Core objective #13: Integration & synthesis

Objective: Integrative experience

Brief description of learning objective: Students will be able to integrate and synthesize Core knowledge, enabling them to analyze open-ended problems or complex issues.

Standards or Requirements for Verification

This objective is satisfied by the Core Capstone course. Capstones combine knowledge gained in other Core courses with knowledge gained in the major. Capstone courses should also integrate (a) CO1, (b) either CO2 or CO3 or both, and (c) either CO9, CO10, CO11, or CO12. Capstone courses should also assess the Student Learning Outcomes relevant to these Core Objectives.

  1. Courses must be upper division (300 or 400 level), 3 units minimum.
  2. Clearly articulate how the course curriculum and assignments require students to integrate knowledge and skills gained from CO1, at least 1 of the other 2 Core Objectives in Silver Vein I, and at least 1 of the Core Objectives in Silver Vein III. 
  3. Clearly articulate how the course curriculum and assignments require students to synthesize information in order to analyze an open-ended question or complex issue.

Courses  satisfying this Core Objective should:

  1. Include the Core Objective, together with its brief description, on the course syllabus in its original form.
  2. Include 1 or more student learning outcomes addressing this Core Objective on the course syllabus, along with other student learning outcomes appropriate to the course.
  3. Identify in the course syllabus the teaching techniques and student experiences that will help students acquire the competencies described in the Core Objective.
  4. Assess whether students have acquired the competency described in the student learning outcomes and use methods for collecting and analyzing data that can be reported to the Core Curriculum Board.
  5. Provide an appropriate class size (e.g., around 35 students for a course in which an instructor grades all assignments) or other instructional-support structure (e.g., teaching assistants/team teaching) that will facilitate assessment of CO1.

Some examples of approved student learning outcomes and assessment methods are listed later in this document. Faculty may incorporate 1 or more of the examples from this list or propose their own student learning outcomes and methods of assessing the objective.

Prerequisites:

Prerequisites for Capstone courses are junior or senior standing and completion of Core Objectives 1-3 and three of Core Objectives 4-8. Other course-specific prerequisites may be applied, so long as they do not, in effect, exclude all other majors.

Suggested student learning outcomes and assessment methods

Faculty may incorporate one or more of the examples from this list or propose their own student learning outcomes and methods of assessing the objective.