Developing Core Competencies

“Core competencies” are the attitudes and skills that students should develop by the time they graduate from an academic program. They are the qualities that are necessary for success and excellence in any field of service. Too often, Bible colleges neglect to state and define clearly these expected student outcomes. Consequently, students experience an incoherent curriculum, and faculty members struggle to assess the effectiveness of their teaching. Faculty members in Bible colleges can remedy these shortcomings by engaging in an intentional, five-stage process of identifying, defining, and assessing the core competencies of their curriculum. These core competencies will serve as the threads that run through the general education courses, Bible courses, and professional courses, tying them together as a coherent whole.