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Transferable Skills Matrix

Analytical Skills

Transferable Skill LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who demonstrate this skill will be able to... Examples of how students obtain skill through assignments
Critical Thinking Use objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

Use a mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which you skillfully analyze, assess, and reconstruct		 Demonstrated ability to raise vital questions, formulating them clearly and precisely.     
Assignments for gathering and assessing relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively.   
Demonstrated ability to come to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions.
Decision-making & Ethical Judgment Apply a cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several alternative possibilities.
Apply principles relating to right and wrong.
Act with integrity.		 Projects in which students identify and choose alternatives, based on their knowledge, values and data sources, and then formulate an action plan.
Problem Solving Use knowledge, facts, and data to effectively solve problems, analyze issues or make decisions within a reasonable time frame.

Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.  
                
Be resourceful in coming up with a solution to a problem or challenge.		 Assignments in which you can work through problems on your own or as an effective member of a team.
Projects that involve goal setting, decision-making, self-advocacy and problem solving.    
Assignments that require an effective or imaginative solution to a problem
Resourcefulness/ Adaptability Deal well with new or difficult situations and find solutions to problems.

Find and use available resources to achieve goals.

Learn new information quickly.

Change directions, if needed, to solve problems.		 Assignments that involve cases in which students must solve problems strategically and creatively with whatever information is at hand.
Demonstrated ability to revise plans or timelines based on changing circumstances.
Participate in a project or event that has changing demands, last minute additions or moving deadlines.
Figuring out how to complete a project or goal despite obstacles that may get thrown in the way.

Creativity & Communication Skills

Transferable Skill LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who demonstrate this skill will be able to... Examples of how students obtain skill through assignments
Communication Skills Speak clearly to convey messages in a calm and focused way.

Articulate thoughts, ideas and messages in order to educate, influence or persuade.

Convey ideas and messages in writing with clarity, free of grammatical errors.

Keep an open mind and actively listen in order to gain understanding.		 Oral presentation or performance, in which you must summarize, organize, persuade, relay and receive information.
Class discussions in which you must express your thoughts/feelings in an appropriate and articulate manner.
Paper in which you have to make an argument and assemble evidence in support of it.
Demonstrate your reflection and feedback, showing understanding of a proposal or instructions.
Writing assignments in which you discover, examine, and test your ideas about readings, class discussions and lectures.
Creativity and Innovation Combine knowledge from different areas to produce unique ideas or solutions.

Use imagination, visualization, design, aesthetic, social and literary talents.

Properly define a problem or potential design opportunity through the use of research, interviews and observations.
Generate creative ideas through brainstorming. 		Proposal for a different approach and/or an improvement to a problem.
New product, policy or process (or an enhancement of these) you must develop.
Marketing or promotional materials you must develop.
Creatively-design an impressive e-portfolio, containing artifacts that represent your skills and accomplishments.
Influence/persuade Persuade or induce someone to follow a course of action or acceptance of something.

Proactively shift the thinking, actions, and even the emotional state of other people.		 Demonstrate your abilities to build trust: making people feel uniquely special, offering lots of information, telling a story, making realistic promises and providing a high level of service.
Multicultural Competence View the world from other’s perspectives by listening, observing and using patience and perseverance.

Respect and value  other cultures, while withholding judgement.

View differences as a learning opportunity
Develop a tolerance for ambiguity.		 Study abroad, service-learning or internship experience, during which you learn about another culture.
Write-up about how you strengthened a team because you understand differences.
Mastery of an additional language.
Paper which demonstrates knowledge about a cultural group other than the your own.

Leadership & Teamwork Skills

Transferable Skill LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who demonstrate this skill will be able to... Examples of how students obtain skill through assignments
Leadership Leverage the strength of others towards the achievement of a common goal.

Manage emotions and overcome adversity/ failure.
Ask powerful questions.

Use empathy to guide and motivate others.
Work with little or no direction.		 Project you develop and implement.
Project or team you lead.
New idea you must propose and develop.
Recounting your own success stories, with examples.
Recounting an example of a failure and what you learned.
Professionalism/work ethic Accept and demonstrate that good results require hard work, a sense of responsibility, an emphasis on quality, a high level of commitment, and drive.

Exhibit the knowledge/skills, good judgment and attitude, integrity, polite behavior and appropriate dress that are expected from a person in his/her workplace.		 You are on time to class and actively engaged without checking personal devices or doing things unrelated to coursework.
Situations in which you persevered to reach an end goal.
Student presentations in which you give examples of your values, tenacity and commitment to excellence.
Demonstrate commitment to a project, group, team or goal by meeting deadlines, showing up to meetings, doing the work and taking responsibility for your actions.
Teamwork & collaboration Work with others to reach a collective objective by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus.

Work with others to produce or create something.

Demonstrate reliability by following through, with minimal supervision, on group tasks.

Define common goals and reach consensus.		 Group activity in which you must build trust, share ideas and share responsibility for the team’s process, climate and outcomes.
Group projects/presentations that demonstrate how your skills contributed to the overall success of the project.
Tasks required on a study abroad, service learning or internship, in which you must interact with others.

Technical & Information Skills

Transferable Skill LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who demonstrate this skill will be able to... Examples of how students obtain skill through assignments
Information Technology Application Demonstrate knowledge and experience with computer hardware and software.

Select and use appropriate technology to accomplish a given task.

Troubleshoot problems with a particular system.		 Specific software programs you must use to complete projects.
New digital tools and other technologies you must use in projects.
Reports you create that analyze and summarize data.
Assignment in which you analyze an organization’s online presence.
Research Develop and refine search strategies, evaluating sources as to accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.

Persist in gathering information despite challenges.

Respect intellectual property rights.		 Assignments that require you to discuss the benchmarks for evaluating a website.
A challenge to find a well-researched answer to a question that can’t be found on Google, e.g., opinion questions.
Research you must analyze.
​Project that requires data sampling or statistics.  You must discuss how the data reinforced your initial thoughts or sent them in a different direction.