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Transferable Skills for the 21st Century

UHD’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a five year effort tied to accreditation that focuses on helping students build four real world skills they can use in any major and any job.

Our QEP, Beyond the Bayou: Transferable Skills for the 21st Century, emphasizes preparing students with skills that go with them wherever they go—beyond the classroom, beyond campus, and beyond the bayou.

Discover Beyond the Bayou

Beyond The Bayou

Build Your Future with Skills Employers Value

The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a key component of UHD’s reaffirmation process, but it’s not just about fulfilling a requirement–it’s about asking big questions, listening closely, and identifying where we can make a real difference.

These modules will help students master important competencies employers are looking for, including:

  • Technology
  • Professionalism
  • Decision Making
  • Communication

These skills are critical for any role and help graduates adapt to an evolving workplace.

Each transferable skill is free of charge, self-paced, and, upon completion, you earn a microcredential in that skill and a digital badge to add to your LinkedIn profile, resume, and other digital platforms.

 

The Four Transferable Skills

The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a key component of UHD’s reaffirmation process, but it’s not just about fulfilling a requirement–it’s about asking big questions, listening closely, and identifying where we can make a real difference.

These modules will help students master important competencies employers are looking for, including:

communication badge

Our graduates are prepared to exchange information, ideas, facts and perspectives effectively and ethically with a variety of audiences. Examples include:

  • Asking appropriate questions for specific information from supervisors, specialists, and others
  • Employing active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills
decision making badge

Our graduates are prepared to lead in informed and ethical decision-making by accurately identifying a problem, gathering and analyzing information, considering multiple courses of action, and evaluating the effectiveness of their chosen path for continued learning and improvement. Examples include:

  • Problem solving, critical thinking, analytical reasoning
  • Creativity, collaboration, logical reasoning

Our graduates are prepared to meet all of the discipline-based and ethical standards of their vocation in serving the interest of humankind. Examples include: 

  • Maintaining a positive personal brand in alignment with organization and personal career values
  • Demonstrating dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings)

Our graduates are prepared to leverage technologies effectively and ethically to deepen understanding, enhance efficiency, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. Examples include:

  • Quickly adapting to new or unfamiliar technologies
  • Navigating change and being open to learning new technologies

Starting with a Simple Question: What Matters Most?

We asked our campus community what really matters for student learning and success right now. That kicked off conversations, surveys, committees, and feedback loops across the university.

Please click the title to open section below:

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About SACSCOC Accreditation

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
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UHD Accreditation

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
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Office of Institutional Effectiveness

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness at UHD supports continuous improvement by leading assessment, accreditation, and strategic planning efforts.
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Compliance Assist

UHD Compliance Assist is the university’s platform for managing assessment, planning, and accreditation processes.
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Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern U.S.
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University Catalogs

The UHD University Catalogs provide detailed information on academic programs, course descriptions, degree requirements, policies, and procedures.
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University Academic Affairs Policies

University Academic Affairs Policies at UHD provide guidance on academic standards, curriculum development, faculty responsibilities, and student success initiatives. 
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Student Achievement

An integral part of the University of Houston-Downtown's (UHD) mission is to enhance student retention and graduation and the University closely monitors student progress. 

Steering Committee, Agenda, and Minutes

Name Role
Paul Fulbright Faculty Representative, Marilyn Davies College of Business
Travis Crone Faculty Representative, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dana Smith Faculty Representative, College of Public Service
Cesar Garza Faculty Representative, College of Science and Technology
Sam Weehunt Library Representative, University Library
Dr. David Ryden AVP for Programming and Curriculum
Dr. Tammis Thomas First Year Seminar Director
Dr. Poonam Gulati Executive Director, Impact Learning Office
Dr. Wendy Burns-Ardolino Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr. Tim Redl Department of Mathematics (Co-Chair)
Matthew Montemayor Director, Planning, Assessment. & Evaluation, Student Success and Student Life
Min kyung Lee Director, Institutional Data Analytics
Michael Connelly Assistant Vice President for Advising and Student Progression
Dr. Sedef Smith Executive Director, Assessment & Accreditation, Institutional Effectiveness
Stefany Records Business Affairs Representative (Co-Chair)
Hayden Bergman Marketing and Communication Representative
Max Perez Student Government Association Representative
Derrick Small GPSA President

Date Agenda Minutes
December 19, 2023 Meeting Agenda Minutes
January 12, 2024 Meeting Agenda Minutes
January 26, 2024 Meeting Agenda Minutes
February 12, 2024 Meeting Agenda Minutes
February 23, 2024 Meeting Agenda Minutes
March 1, 2024 Meeting Agenda Minutes