University of Kansas College Portrait
University of Kansas1450 Jayhawk Boulevard Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-3911
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- Students
Find out more about the characteristics of students who attend KU.
- Admissions
See how many students applied, accepted, and enrolled at KU. Learn more about students’ high school preparation and test scores.
- College Costs & Financial Aid
Learn about costs to attend KU and how much financial aid is typically awarded.
- College Cost Estimator
Estimate your cost to attend KU in a few simple steps.
- Classes and Campus Life
Learn more about professors, where students live, and campus safety at KU.
- Student Experiences
Discover ways to be actively involved in your education at KU – inside and outside the classroom.
- Majors, Graduation and Next Steps
See which majors are most popular at KU and what recent graduates plan to do after earning their bachelor's degree.
- Student Success & Progress
Discover how many students who start at KU finish their bachelor's degree and how long it takes.
- Student Learning Outcomes
Figure out what learning gains to expect in critical thinking, writing, and other important subjects at KU.
Student Learning at University of Kansas
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
KU is a major research university that emphasizes student learning and effective teaching and sustains a culture that views research and teaching as equally critical to the overall learning environment. KU has used a variety of assessment tools since the mid-1980s to guide the development and enhancement of the undergraduate learning environment. In particular, the general education assessment process has become part of the campus culture. Not only has it provided important campus-wide data on the extent to which undergraduate students meet university-wide general education goals, it has served as the basis for broad conversations about the depth and breadth of general education knowledge that a KU graduate should possess. Other examples of student success measures used at KU include: assessment in the undergraduate major, academic program review, licensure pass rates, graduation and retention rates, and professional accreditation.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
This university is in the process of collecting and analyzing learning outcomes test results.