A website that surveys the core academic requirements of all major public and private universities across the country has listed The University of Toledo as one of 16 “hidden gems” that maintains strong core curriculum requirements.
Whatwilltheylearn.com highlighted UT along with several schools, including Morehouse College, the University of Georgia, James Madison University and Brooklyn College, each for having a strong commitment to seven core subjects: composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural or physical science.
“The University of Toledo is committed to providing graduates of this institution with the broad array of knowledge that is an essential part of succeeding in a global economy,” said Dr. William McMillen, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Whatwilltheylearn.com is focusing on outcomes, and it is our job to ensure that our outcomes are continually meeting the needs of the society our graduates will enter.”
The short UT bio at whatwilltheylearn.com reads, “A research institution doesn’t need to neglect strong undergraduate education, as the University of Toledo illustrates.”
McMillen said a strong core education is where students learn many of the critical thinking, writing and communication skills that span all fields of study. “In addition,” he said, “the Faculty Senate and the faculty are currently reviewing the UT core curriculum as part of our continuous improvement in academics.”
According to its website, whatwilltheylearn.com “does not rank schools, it rates them on objective academic criteria. It grades each school based on the strength of its core curriculum. None of the major ranking systems provides an evaluation of what students are learning. While these rankings look at such issues as the institution’s wealth, reputation, physical facilities, number of PhDs among the faculty, and alumni giving records, no system other than What Will They Learn pays serious attention to the curriculum.”
