Mar 28, 2024  
Catalog 2019-2020 
    
Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Vermont State Colleges Graduation Standards


Students who complete a degree program at CCV–as well as anywhere within the Vermont State Colleges–are required to demonstrate proficiency in four specific skill areas: oral communication, quantitative reasoning, writing, and information literacy. Students who gain competence in these areas are better able to work effectively with others, live as informed and involved community members, and think critically in order to solve problems and make decisions.

Oral Communication

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

  • determine the nature and purpose of a presentation;
  • prepare a well-organized presentation utilizing appropriate supporting evidence;
  • communicate in a manner that engages and holds the attention of the audience; and
  • use language and syntax appropriate for the audience and purpose.

Skills focused in:

  • Communication course

Skills strengthened in:

  • First Semester Seminar course
  • Courses that integrate oral communication
  • Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Graduation standard demonstrated by:

  • Oral presentation component of Communication course

Quantitative Reasoning

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

  • select and perform appropriate procedures to solve mathematical problems arising in various disciplines;
  • interpret quantitative information accurately;
  • present quantitative information effectively; and
  • evaluate the reasonableness of quantitative conclusions.

Skills focused in:

  • Mathematics course

Skills strengthened in:

  • Technological Literacy course
  • Scientific Method course
  • Human Behavior course

Graduation standard demonstrated by:

Writing

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

  • demonstrate in their written work an awareness of the relationships among writer, subject, audience, and purpose;
  • focus written work around an explicit or an implied central thesis;
  • develop this central thesis systematically using specific details and supporting evidence;
  • organize subject matter of written work using appropriate sentence structure and paragraphing;
  • use correct grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling; and
  • follow standard practices in quotation, summary, paraphrase and citation of textual material.

Skills focused in:

  • English Composition
  • Research & Writing Intensive course

Skills strengthened in:

  • Courses that integrate writing
  • Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Graduation standard demonstrated by:

  • final research paper requirement in Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Information Literacy

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

  • define a research topic and the information needed;
  • collect and organize information, utilizing a variety of traditional and electronic resources;
  • evaluate the information and its sources critically; and
  • acknowledge and document the sources needed.

Skills focused in:

  • First Semester Seminar

Skills strengthened in:

  • Research & Writing Intensive course
  • Courses that integrate information literacy
  • Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Graduation standard demonstrated by:

  • Final research paper requirement in Seminar in Educational Inquiry