Introduction

The general education model for public universities in New Mexico has been developed to facilitate transfer of general education courses and to focus on essential skills graduates will need in order to succeed in their post-graduation endeavors (Table 1).  Details can be found on the New Mexico Higher Education Department (HED) website.   

TABLE 1. ALIGNMENT OF ESSENTIAL SKILLS WITH GENERAL EDUCATION CONTENT AREAS

CONTENT AREA	Essential Skills Associated with Content Area
Communication	Communication  Critical Thinking  Information and Digital Literacy
Mathematics	Communication  Critical Thinking  Quantitative Reasoning
Science	Critical Thinking  Personal and Social Responsibility  Quantitative Reasoning
Social and Behavioral Science	Communication  Critical Thinking  Personal and Social Responsibility
Humanities	Critical Thinking  Information and Digital Literacy  Personal and Social Responsibility
Creative and Fine Arts	Communication  Critical Thinking  Personal and Social Responsibility

From NM HED website.

New Mexico Tech views its general education core curriculum requirements as the foundation for a broad and meaningful educational experience for all its undergraduates. The New Mexico Tech general education core curriculum requirements prepare students to communicate and reason well, evaluate and apply information, understand human societies and cultures, deepen their sense of values and ethics, and enrich their personal lives. Additionally, the general education core curriculum requirements equip students with the analytical, language, science, and mathematics skills necessary for the specific degree requirements of their majors. The courses and their sequence in the general education core curriculum requirements are designed specifically to achieve these objectives and to prepare students for success in subsequent courses.

Due to the STEM focus of New Mexico Tech, we also have Institute requirements, which specify required courses that must be completed prior to graduation (i.e., specific calculus, chemistry, physics, and English classes).  These courses can be used to satisfy general education requirements.  For example, Calculus I at New Mexico Tech satisfies both General Education and Institute requirements.  Our general education assessment process assumes that students are following this approach.  Students transferring to New Mexico Tech from another New Mexico public institution who have used other courses to satisfy their general education requirements will receive general education credit for these courses, though they will still need to satisfy the Institute requirements.

Plan for Assessment of General Education

Departments contributing to the general education core (e.g., Communication, Liberal Arts, and Social Sciences; Chemistry; Mathematics; Physics) formulated a plan for assessing their component of the general education program.  This plan assumes that students are using courses required by the Institute to satisfy their general degree requirements (as outlined above).

Methodology

Individual academic departments assess their courses that contribute to the general education program.  These separate assessments focus on the essential skills corresponding to their content areas (see Table 1) along with their associated component skills (for more information, please visit the NM HED website).  Each program submits a separate report that is reviewed by the Academic Assessment Task Force.

Reporting

The results of the program level assessment of the general education program is included in the annual NMT Academic Assessment of Student Learning report, which is available through a shared drive to all NMT Faculty and Staff.