1. How to
Organize & Write
Your Rationale Essay

2. Workshop Description
“Rationale: (n.) A statement of reasons.” (OED)
• Your rationale essay is unique. Few, if any, colleges require
such a document from students.
• It is very different than other types of college writing. It is a
personal statement of your goals, the research you’ve
done about related learning opportunities and your
explanation of your degree program.
• Think of it as the cover letter to explain your résumé
(degree plan) and how your experiences (credits) best
meet the requirements of the job (Area of Study
Guidelines and Gen Ed).
• This workshop will help you organize your ideas and begin
writing/refining your rationale essay.

3. Agenda
• THE WHAT, WHEN, and PURPOSE of the Rationale
Essay
• THE HOW – How to Organize the Rationale Essay
• Rationale Essay Resources and Academic Support
• Questions?

4. What is a rationale essay?
• An essay that describes, explains and justifies your degree
plan.
• An important part of your degree program portfolio that will
be read by your mentor and three faculty members.
• A description of how your degree program fits the academic
and professional expectations in your field of study.
• Usually 5 – 8 pages long.

5. What is the purpose of the rationale
essay?
• To explain the reasons for the design of your degree plan.
• To show that you can effectively communicate to others that
you understand the design of your degree plan.
• To explain why you think your degree program will provide
you with a sound educational experience.
• To show how your degree plan will help you meet your
educational and professional goals.

6. Purpose of rationale continued...
• To show that you have understood and met the Area of Study
guidelines.
• To show that you have understood and met the
Concentration guidelines.
• To demonstrate that your degree program has depth and
breadth.
• To explain any concerns your degree plan might raise (i.e.
overlap).

7. When do you write
your rationale essay?
• The last assignment of Educational Planning.
• When you have completed your degree plan.

8. How to Organize Your Rationale
• Introduction – a statement of your goals, degree plan.
• 3 most important sections:
1. Area of Study Guidelines
2. Concentration Guidelines
3. General Learning
• Conclusion – a summary of your learning experience
and its value to you and your goals.
Label the sections clearly in your essay.
Your essay should be well organized and
easy to read.

9. I - Introduction
It’s appropriate to describe in your introduction:
• The Area of Study and Concentration your degree
represents.
• Your personal, professional and academic goals.
• The research you’ve done to develop your degree
plan.

10. What does “research” mean?
Research includes any resources you consulted to help
you create your degree:
• Your mentor, other faculty members in relevant
areas of study, the AOS guidelines.
• Other college curriculums/catalogs.
• Experts in the field, current and future employers,
professional organizations, journals, graduate
school admission offices, etc.

11. II - Area of Study Guidelines
• Using your Student Degree Planning Guide show how you
met each component of your area of study.
• Don’t just make a list, but briefly describe how you’ve
met each component with a specific study, prior learning
assessments, or credit by examination.

12. III - Concentration Guidelines
• Again using the Student Degree Planning Guide
discuss how your degree meets the concentration
guidelines: the skills and knowledge someone with
your degree should have.
• Specifically point out what courses or PLAs meet the
various components of the guidelines. If you are
currently working in the field, you may refer to your
job, but be careful not to simply describe what you
do.

13. III - Concentration guidelines
continued
• If there are no concentration guidelines for your
concentration, you must clearly explain what skills
and knowledge someone in this field should possess
and point out how your degree plan will allow you to
develop them.
• You may want to point out the progression of your
learning in your concentration.

14. What is “depth?”
• Depth refers mostly to your concentration and the
upper level studies you’ve taken that have helped
you develop a deeper understanding of your subject
area.
• You might point out that you developed a good
foundation with lower level studies and went on (or
plan to) take more advanced studies to increase your
knowledge.

15. IV - General Learning (General
Education Requirements)
• Point out that you have met the general education
requirements.
• Point out the depth and breadth of learning in your
degree.
• Make a statement about why you find it valuable to
be broadly educated.

16. What is “breadth?”
• Breadth refers to the how many different kinds of
studies are represented on your degree plan: it shows
how broadly educated you will be as a result of your
degree.
• In your discussion of breadth, you should mention that
you’ve met the General Education Requirements.

17. Breadth continued…
• Refer the reader to the General Education chart you
will have attached to your rationale.
• In your discussion of breadth include how and why
the studies outside your concentration are valuable
to you.

18. V -Conclusion
• In your concluding paragraph you might reflect on
the meaning/value your education and this degree
has for you.

19. A good outline for your rationale:
Introduction and Discussion of Degree Plan Design
- statement of degree (AOS & concentration)
- statement of goals
- definition/explanation of your degree plan
- research
Area of Study
- demonstrate that you understand guidelines
- show how you will meet each component
Concentration
- demonstrate that you understand guidelines
- show how you will meet each component
General Learning
- Point out progression of learning (foundation through advanced level)
- Point out integration of learning ( how your general learning and
concentration are interrelated)
- Point out that the Gen Ed requirements have been met
Conclusion
- Reflections on your education and attaining your degree

20. Reminder: What must the rationale
essay include?
• A statement of your • Explanation how you met
academic, career (and your Concentration
personal) goals. guidelines
• Description of your program • Discussion of the depth and
of study (AOS and breadth of your degree
concentration) • The general education
• Your research requirements and the
• Explanation of how you met importance of general
the AOS guidelines learning in your degree

21. Important considerations
• Make sure you answer any questions in your essay that
might come up, such as why some credit that should be
clearly present (i.e. to meet an AOS Guideline) in your
degree plan might be embedded in a course or prior
learning.
• If you have an unusual degree for which there are no
concentration guidelines in The Student Planning Guide,
the burden is on you to make sure the committee
understands your degree.

22. Important considerations
continued…
• If it appears that there might be possible overlap
between studies or PLA, make sure you explain.
• Make sure you talk a bit about how your
concentration and general learning are integrated:
how do some of the courses on the right side of your
degree support your concentration.

23. REMBEMBER TO CHECK…
• The essay must be an accurate reflection of your
degree plan. Check to make sure that the degree
title matches, that all the courses or PLA topics you
mention in the essay are in fact on your degree
plan.
• Most rationales are 5-8 pages.

24. Some rational rationale advice
• Expect to write several drafts of the essay—so
give yourself the necessary time.
• Double check that the titles of degree and
courses match your degree plan.
• Use headings for the various sections of your
essay.
• Make sure you have your name on the essay
and number the pages.
• It helps to date your drafts!

25. Some rational rationale advice continued…
• It’s important that your essay is well-written and
carefully proofread. In part you are
demonstrating the quality of your thinking and
writing (thus your education) in this essay.
• Your mentor must read and approve your essay
before it is submitted to the Assessment Office.

26. What happens with the rationale essay
during the review process?
• Three faculty review your degree plan and
supporting materials; they carefully read your essay
and refer to your rationale during the portfolio
discussion for answers that may arise during the
review.
• Your rationale therefore needs to be clearly written,
in terms that faculty outside of your particular field
of study will understand.

27. Read the helpful
information about
rationales in your
Degree Planning Guide
http://www.esc.edu/aos