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Ability-Based Curriculum

Alverno's unique emphasis on learning the abilities needed to put knowledge to use -- commonly called "ability-based education" -- has gained national praise.

Since the early 1970s, the Alverno College faculty have been developing and implementing ability-based undergraduate education, redefining education in terms of abilities needed for effectiveness in the worlds of work, family, and civic community. The distinctive feature of an ability-based approach is that we make explicit the expectation that students should be able to do something with what they know.


The specific abilities identified by our faculty as central to our approach to liberal arts and professional education are:

  • Communication
  • Analysis
  • Problem Solving
  • Valuing in Decision-Making
  • Social Interaction
  • Developing A Global Perspective
  • Effective Citizenship
  • Aesthetic Responsiveness

Ability-Based Curriculum

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