Core Student Learning Outcomes

The University Core Student Learning Outcomes define the essential educational outcomes expected of all who earn baccalaureate degrees at Saint Louis University — regardless of major or the college or school in which students are enrolled. These outcomes — and demonstrable evidence of student achievement of them — drive the SLU faculty's development and revision of the University Core Curriculum.

1. All SLU graduates will be able to examine their actions and vocations in dialogue with the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.

Catholic, Jesuit beliefs and traditions provide the intellectual and spiritual foundation for education at Saint Louis University.

The Core exposes students to Catholic, Jesuit and other worldviews and asks them to reflect on how these perspectives inform their character, sense of purpose, and vocations in order to imagine and assess the moral and spiritual implications of their actions and life choices.

2. All SLU graduates will be able to integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines to address complex questions.

A breadth of knowledge is the heart of a Catholic, Jesuit liberal arts education.

The Core fosters creative ability and an understanding of cultures, institutions, systems, and the natural world; it introduces students to a variety of disciplinary perspectives and asks them to synthesize that knowledge for systemic inquiry and innovation.

3. All SLU graduates will be able to assess evidence and draw reasoned conclusions.

Critical thinking—from the scientific method to the creative process, from systems thinking to complex abstractions—is a hallmark of a well-developed mind.

The Core fosters a student’s ability to gather source material and discern its reliability, analyze data via quantitative and qualitative methods, compare multiple interpretations of evidence, evaluate conflicting claims, and demonstrate evidence-based reasoning.

4. All SLU graduates will be able to communicate effectively in writing, speech, and visual media.

Eloquent communication connects people and advances ideas.

The Core compels students to analyze written, oral, auditory, and visual messages and their implications in order to communicate effectively with a clear understanding of audience, rhetorical purpose, argumentation, genre, and style.

5. All SLU graduates will be able to analyze how diverse identities influence their lives and the lives of others.

Interdependent identities—such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, race, class, ability, and sexual orientation—shape how people move through and experience the world.

The Core helps students assess how identities are constructed historically, culturally, socially, and linguistically. Students will be able to examine values and biases, empathize with others, and connect across cultures.

6. All SLU graduates will be able to recognize transnational or global interdependence.

Many persistent challenges — from climate change to health crises to the distribution of wealth and property — transcend national boundaries.

The Core gives students the intellectual tools to understand and participate in this interconnected world. Students will be able to identify the transnational impact of local actions in order to be engaged and responsible global citizens.

7. All SLU graduates will be able to evaluate the extent to which social systems influence equity and reflect innate human dignity.

The Catholic, Jesuit tradition calls on students to envision a just society, recognize how and when injustice is institutionalized, and identify conditions that promote the dignity and equity of all.

The Core enables students to consider how social, political, and cultural systems influence human interactions and well-being in the past, present, and future.

8. All SLU graduates will be able to collaborate with others toward a common goal.

Academic, professional, and community life requires acting together intentionally toward a shared objective.

The Core advances students’ abilities to listen actively, cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect, delegate work fairly, exercise servant leadership, manage conflict, and invite diverse ideas.

9. All SLU graduates will be able to apply and acquire knowledge through engagement beyond the University.

Acquiring and applying knowledge in context advances more holistic, mutually transformative education.

The Core requires students to partner with and learn from those in broader communities—from internships to immersion experiences, from clinical practice to community-based research. By acting with and for others, students experience and reflect on the benefits of community engagement.

Printable University Core Student Learning Outcomes (PDF)

Approved by University Undergraduate Core Committee (UUCC): February 27, 2018
Approved by the Faculty Governance Committees of all SLU undergraduate colleges and schools: April 25, 2018