College is more than books, tests and papers. It’s a time to gain the skills and knowledge that you will need to lead in an increasingly complex world.

That’s why we expect you to achieve five learning goals throughout your time at Oxy. Not to worry, preparing you to achieve these goals is what we do best, and the entire College is here to support you.

Five Learning Goals of Occidental College

Occidental College understands its educational goals as an evolving dynamic commitment:  they are the basis for assessment, subject to constant re-evaluation and re-imagining. Within this culture of self-aware and rigorous critique, our interdisciplinary approach to the liberal arts promotes student achievement of five college-wide learning goals. These include:

1. Synthesis of ideas across broad areas of knowledge within the liberal arts
2. Linkage of theory and practice within group and self-directed research leading to intellectual or creative contributions
3. Mastery of essential content, methods, concepts and technical aspects of an academic discipline
4. Development of key intellectual skills:
   • Analytic inquiry and problem solving
   • Communication through writing, oral presentation, and creative expression
   • Critical reading, writing, and thinking
   • Critical Self-Awareness
   • Ethical Reasoning
   • Analysis of media and images
   • Quantitative reasoning
   • Scientific methodology  
5. Capacity for active intellectual community engagement:
   • Community learning, participation, and service
   • Ethical reasoning and action
   • Global, intercultural and socio-political awareness
   • Leadership and collaboration
   • Personal well-being
   • Respectful engagement with diverse perspectives