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The Quest curriculum is informed by the following four general purposes: Personal and Intellectual Development Social and Civic Engagement Preparation for Further Learning Employability By encouraging the personal and intellectual development of its students, Quest University Canada aims to prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. We hope to educate engaged, creative and thoughtful leaders and foster skills leading to rewarding careers or advanced studies upon graduation. To that end, we have designed the curriculum with the following learning outcomes in mind. These outcomes serve as benchmarks by which to measure student success, inform our own self-assessment, and guide our efforts to continually improve the Quest program of study. Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the ability to develop a sequence of arguments using linguistic, rhetorical, logical, mathematical and other tools; to evaluate the work of others; to apply creativity, analogy, knowledge, modeling, and judgment to solve problems; and to reflect upon one's performance and the steps needed to improve on it. Quest graduates should be able to: evaluate texts and other works of the imagination analyze problems and contexts by breaking them down into their constituent parts, revealing elements, meanings, and relationships marshal evidence and develop arguments that build towards a thesis devise solutions (when appropriate, unique and creative ones) to complex problems, blending knowledge, judgment and imagination in the process apply quantitative reasoning skills where appropriate. Communication Communication is the successful exchange of ideas and information. Quest graduates should be able to transmit thoughts using a variety of different media with consideration of their audiences; to listen to others with respect and discernment; and to facilitate effective dialogue. In particular, they should be able to: identify excellence in writing and compose good English prose, as well as express themselves in various disciplinary settings and genres effectively present their ideas orally to peers and more general audiences use visual media such as physical models or technologies to aid comprehension listen effectively in one-on-one or larger group discussions operate well in teams, building consensus or facilitating options among members of a group recognize and treat with sensitivity gender and cultural differences. Integration/Breadth Issues in the complex modern world demand the ability to think and work with many distinct methods, and to make connections across disciplinary boundaries. Quest graduates should be able to: operate with the tools and approaches of a diversity of disciplines, including the arts/humanities, social sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, and mathematics form and articulate connections between disciplines, phenomena, cultures, and societies bring a variety of perspectives to bear on a single problem incorporate experiential learning into their outlooks and decision-making understand and implement the processes of teambuilding, and the role of leadership understand the effect of human activity on the natural environment and recognize the implications of our place in it. International Perspectives We are increasingly a global community; good world citizens should respect, understand, and be able to work with communities different from their own. Quest graduates should be able to: identify and work with the central ideas and practices of at least one culture or social group different from their own gain familiarity with a non-native language understand the importance of deliberation in the conduct of democracy identify and articulate their civic rights and commitments. Research In a world characterized by the unprecedented availability of information, good research implies the ability to find what is relevant and assess its reliability, and to process data to reach meaningful conclusions. Quest graduates should be able to: use available search mechanisms (such as online databases) to find relevant data, opinion, or other scholarly work on a subject make informed judgments concerning the value of sources synthesize acquired information, for example by writing a review paper, leading a seminar discussion or preparing a lecture on the subject identify areas of uncertainty or unexplored questions that could lead to fruitful lines of inquiry recognize different approaches to inquiry in different disciplines, and plan and execute investigations within and across disciplinary boundaries. Ethics The process of articulating beliefs and values, and making responsible decisions in a reasoned manner – in short, living the examined life - is at the heart of a sound education. Quest graduates should be able to: give an account of their ethical principles analyze and discuss their own and others' ethical practices, applying critical thinking skills use ethical principles and processes as a basis for action on global and local issues act with academic integrity, follow the Quest honour principle and justify their academic decisions. |
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