Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs)
Under UMass Lowell鈥檚 Core Curriculum, students must have the opportunity to master each of seven Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs). These ELOs may be met within the major or through other courses, including courses that fulfill Breadth of Knowledge requirements. Consequently, all departments may identify courses within their majors that allow students to demonstrate particular ELOs, and submit these courses for ELO designation approval. Approved courses will be tagged in the catalog鈥攊n course listings and on 杏吧原创 Pathways鈥攁nd on Advisement Reports in SiS.
The seven ELOs are:
- Applied and Integrative Learning (AIL):聽Students can synthesize their learning experiences across the curriculum.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (CTPS):聽Students can approach problems and evaluate evidence to draw informed conclusions.
- Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA):聽Students can address complex questions about diverse cultural and social groups.
- Information Literacy (IL):聽Students can successfully locate, evaluate and use data to better operate in a complex global landscape.
- Quantitative Literacy (QL):聽Students can understand and express arguments using numerical data.
- Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE):聽Students can assess moral beliefs and practices to make a positive difference and contribute to a more sustainable global and local environment.
- Written and Oral Communication (Emphasizing Writing in the Discipline) (WOC):聽Students can mount arguments, marshal evidence, and deploy rhetorical devices, drawing on genres and styles appropriate to the discipline.
To find upcoming courses that meet any of these requirements, scroll to the bottom of the Course Finder聽to search Core Curriculum options.
ELO Policies
- 1000-level courses may be designated with no more than 1 ELO; 2000- and 3000-level courses may be designated with no more than 2 ELOs; 4000-level courses may be designated with no more than 3 ELOs.
- Interdisciplinary courses may receive ELO designations as well as a Breadth of Knowledge designation.
- A single course may introduce, reinforce and assess an ELO. Alternatively, an ELO designation may be assigned to the most advanced course in a series of courses addressing a particular ELO.