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General Studies Assessment
MSU Denver conducts regular assessment of the General Studies program to ensure students are achieving the learning outcomes the institution claims in each GS category. Assessment data are used to improve courses, rubrics, instructional strategies, and program policies over time. Faculty teaching General Studies courses are the primary assessors; no external review body evaluates individual student work.
The General Studies program operates on a seven-year assessment and course redesignation cycle. Departments seeking a GS designation agree to participate in assessment at least once per cycle. Contact the Director of General Studies for the current schedule of courses being assessed.
Assessment Process
Assessment Guide
General Studies Assessment: A Step-By-Step Guide for FacultyMSU Denver has developed four-level rubrics (scored 0–4: Not Evident, Introductory, Developing, Advancing, Capstone) for all eight General Studies categories. Rubrics are calibrated annually through faculty norming workshops. Contact the Director of General Studies for the combined rubric document.
Assessment data are aggregated and anonymized — individual student scores are never reported in a way that identifies a specific student. Data are used solely to improve the General Studies program and inform decisions about learning outcomes, rubrics, and course design. Faculty assessment scores are distinct from course grades and are not used to evaluate individual faculty performance.
The Director of General Studies offers a three-workshop sequence each academic year to support faculty participation in assessment:
- Workshop 1 (January): Review of GS program goals and SLOs; faculty identify or refine key assignments aligned with their GS category outcomes.
- Workshop 2 (Mid-semester): Rubric norming session using sample student artifacts; builds inter-rater reliability and clarifies the distinction between GS assessment and regular course grading.
- Workshop 3 (Fall — Reflection): Faculty reconvene to discuss findings, share observations, and identify implications for teaching and course design in the next cycle.
Contact the Director of General Studies
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
General Studies Program
Campus Box 27
P.O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362