Competency Based Education - Kaplan University Offers Flexible Education

Kaplan University programs help students acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors needed to be successful in their current and future careers.
We believe that the classroom—onsite, online, or a combination of both—is the environment best suited for students to acquire competencies; it is where they learn, practice applying what they learn, and demonstrate mastery that translates to a work-related setting. Learning is both instructor-led and collaborative with extensive peer-to-peer interaction.
ExcelTrack^TM
ExcelTrack is a personalized, competency-based option available for select programs. It gives you more control—getting you to the same degree faster, for less money.

Kaplan University Competency Report

Beyond a traditional official graded transcript, each student enrolled in a degree program at Kaplan University has access to a Competency Report. The Competency Report shows a student's capacity, demonstrated throughout his or her program, to effectively apply the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors required to execute work-related activities and projects. The graded transcript combined with the Competency Report provides Kaplan University graduates with the tools to convey what they can offer prospective and/or current employers.
Kaplan University Competency Report FAQs
What is the Kaplan University Competency Report?

It is a tool that presents a student's capacity, demonstrated throughout his or her degree program(s) at the University, to effectively apply the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors required to execute work-related activities and projects.
It is visible to each student in the KU Campus student portal at any time during his or her degree program and is available as a printable PDF.

How is the Kaplan University Competency Report useful?

The Competency Report, in combination with an official graded transcript, provides a more complete picture of a student’s academic achievement and how it relates to his or her career.

How is the mastery of learning outcomes measured?

Using scoring rubrics, Kaplan University faculty assess each student's mastery of course-level learning outcomes. These learning outcomes focus on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors a student strives to master upon completion of a course or program.

What is the scale used to show the level of mastery?

The competency scale used with the scoring rubric consists of five levels:
No Progress (0)
Introductory (1)
Emergent (2)
Practiced (3)
Proficient (4)
Mastery (5)
No Progress: Student's work demonstrates no understanding or progress toward achievement of the learning outcome.
Introductory: Student demonstrates rudimentary understanding and minimal progress toward the achievement of the learning outcome.
Emergent: Student's work demonstrates general understanding and some progress toward achievement of the learning outcome.
Practiced: Student's work demonstrates clear understanding and good progress toward achievement of the learning outcome.
Proficient: Student's work demonstrates strong comprehension and sufficient progress toward achievement of the learning outcome.
Mastery: Student's work demonstrates exemplary comprehension and full achievement of the learning outcome.

How do I read the Kaplan University Competency Report?

Sample Competency Report (Click to View in New Window)

A grid containing the scale ranging from Introductory to Mastery appears next to each category of program outcomes listed on the Competency Report. The categories are:
Communication
Leadership and Teamwork
Professionalism and Ethics
Research and Analysis
Disciplinary Knowledge and Skills
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
The blue-colored bar next to each category of program outcomes on the grid represents the level of mastery the student achieved.

How is mastery of learning outcomes related to course grades?

Course grades are comprised of individual assignment grades, which reflect how well a student performs on a variety of criteria such as content knowledge, timeliness, fulfillment of assignment directions, formatting and style, as well as other coursework such as discussion boards, quizzes, and seminar attendance.

By contrast, mastery of learning outcomes is measured solely on the content-specific criteria laid out in the scoring rubric.

While learning outcomes data and course grades are both based on student assignments and coursework, each provides important insight into a student's performance and ability to engage in work-related activities and projects.

Is the Kaplan University Competency Report official?

The information provided in the Kaplan University Competency Report is validated by Kaplan University. Because the information is customized and printed by the student, the Kaplan University Competency Report is always considered an unofficial document.
See Also

Kaplan Commitment

KU Campus Login

Visionary Voices

Center for Disability Services

Kaplan University Libraries

Social Learning Boot Camp

Career Services

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