Institutional Learning Outcomes

Institutional Learning Outcomes are a set of knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and behaviors that a student attains at the end of his or her academic career through a particular set of experiences (academic, non-academic, social, cultural and/or political).  Upon the completion of a Rockland Community College Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree, a student will demonstrate competency in the following seven (7) areas:

  • Personal, Social, and Professional Development
    • assess one's own knowledge, skills, and abilities by setting personal goals
    • develop connections with the institution, faculty, staff, and peers to build skills
    • choose behaviors that promote wellness and reduce risk
  • Written and Oral Communication
    • produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms
    • demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
    • research a topic, develop an argument and organize supporting details
    • develop proficiency in oral discourse
    • evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria
  • Critical Thinking
    • identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own or other's work
    • develop well-reasoned arguments and conclusions with credible evidence
  • Information Literacy
    • perform the basic operations of personal computer use
    • understand and use basic research techniques
    • locate, evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources
  • Scientific Reasoning/Problem Solving
    • understand the methods used to explore phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collections experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis
    • apply data, concepts, and models in one of the STEM related fields
    • generate relevant questions, multiple solutions, and alternative points of view
  • Numeracy/Quantitative Literacy
    • interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics
    • represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically and verbally
    • employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems
    • estimate and check mathematical results for reasonableness
  • Diversity/Global Awareness
    • analyze and evaluate the contributions of cultures and societies from variety of perspectives
    • recognize the commonalities, differences, and interdependence among world cultures


Upon completion of a Rockland Community College Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, a student will demonstrate competency in the following five (5) areas:

  • Personal, Social, and Professional Development
    • assess one's own knowledge, skills, and abilities by setting personal goals
    • develop connections with the institution, faculty, staff, and peers to build skills
    • choose behaviors that promote wellness and reduce risk
  • Written and Oral Communication
    • produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms
    • demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
    • research a topic, develop an argument and organize supporting details
    • develop proficiency in oral discourse
    • evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria
  • Critical Thinking
    • identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own or other's work
    • develop well-reasoned arguments and conclusions with credible evidence
  • Information Literacy
    • perform the basic operations of personal computer use
    • understand and use basic research techniques
    • locate, evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources
  • Diversity/Global Awareness
    • analyze and evaluate the contributions of cultures and societies from variety of perspectives
    • recognize the commonalities, differences, and interdependence among world cultures