ePortfolio Graduation Requirement

ePortfolio Graduation Requirement

ePortfolio Student Instruction Manual

What is an ePortfolio?

An ePortfolio is an electronic version of a portfolio built within Canvas that provides a way to connect your knowledge with your professional goals by using course assignments or projects to demonstrate your skills and accomplishments. This also gives the Communication department a way to gauge the learning competencies of our students as they complete their degree in order to make improvements to the program.

Who is required to submit an ePortfolio?

ALL COMM majors are required to submit an ePortfolio. This includes:

General COMM, Media Studies, Digital Filmmaking, all branches of Professional COMM (Leadership, Strategic, and Organizational), Sports COMM and Online COMM majors (COL, COM, and COP).

FAQs and Common Reasons ePortfolios are Rejected

What content is required in my ePortfolio?

All ePortfolios require the following components:

  1. Home Page This section should include:
    • Contact information- email, cell (Optional).  Do not include your physical address.
    • A personal statement of professionalism (i.e., what it means to be a professional in your desired field)
    • A professional picture (headshot/above the shoulders).  You will need to resize your photo (into a "thumbnail") BEFORE adding/uploading it into the HOME page. 
    • An electronic copy of your resume or curriculum vitae (upload a file - do not paste the contents)
  2. Artifacts

Artifacts are specific assignments or projects from your COMM coursework that demonstrate your learning. The artifact requirements vary depending on your track. 

Transfer students may be exempt from artifacts derived from certain lower division courses (1000/2000 level). Substitutions for any artifact will be handled on a case by case basis. Contact Janice Thorpe (jthorpe@uccs.edu) to discuss possible alternatives.

Several of your artifacts will likely come from an assignment in your Capstone course taken in your final semester.  Please submit the specific assignment listed for each course.  Where applicable - presentations should be submitted as .mp4 files to demonstrate Oral Communication competency.

Note: One artifact may demonstrate several objectives. However, each learning objective should be on a separate Canvas page and include a Reflection Essay 

      3.  Reflection Essays

Each artifact requires a corresponding Reflection Essay to help you articulate what you’ve learned and how you learned it. Your reflections should be approximately ½-1 page each and should describe how your artifact demonstrates your competency of that learning objective. Place the Reflection Essay in the Text editor on the same page as your artifact (do not upload a separate file).  If you are submitting a group assignment, be sure to indicate your specific contribution to the assignment as part of your Reflection Essay.

How do I create my ePortfolio?

Access your individual ePortfolio from Canvas by selecting Account ePortfolios-Create an ePortfolio from the Navigation panel. You can begin at any time and add assignments as you complete them.

Downloadable Instruction Manual. 

Video Tutorial

When is my ePortfolio due?

Schedule a Senior Audit appointment and apply for graduation the semester before you plan to graduate.
  1. Shortly after you apply for graduation, you will receive an invitation (via your UCCS email) to self-enroll in the COMM ePortfolio course.
  2. Accept the invitation to the COMM ePortfolio course.
  3. Submit the link to your ePortfolio to COMM ePortfolio on Canvas whenever you have all of the required artifacts, but at least 14 days before graduation. DO NOT submit a link to your own personal website, but follow the instructions to build an ePortfolio within Canvas.
  4. Take a screen shot of the confirmation of your submission.
  5. Forward that image to Janice Thorpe (jthorpe@uccs.edu). Please be sure to put COMM graduation requirement in the subject line.  Once we have verified you have set up and submitted your ePortfolio correctly, we will forward your name to Advising so they can note completion of this requirement on your degree audit.

Be sure you have submitted your ePortfolio by the deadlines below.

  • Fall (2023) semester (December 1)
  • Spring (2024) semester (April 26)

Note: You must complete a Senior Audit and apply for graduation PRIOR TO submitting an ePortfolio.

It may take up to 2 weeks for your ePortfolio submission to be updated in your DARS report. If you do not submit your ePortfolio by the deadline, you will not receive an official transcript until this requirement has been fulfilled. You can still walk in the graduation ceremony, but an official transcript will not be available until you have completed this last step. Please plan accordingly.

How will my ePortfolio be assessed?

All submitted ePortfolios will be assessed once the semester has concluded. The track-specific rubrics below can be used as a guide for the specific criteria for each learning objective and associated competency levels. Assessment of your ePortfolio has no impact on course grade or GPA. We will only use this information to improve our curriculum and instruction.

Rubrics for ePortfolio Evaluation

If you have any questions or concerns about the ePortfolio, your track requirements, or artifacts, please review the FAQs above before contacting Janice Thorpe (jthorpe@uccs.edu).