University of Nebraska-Lincoln College Portrait

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Students
Find out more about the characteristics of students who attend UNL.
Admissions
See how many students applied, accepted, and enrolled at UNL. Learn more about students’ high school preparation and test scores.
College Costs & Financial Aid
Learn about costs to attend UNL and how much financial aid is typically awarded.
College Cost Estimator
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Classes and Campus Life
Learn more about professors, where students live, and campus safety at UNL.
Student Experiences
Discover ways to be actively involved in your education at UNL – inside and outside the classroom.
Majors, Graduation and Next Steps
See which majors are most popular at UNL and what recent graduates plan to do after earning their bachelor's degree.
Student Success & Progress
Discover how many students who start at UNL 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 UNL.

Student Learning at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a major research institution that places extraordinary emphasis on undergraduate learning and teaching. Our investment in undergraduate education reflects a core value: Learning that prepares students for lifetime success and leadership. This institutional commitment is realized through a three-stage process of outcomes assessment occurring at the institutional, college and program level. These three stages are: 1) Determining what the desired student learning outcomes are; 2) Identifying the best measures for determining whether these outcomes have been realized; and 3) Using the results of these measures to either confirm or improve instructional and curricular practice. The adoption of learning outcomes is seen as central to academic program quality and we have boldly adopted an outcomes-based approach to our new general education program, Achievement-Centered Education (ACE). In short, we fully understand that learning is the aim of all teaching and that identifying and verifying learning outcomes is an index of quality teaching. Our efforts to develop appropriate assessment programs will be and should be a continuous work in progress.

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.

2010 - 11 Results from the College Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP)

The Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) measures critical thinking and written communication using two test modules -- critical thinking and a writing essay. The critical thinking and writing scores are reported separately below.

Test Administration Process

Test Information

Critical Thinking Results for First-time, Full-time Students

The increase in learning on the performance task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.

Freshman Score: 62
Senior Score: 65
CAAP score range: 40 to 80

Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 24
Senior Score: 24

Writing Essay Results for First-time, Full-time Students