Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills, with particular emphasis on application of theoretical perspectives
2. Explain theoretical perspectives as they pertain to criminal activity.
3. Assess/evaluate the soundness of the different theoretical perspectives.
4. Integrate constitutional due process guarantees with the practices of law enforcement, prosecution, and corrections.
5. Delineate effective management practices of law enforcement and corrections.

Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and program levels through the midterm capstone project, consisting of a portfolio and resume, along with the final project and weekly assignments completed in the following courses: CCJ 4940 Internship; CCJ 4934 Senior Seminar; CCJ 3701 Research Methods; CCJ 4450 Leadership & Management of CJ Agencies; and CJL 4064 Constitutional Criminal Law, and a Core Curriculum Comprehensive Examination.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Employ the conventions of standard written English.
2. Select a topic, and develop it for a specific audience and purpose, with respect for diverse perspectives.
3. Select, organize, and relate ideas and information with coherence, clarity, and unity.

Communication skills are assessed as part of the General Education Program through papers, exams, and projects completed in ENC 1101 Composition I, ENC 1102 Composition II, and HUM 2510 Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts. Communication skills are also assessed in the capstone course.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Select and organize information.
2. Identify assumptions and underlying relationships.
3. Synthesize information, and draw reasoned inferences.
4. Formulate an appropriate problem solving strategy.
5. Evaluate the feasibility of the strategy.
6. Assess needs, develop priorities, and implement solutions to problems using discipline specific and interdisciplinary approaches in Criminal Justice.

Critical thinking skills are assessed as part of the General Education Program through papers, exams, and projects completed ENC 1101 Composition I, ENC 1102 Composition II, and HUM 2510 Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts. Critical thinking skills are also assessed in the capstone course.