Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 38.33
Liaison Karen Marin-Hines
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2020

STARS v2.2

Texas Tech University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.91 / 8.00 Jessica Bunyard
Analyst
BIMAR
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Institutional sustainability learning outcomes

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?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the sustainability learning outcomes?:
Sustainability-supportive

A list of the institution level sustainability learning outcomes:
"College-level Competency Statements & TTU Student Learning Outcomes

Texas Tech University has developed language that identifies what our institutionexpects of students enrolled in Core Curriculum Courses in each of the FoundationalComponent Areas. This language is presented in two ways: as a general College-LevelCompetency Statement and as a set of specific Student Learning Outcomes. These statementsare developed and evaluated by Texas Tech University's Core Curriculum Committee andreflect TTU's commitment to developing institution-level outcomes for all undergraduatestudents. Following is a list of each Foundational Component Area (bolded), College-LevelCompetency Statement (italicized), and Texas Tech University Student Learning Outcomes(bulleted).

Communication:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to develop ideas andexpress them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding,and building the skills needed to communicate effectively.
•Demonstrate the ability to specify audience and purpose and to make appropriate communicationchoices.
•Demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate form and content in written, visual,and oral communication.
•Demonstrate the ability to apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solvingand technical proficiency in the development and documentation of exposition and arguments

Mathematics:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should demonstrate the ability to applyquantitative and logical skills to solve problems.
•Apply arithmetic, algebraic, geometric and statistical and/or logical reasoning tosolve problems.
•Represent and evaluate basic mathematical information numerically, graphically, andsymbolically.
•Use mathematical and/or logical reasoning to evaluate the validity of an argument.
•Interpret mathematical and/or logical models such as formulas, graphs, tables andschematics, and draw inference from them.

Life and Physical Sciences:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to explain some of themajor concepts in the Life and Physical Sciences and demonstrate an understandingto problem solving, including ethics.
•Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method and to contrast it with other waysof understanding the world.
•Demonstrate knowledge of the tools and methods used by scientists to study the naturalworld.
•Explain some of the major theories in the Natural Sciences.
•Describe how Natural Sciences research informs societal issues, including ethics.

Language, Philosophy, and Culture:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to think criticallyand evaluate possible multiple interpretations, cultural and historical contexts,and values.
•Identify methodologies of historical, literary, philosophical, and/or aesthetic researchand recognize their applicability to everyday life.
•Develop analytical arguments in written and/or oral forms.
•Evaluate events, ideas, and artistic expressions in terms of multiple cultural contextsand value systems.
•Demonstrate ways in which the humanities are fundamental to the health and survivalof any society

Creative Arts:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to construct, present,and defend critical and aesthetic judgments of works in the creative arts.
•Identify and describe a body of works (individually and collectively) in the creativearts.
•Explain and differentiate creative works as expressions of values within culturaland historical contexts.
•Analyze and summarize aesthetic principles that structure creative works.

American History:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should demonstrate an understandingof the historical origins of the United States and be able to identify and describethe importance of key individuals and events in United States and/or Texas history.
•Identify and explain the origins and evolution of the political systems and politicalcultures that have shaped the United States and Texas.
•Identify and analyze the various social and cultural factors that have shaped thedaily experiences of people living in the U.S. and Texas.
•Develop and demonstrate analytical arguments in written and/or oral forms, relatedto American and Texas history.

Government/Political Science: Students graduating from Texas Tech University should demonstrate an understandingof the organization and functions of the different levels of government in the UnitedStates, be able to explain the importance of the United States Constitution and thoseof the states, and be able to comment on the role of civic engagement in United Statespolitics and culture.
•Demonstrate knowledge of the origins and evolution of U.S. and Texas political systems

Social and Behavioral Sciences:Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to demonstrate the abilityto assess critically claims about social issues, human behavior, and diversity inhuman experiences.
•Identify and critique alternative explanations for claims about social issues andhuman behavior.
•Demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate and ethical methods, technologies, and datathat social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition

