A knowledge of concepts and the ability to apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information;
- An understanding of professional ethical principles and a commitment to work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
- The ability to think critically, creatively and independently;
- Skill in conducting research and evaluating information by methods appropriate to the communications professions and scholarly areas in which they work;
- An ability to write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;
- The skill to critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;
- A facility with basic numerical and statistical concepts;
- The skilled use of tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.
For more information on learning assessment of these 11 values and competencies, please go to http://assess.psu.edu/AcademicPrograms.
