It is important for students to keep in mind the purpose of the rationale essay as they are writing it, i.e. to provide justification for how they have designed
and developed their degree program via the knowledge and experience they have acquired towards meeting their educational goals.
“ESC policy states the following: “The rationale essay is the student’s explanation of the purposes, design and significance of her/his individual degree plan.
Most students will develop their rationale early in their degree studies.
Therefore, the rationale should be perceived as a planning (or prospective) document. In the rationale, each student:
• outlines her/his own educational and professional experience, goals and learning needs
• discusses how the proposed degree plan reflects her/his own background and purposes
• discusses how the degree plan reflects the educational expectations of the college (i.e., SUNY General Education Requirements, level and breadth of
learning, and integration and progression of learning)
• discusses how the student’s learning reflects, or may depart from, the Empire State College area of study and concentration guidelines for the degree
• reflects on awareness of external professional expectations, where applicable.
“The rationale essay accompanies and explains the student’s individual degree plan and is a key result of the required study in educational planning.” ( ESC
Degree Program Rationale Policy and Student Degree Planning Guide 2014-2015, p. 24)
Recommended outline for organizing the rationale essay:
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Statement of goals (personal, professional, academic)
2. Discussion of degree plan design
3. Definition or explanation of your degree, especially if your concentration is unusual
II. AREA OF STUDY
Show that you have met the guidelines for your Area of Study as defined in the Student Degree Planning Guide
In this section, the Assessment Committee is seeking to ascertain that you understand the AOS guidelines and that you comprehend the guidelines’
importance in the design of your degree. Therefore, it is vital that you comment briefly on how each component of the guideline was met by specifically
relating relevant course content you have learned to the key aspects of the guideline.
Questions to answer could include:
• Why is the knowledge mentioned in this guideline important to my AOS? What do I know about this guideline? Where did I learn about this (transcriipt, PLA,
ESC)?
• Which courses/studies have I taken/am taking that provide(d) me with the knowledge reflected in the AOS guideline?
• What have I learned in these courses/studies that demonstrate I have gained the knowledge reflected in the AOS guideline?
• How does my prior learning – whether acquired by work/life experience or earlier college courses – equip me with the requisite knowledge and skills
reflected in the AOS guidelines?
III. CONCENTRATION
(Important Note: The NEC has agreed that if the Area of Study and concentration are the same, such as Community and Human Services with a Human
Services concentration, a student can address both in one section of the essay labeled “Area of Study and Concentration Guidelines.”)
In this section, the Assessment Committee is seeking to ascertain that you understand the concentration guidelines and that you comprehend the guidelines’
importance in the design of your degree. Therefore, it is vital that you clearly define your concentration for the Assessment Committee.
Discuss the following:
• If your declared concentration has guidelines in the Student Degree Planning Guide, show how you have met the guidelines for your concentration
• OR: If your declared concentration does not have ESC guidelines, clearly explain your concentration and the core courses/studies you have included to
complete the concentration. In this case, it is recommended that you refer to research you have done that supports the development of your concentration,
e.g. research from other colleges with similar concentrations
• Show the integration or interrelationship of your learning (including PLA) as related to your concentration
Questions to answer could include:
• How do the courses in my concentration fit together into the chosen title? This is especially important if there are no stated guidelines.)
• How do my courses demonstrate foundational and advanced knowledge in the subject?
• How do the courses in the concentration match the other colleges that were researched? OR: Why do the selected courses differ from a “traditional”
concentration?
IV. GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
• Mention that you have met the SUNY General Education Requirements
• Discuss your learning from at least 2 general education studies and how that learning has contributed to your education
V. CONCLUSION
Summarize the main sections discussed above to concisely capture the relevance of degree planning to your overall education