Baccalaureate Competencies

The Baccalaureate Competencies are the primary goals and intended learning outcomes of General Education at the University of Cincinnati. They articulate what UC expects all undergraduates to know and be able to do by the time they complete their degrees, regardless of major. These competencies are developed and reinforced across the General Education Core and the broader undergraduate curriculum, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for a full and productive life.

Critical Thinking is the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and ideas from multiple perspectives.

The educated individual thinks critically and analytically about subjects. Critical thinking includes the capability for analysis, problem solving, logical argument, the application of scholarly and scientific methods, the accurate use of terminology, and information literacy. Particular critical thinking skills can vary from discipline to discipline.  

Knowledge Integration is the ability to fuse information and concepts from multiple disciplines for personal, professional, and civic enhancement.

A commitment to a life of thought and the ability to evaluate critically one's own views and those of others require that the individual be able to access, judge, and compare diverse fields of knowledge. The General Education Core promotes knowledge integration by encouraging courses and experiences that enable a student to discover connections between different disciplines and their real-life applications.

Effective Communication embraces oral, visual, and language arts, including the ability to read, write, speak, and listen; it is the effective use of various resources and technology for personal and professional communication.

The educated individual must be able to understand and convey ideas in diverse contexts, using appropriate communication and information technology resources and skills. Oral and visual communication proficiencies can be demonstrated through the performance and graphic arts. Among important language capabilities are proper usage, appropriate style, and the ability to formulate a coherent, well-supported argument using language appropriate to academic and public discourse.

Social Responsibility is the ability to apply knowledge and skills gained through the undergraduate experience for the advancement of society.

Attention and service to the world at large is characteristic of a socially accountable, well-educated individual. One goal of the General Education Core is to introduce a student to historical ethical reasoning, ecological literacy, contemporary social, ethical, and sustainability issues, and to promote knowledge, skills, and attitudes that encourage responsible stewardship and civic engagement. 

Information literacy is a fundamental component of the four Baccalaureate Competencies and must permeate every component of the General Education Core.

Information literacy includes, but goes beyond, information technology skills. It is the ability to determine the nature of required information, to access it effectively and efficiently, to evaluate it critically, and to incorporate it into one's knowledge system. It necessitates the responsible, legal, and ethical use of information.