Learning Outcomes and Curricular Framework for a Revised General Education Program

(adopted by the University Senate 12-8-08)

The General Education Curriculum proposes to lay the foundation for the University of Kentucky to graduate citizens who are educated for the twenty-first century. Alongside the role that individual Colleges play in building upon and enriching these foundations of a broad and liberal education, the core curriculum will ensure that our graduates can demonstrate literacy in the various methods of inquiry to which they have unique access, as students at a research university.  With this in mind, the General Education Reform Steering Committee proposed a set of Learning Outcomes that will serve as the guiding principles for the design of specific courses. At its December 8, 2008 meeting, the University Senate voted to adopt the proposed set of four Learning Outcomes and a Curricular Framework for a revised General Education Program.
 
During Spring semester 2009, ten curricular teams will work to establish guidelines for each of the courses that will comprise the new General Education Curriculum.  Those guidelines will include course-specific learning objectives as well as assessment principles. The work of each curricular team will be posted to this website; the projected timeline includes University Senate discussion in March and a vote in April or May.  This would lead to a process of course design and approval during academic year 2009-2010, and the implementation of the new General Education Curriculum, either in pilot form or in full, in Fall 2010. The GenEd Reform Timeline offers a detailed calendar of the spring 2009 process.