Skills You’ll Learn

Designed to prepare students to be more thoughtful consumers and producers of information, the academic course work required for to earn your undergraduate degree includes program requirements set by the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs and by the University Common Requirements (known as UCORE) set by the College of Arts and Sciences, the WSU provost and WSU registrar.

The UCORE program helps you learn transferable skills and develop intellectual and civic competencies beyond the focus of your degree. With dozens courses available across six categories, you are sure to find interesting options that complement your major programs of study and add value to your career potential.

Student Learning Outcomes

For the BA in Political Science

Graduating students will be able to:

  1. Use creative thinking, sound reasoning, and critical thinking with respect to political and policy-related questions, including the use of the principles of the scientific method to enhance and create knowledge.   
  2. Understand and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods and be able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of methods for assessing various political and policy-related questions.   
  3. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of political and policy-related subjects, including the relevance of political science to contemporary, real-world problems.
  4. Identify, evaluate, use responsibly, and share data and information regarding a political or policy-related question. 
  5. Effectively communicate through written, oral, and other media as appropriate for the audience and purpose. 
  6. Understand, respect, and engage with others of similar and diverse cultures, values, and perspectives.

For the BA in Philosophy

Graduating students will be able to:

  1. Use critical and creative thinking skills with respect to philosophical topics, and be able to construct reason-based arguments in support of one’s positions.
  2. Develop an integrative understanding of the sciences and humanities.   
  3. Identify and clarify key issues and questions in theoretical and real-world contexts.
  4. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the philosophical canon and critical thinking/logic frameworks. 
  5. Apply critical thinking frameworks and argument analysis to identify, locate, and evaluate sources when doing group work and independent research. 
  6. Effectively communicate through written, oral, and other media as appropriate for the audience and purpose. 
  7. Understand, respect, and engage with others of similar and diverse cultures, values, and perspectives. 

For the BA in Public Affairs

Graduating students will be able to:

  1. Lead and manage in public governance;
  2. Participate in and contribute to the policy process;
  3. Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions;
  4. Articulate and apply a public service perspective; and
  5. Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.