Helping students identify the lifelong skills they are developing in your course can support student motivation and provide students with the information they need to identify their strengths and areas of growth. The below sample syllabus statements and templates are intended to help you communicate the skill-building happening in your course. The Career Center website includes information on core competencies, including ways to develop each competency and example behaviors that can help you get clearer about skills students are developing in your courses.
Sample #1
In addition to exploring major questions in this field throughout this course, you will also be developing foundational skills that can benefit you in many different contexts. Each year, the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE), surveys employers nationwide on the skills they seek in candidates today. This course will provide an opportunity for you to strengthen the following skills which were identified in the most recent survey [select the relevant skills]:
- Career & Self-Development: Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.
- Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization both in writing and orally.
- Critical thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.
- Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.
- Leadership: Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
- Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
- Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
- Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.
- Service to Others: With an eye toward justice, continually reflect on what the world needs you to be. Apply your unique talents and skills gained while at Boston College to help address the world’s most urgent problems.
Sample #2
This course is designed to help you build some of the lifelong skills and orientations required to be a responsible global citizen. According to the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE), which surveys employers nationwide on the skills they desire in candidates today, some of these skills are also sought by employers and relevant throughout your career.
In particular, this course will provide you with time to practice [select the relevant skills]:
- Career & Self-Development: Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.
- Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization both in writing and orally.
- Critical thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.
- Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.
- Leadership: Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
- Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
- Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
- Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.
- Service to Others: With an eye toward justice, continually reflect on what the world needs you to be. Apply your unique talents and skills gained while at Boston College to help address the world’s most urgent problems.
Sample #3
Remember one of the benefits you get from this course is not just a designation on your transcript, but a great entry on your resume that will impress graduate schools and employers. How do you do this? Add a “Projects” section to your resume. Document your role (e.g., group leader, etc.) and provide specific, action-oriented, descriptions of what you did and what skills you learned. For more examples of skills employers are looking for and relevant concrete behaviors, see the Career Center’s website. (adapted from Clemente I. Diaz, Baruch College, in Psych Learning Curve)