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 an understanding of the significant principles and processes of American Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Policy.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of different research traditions in Political Science.
3. Demonstrate cogent writing skills.
4. Interpret and analyze enduring principles and practices of government and political science.

Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the program level through essays and exams in the following courses: POS 3043 (American Political Institutions), INR 3002 (Theories of International Relations), POT 3501 (Politics, Ethics, and Political Theory), and POS 4936 (Senior Seminar). Content/discipline knowledge and skills also are assessed at the program level through a major research paper and formal presentation required of Political Science seniors in POS 4936 (Senior Seminar).

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 program’s capstone course, POS 4936 (Senior Seminar).

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.

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 program’s capstone course, POS 4936 (Senior Seminar).