Lab Science Requirement
The state of Texas requires that all students complete six credit hours in the Life and Physical Sciences area. Texas Tech University has an additional, two credit hour laboratory science requirement that is not included in the state's requirement. Courses that fulfill this institutional requirement are indicated with a ‡ symbol in the listing below. The total, eight credit hour Life and Physical Sciences requirement can be satisfied by taking two four hour combined lecture and lab science courses (for example, BIOL 1401 and 1402) or two 3-hour science lecture courses along with the accompanying laboratory courses (for example, ATMO 1300 and ATMO 1100, GEOL 1303 and GEOL 1101). It is also permissible to take one 4-hour science course and one 3-hour science course along with the accompanying laboratory course (such as BIOL 1401 and ATMO 1300 with ATMO 1100). Credit toward the science laboratory requirement is not granted for laboratory courses that do not share the same course prefix as the lecture course taken to satisfy a portion of the life and physical sciences core requirement.
Transfer students who present 3-hour science courses may complete the science laboratory requirement in either of the following in ways:
They may take a laboratory course that matches a 3-hour course accepted in transfer as satisfying a portion of the life and physical sciences requirement (for example, GEOL 1101 if the student transferred a course that was accepted as equivalent to GEOL 1303).
They may enroll in BIOL 2202. This is a 2-hour self-paced online course designed specifically for transfer students who need to complete the science laboratory requirement. BIOL 2202 carries a biology prefix, but it is designed to be taken by any student who has completed one or two 3-hour science courses in any science discipline. The BIOL 2202 modules stress providing students with a framework for evaluating and critiquing scientific research findings and will help students understand the role of scientific research in improving human health, contributing to economic growth, answering basic questions about the world, and working toward solving a multitude of problems faced by modem society. BIOL 2202 is not available to students who complete their life and physical sciences requirement at Texas Tech University.
List of all approved Life and Physical Sciences core curriculum courses and accompanying lab science courses.
ANSC 1401 - General Animal Science 4 Semester Credit Hours
ANTH 2100 - Physical Anthropology Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours
ANTH 2300 - Physical Anthropology 3 Semester Credit Hours
ASTR 1400 - Solar System Astronomy 4 Semester Credit Hours
ASTR 1401 - Stellar Astronomy 4 Semester Credit Hours
ATMO 1100 - Atmospheric Science Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
ATMO 1300 - Introduction to Atmospheric Science 3 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 1305 - Ecology and Environmental Problems 3 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 1113 - Environmental Problems Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
BIOL 1401 - Biology of Plants 4 Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 1402 - Biology of Animals 4 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1301 - Introductory Chemistry 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1305 - Chemical Basics 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1105 - Experimental Chemical Basics 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
CHEM 1306 - Chemistry That Matters 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1106 - Chemistry Experiments That Matter 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
CHEM 1307 - Principles of Chemistry I 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1107 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry I 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
CHEM 1308 - Principles of Chemistry II 3 Semester Credit Hours
CHEM 1108 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry II 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
GEOG 1401 - Physical Geography 4 Semester Credit Hours
GEOL 1101 - Physical Geology Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
GEOL 1303 - Physical Geology 3 Semester Credit Hours
HONS 2405 - Honors Integrated Science I 4 Semester Credit Hours
HONS 2406 - Honors Integrated Science II 4 Semester Credit Hours
NRM 1401 - Introduction to Natural Resources Management 4 Semester Credit Hours
NS 1410 - Science of Nutrition 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 1401 - Physics for Non-Science Majors 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 1403 - General Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 1404 - General Physics II 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 1406 - Physics of Sound and Music 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 1408 - Principles of Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 2401 - Principles of Physics II 4 Semester Credit Hours
PSS 1411 - Principles of Horticulture 4 Semester Credit Hours
PSS 2401 - Introductory Entomology 4 Semester Credit Hours
ZOOL 2403 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Semester Credit Hours"

Part 2. Program-level sustainability learning outcomes

Total number of graduates from degree programs:
8,480

Number of graduates from degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
2,024

A brief description of how the figure above was determined:
Number was gathered from the Department of Institutional Research's Fact Book (http://techdata.irs.ttu.edu/FactBook/Degree/DEGMAJOR.aspx). Determined sustainability association based on course requirements, learning outcomes, and degree focus .

A list of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
Please see attachment

Documentation supporting the figure reported above (upload):
Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
One

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability:
23.87

Optional Fields 

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:
techdata.irs.ttu.edu/FactBook/Degree/DEGMAJOR.aspx Links are included in the attached spreadsheet. Inks provide information on learning outcomes, course requirements, and degree program focus.

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.