SU Student Learning Objectives

Seattle University's Mission Statement

Seattle University is dedicated to educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and humane world.

Flowing from this mission statement and from Seattle University's Jesuit Catholic intellectual and spiritual traditions are five essential learning objectives for undergraduate and graduate students.

Undergraduate Learning Outcomes 

Upon completing their undergraduate studies, Seattle University students will be:

• Prepared to encounter the world - They thoughtfully engage complex questions about human existence and the natural world by rigorously applying appropriate methods of inquiry and by drawing upon a broad foundation of relevant knowledge and experience.
• Adept in their discipline - Through pursuing their academic and scholarly passions, they possess in-depth knowledge and skills in their major, and are able to apply them effectively.
• Empowered to make a difference - They are competent and creative writers, speakers, and critical thinkers who are able to thrive in leadership, team and advocacy roles; who contribute to the common good; and who possess the tools to meet life's challenges.
• Self-reflective in their pursuit of meaning and purpose - They are prepared and inspired to lead reflective lives of meaning and value, to contemplate their relationship to the transcendent, and to discern their vocational and life paths.
• Committed to justice and ethical action - They are engaged and ethical members of their global and local communities, act with compassion and integrity, and strive for social and environmental justice.

Graduate Learning Outcomes

Seattle University Graduate students should be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of competencies required in their profession or field.

• Demonstrate effective communication in speech and in writing.

• Exhibit professional integrity, ethical leadership, and effective collaboration skills. 

• Recognize and address moral and ethical challenges within their professions as informed by the Jesuit Catholic tradition.

• Assess personal and professional levels of commitment to service for a just and sustainable world as informed by a global perspective.

• Develop a professional perspective focused on life-long learning that is informed by the knowledge and skills of their graduate education.