Media Relations

University Learning Goals

University of Phoenix is dedicated to serving the educational needs of working professionals and their employers. Its innovative adult learning model makes higher education more accessible, efficient and relevant to the real world and recognizes the difference between younger students without experience and working professionals with practical knowledge. Research indicates that adult learners are more likely than their younger counterparts to bring to the classroom organizational and personal experiences that enrich learning and help them process and integrate new knowledge. Additionally, their more complex life roles and responsibilities mean that adults usually have less time and fewer resources to devote to education. The result is that adults expect educational experiences that are focused, challenging and as immediately relevant as they are theoretical. The University therefore maintains small classes (both online and on campus) in order to preserve a highly interactive and personally relevant learning experience, contributing to an atmosphere of knowledge sharing.

In addition, the University of Phoenix places an equal emphasis on both the cognitive and the affective learning domains. This is key to offering a learning environment that is both compelling and effective for adult learners. While cognitive learning is generally understood as the domain of knowledge, facts and information, the affective domain encompasses the realm of values, attitudes and interpersonal skills. The cognitive skills and knowledge required for a field of study lead to solid professional practice grounded in a body of disciplinary knowledge and skills and the less tangible affective domain is central to the motivation and overall success of adult students as they learn how to lead, to follow, to work in groups, to critically think and to problem solve. As a result, University faculty and administrators have established university-wide learning goals that apply to each student in every program at all degree levels and are incorporated into curricula, instruction, and assessment approaches.

Graduates of University of Phoenix will have mastered a specific array of disciplinary knowledge and abilities, and will be able to apply their knowledge immediately in real-world settings. They will demonstrate values and ethics appropriate to their discipline and engage in life-long learning to improve their professional competence and practice.

Graduates of University of Phoenix will reason clearly and critically. They will be problem solvers, able to identify and evaluate problems, utilize critical thinking skills to recommend and select among alternative solutions, implement solutions, and evaluate the consequences.

Graduates of University of Phoenix will communicate verbally and in writing in a clear, concise, and correct manner. They will use proper grammar and punctuation. They will analyze the needs and abilities of their audiences, choose from a variety of communication tools, adjust the content of messages, and deliver their messages accordingly.

Graduates of University of Phoenix will be adept at accessing and utilizing information. They will research issues, gather information from a variety of sources, analyze the plausibility and accuracy of information regardless of source, and utilize information appropriately to address issues or inform action.

Graduates of University of Phoenix will work effectively in diverse groups and teams to achieve tasks. They will be collaborators, able to function well in team settings as both leaders and followers. They will respect human diversity and behave in a tolerant manner toward colleagues and those they serve.

Team Learning

Students complete their degree requirements as part of a Learning Group. A Learning Group is a group of students who progress together from one course to the next in a program of study. Most Learning Groups remain intact throughout the completion of the requirements for the major though some students may join a different group as personal and/or professional needs demand.

Collaboration is one of the core competencies employers expect of leaders and managers. Since the University's founding, the development of skills in collaboration has been an essential element of the teaching/learning model. Collaboration, or "team learning," focuses on the development of students as effective members and leaders of teams. Courses are designed to combine individual and group activity with interaction among students and the instructor. Team learning promotes intellectual and technical knowledge, provides validation and a place to explore new ideas, and enhances valuable skills in teamwork, negotiation, and cooperation.

In addition to meeting in class each week, students meet weekly as part of a smaller Learning Team. Learning Teams meet in person or online to facilitate and reinforce learning, and to complete group assignments and projects. Learning Teams are generally composed of three to six members of the Learning Group and meet for four to five hours per week depending upon the course level.