The University of Texas at Arlington

Component Area Objectives

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has identified a list of core objectives listed below. All courses in the core are expected to meet several of these objectives depending on the component area the course is in. Core courses must address all the learning objectives required for that component area. For example a core course in the Mathematics component area must address Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, and Empirical & Quantitative Skills. 

Component Area	Required Core Objectives
Communication	Critical Thinking; Communication; Teamwork; Personal Responsibility
American History	Critical Thinking; Communication; Social Responsibility; Personal Responsibility
Government/Political Science	Critical Thinking; Communication; Social Responsibility; Personal Responsibility
Mathematics	Critical Thinking;  Communication; Empirical & Quantitative Skills
Life & Physical Sciences	Critical Thinking; Communication; Empirical &  Quantitative Skills; Teamwork
Social/Behavioral Sciences	Critical Thinking; Communication; Empirical & Quantitative Skills; Social Responsibility
Creative Arts	Critical Thinking; Communication; Teamwork; Social Responsibility
Language, Philosophy & Culture	Critical Thinking; Communication; Social Responsibility; Personal Responsibility
Local Options
Mathematics	Critical Thinking; Communication; Empirical & Quantitative Skills
Component Area Option (any course approved for a Foundation Area – no course may be used to fulfill more than one Area)	Core Objectives for selected Area
TOTAL

Core Objective Definitions

Critical Thinking Skills
Includes creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.

• Must be addressed in all core curriculum courses regardless of component area.

Communication Skills
Includes effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication. 

• Must be addressed in all core curriculum courses regardless of component area.

Empirical and Quantitative Skills
Includes the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Must be addressed in core courses in the following component areas:

• Mathematics
• Life and Physical Sciences
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Component Area Option of Mathematics and Logic

Teamwork
Includes the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
Must be addressed in core courses in the following component areas:

• Life and Physical Sciences
• Creative Arts
• Communication

Personal Responsibility
Includes the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Must be addressed in core courses in the following component areas:

• Communication
• Language, Philosophy and Culture
• American History
• Government/Political Science

Social Responsibility
Includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.
Must be addressed in core courses in the following component areas:

• Language, Philosophy and Culture
• Creative Arts
• American History
• Government/Political Science
• Social and Behavioral Sciences