Vermont State Colleges’ Graduation Standards

Students must successfully demonstrate mastery of four specific skill areas prior to, and as a requirement for, graduation. Students who have achieved proficiency in these areas are better able to work effectively with others, live as informed and involved community members, and think critically in order to solve problems and make decisions.

Oral Communication

Upon graduation, students will be able to:
• determine the nature and purpose of a presentation;
• prepare a well-organized presentation utilizing
appropriate supporting evidence;
• communicate in a manner that engages and holds the
attention of the audience;
• use language and syntax appropriate for the audience
and purpose.

Skills focused in:
• Communication course

Skills strengthened in:
• First Semester Seminar course
• Courses that integrate oral communication
• Seminar in Educational Inquiry
Graduation standard demonstrated by:
• Oral presentation component of Communication course

Quantitative Reasoning

Upon graduation, students will be able to:
• select and perform appropriate procedures to solve mathematical problems arising in various disciplines;
• interpret quantitative information accurately;
• present quantitative information effectively;
• evaluate the reasonableness of quantitative conclusions.

Skills focused in:
• Mathematics course

Skills strengthened in:
• Technological Literacy course
• Scientific Method course
• Human Behavior course

Graduation standard demonstrated by:
• Quantitative Reasoning Assessment

Writing

Upon graduation, students will be able to:
• demonstrate in their written work an awareness of the relationships among writer, subject, audience, and purpose;
• focus written work around an explicit or an implied central thesis;
• develop this central thesis systematically using specific details and supporting evidence;
• organize subject matter of written work using appropriate sentence structure and paragraphing;
• use correct grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling;
• follow standard practices in quotation, summary, paraphrase and citation of textual material.

Skills focused in:
• English Composition
• Research & Writing Intensive course

Skills strengthened in:
• Courses that integrate writing
• Seminar in Educational Inquiry
Graduation standard demonstrated by:
• Final research paper requirement in Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Information Literacy

Upon graduation, students will be able to:
• define a research topic and the information needed;
• collect and organize information, utilizing a variety
of traditional and electronic resources;
• evaluate the information and its sources critically;
• acknowledge and document the sources needed.

Skills focused in:
• First Semester Seminar
Skills strengthened in:
• Research & Writing Intensive course
• Courses that integrate information literacy
• Seminar in Educational Inquiry
Graduation standard demonstrated by:
• Final research paper requirement in Seminar in Educational Inquiry