| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.41 |
| Liaison | Krista Bailey |
| Submission Date | Dec. 12, 2023 |
Pennsylvania State University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.82 / 8.00 |
Krista
Bailey Sustainable Campus Strategist Sustainability Institute |
Has the institution adopted one or more sustainability learning outcomes that apply to the entire student body or, at minimum, to the institution's predominant student body?:
Which of the following best describes the sustainability learning outcomes?:
A list of the institution level sustainability learning outcomes:
Penn State has defined seven key learning objectives for its General Education curriculum, applicable to all undergraduate students. Three of those are sustainability-supportive:
1. INTEGRATIVE THINKING – the ability to synthesize knowledge across multiple domains, modes of inquiry, historical periods, and perspectives, as well as the ability to identify linkages between existing knowledge and new information.
2. GLOBAL LEARNING – the intellectually disciplined abilities to analyze similarities and differences among cultures; evaluate natural, physical, social, cultural, historical, and economic legacies and hierarchies; and engage as community members and leaders who will continue to deal with the intricacies of an ever-changing world.
3. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICAL REASONING – the ability to assess one’s own values within the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, describe how different perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas, and consider the ramifications of alternative actions.
For additional details see: https://gened.psu.edu/updated-learning-objectives-and-foundation-and-domain-criteria
Total number of graduates from degree programs:
Number of graduates from degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
A brief description of how the figure above was determined:
Undergraduate and graduate major degree programs that met one or more of the 3 criteria above were identified. See attached list for the program name and criterion met for the 47 undergraduate and 24 graduate programs which Have been identified as a sustainability-focused program, have adopted sustainability-focused learning outcomes, OR require a sustainability-focused course.
The program list was developed based on descriptions found in the online Bulletin. If the program required one or more of the learning objectives for its General Education curriculum which have been identified as institution level sustainability learning outcomes (integrative thinking, global learning, and/or social responsibility and ethical reasoning) they were included in the count. Because the UN's Sustainable Development Goals cover many topics that require these skills, these programs provided at least basic sustainability learning skills.
A list of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
See attached file.
The list also includes sustainability-focused minor and certificate programs. Our count of the number of graduates from these degree programs represents an unduplicated headcount - i.e., if a student received a major and minor degree and both programs had sustainability-related learning outcomes, the student was counted only once.
Documentation supporting the figure reported above (upload):
Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
Website URL where information about the sustainability learning outcomes is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Total number of graduates from University Park campus is from the Data Digest at Penn State provided data for the items reported in this section.
https://datadigest.psu.edu/degrees-awarded/
Total number of graduates from University Park campus is from the Data Digest at Penn State provided data for the items reported in this section.
https://datadigest.psu.edu/degrees-awarded/
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.