Course Learning Outcomes

Course learning outcomes (CLOs) are concise, measurable statements about the intended learning in a course – what students will know, be able to do and/or what attitudes they will hold by the end of the course – and how that learning will be evaluated.

Clearly defined course learning outcomes can make designing a course, assessing student learning progress, and facilitating learning activities more effective. Best practice recommends courses have no more than three to five actionable and measurable course learning outcomes. The New York State Education Department requires that course learning outcomes are included on all course syllabi.

Why write course learning outcomes?

Course learning outcomes structure the learning in a course, and guide the planning and delivery of instruction. CLOs also enable students to focus their attention on the essential learning in a course, set priorities, complete on-target work, and evaluate their own learning progress.

Benefits for Course Instructors

Clearly defined course learning outcomes allow instructors to:

  • Measure student learning accurately and efficiently
  • Design assessments that enable all students to demonstrate their learning
  • Align teaching and learning activities with student learning, including the knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes relevant to the course
  • Plan and update course content

Benefits for Students

Clearly defined course learning outcomes allow students to:

  • Determine if the course is a good fit for their academic trajectory
  • Identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes they are learning
  • Identify what they need to do to be successful in the course
  • Monitor their own learning progress

What are course learning outcomes?

Course learning outcomes provide a concrete framework for developing course-specific knowledge, skills and/or attitudes; they are measurable expectations of what students will be able to do as a result of successful learning in a course. As such, CLOs are actionable, directly measurable, and appropriately scoped.

Actionable

Course learning outcomes focus on what students will be able to do as a result of successful learning in the course and describe how students will demonstrate that learning. Students can demonstrate learning related to new skills, knowledge or attitudes acquired during the course or demonstrate the mastery of previously learned skills, knowledge and attitudes practiced and honed during the course. For example:

“You will be able to support a philosophical argument using secondary literature” describes the development of a new skill – requires students to perform a specific action or series of actions related to supporting an argument.

“You will be able to assess and respond to patient/client concerns with cultural awareness and emotional intelligence” – refers to the mastery of a set of skills or behaviors that constitute cultural awareness and emotional intelligence.

“You will be able to analyze real-world problems and design viable solutions using quantum optical theories and principles” – requires students to apply specialized knowledge in an advanced way.

Directly Measurable

Course learning outcomes describe actions that are directly measurable and observable. Whether the action is related to the acquisition and application of knowledge or the development of skills and attitudes, it needs to be measurable as a learning artifact (e.g. an exam, paper, experiment, project) or observed behavior (e.g. role play, clinical rotation, simulation). For example:

“You will be able to support a philosophical argument using secondary literature” – students can demonstrate their learning in a directly measurable and observable way by writing a paper or giving a presentation in class.

“You will be able to assess and respond to patient/client concerns with cultural awareness and emotional intelligence” – students can demonstrate their learning in a directly measurable and observable way through a simulation or role play.

“You will be able to analyze real-world problems and design viable solutions using quantum optical theories and principles” – students can demonstrate their learning in a directly measurable and observable way through a semester-long research project or weekly problem sets.

Appropriately Scoped

Course learning outcomes communicate the level or degree of mastery and scope of the knowledge, skill or attitude being learned. Defining the scope of learning establishes shared expectations among students and the instructor about the boundaries of the learning, the degree of mastery, and the criteria for success. In these examples, each phrase limits and more clearly defines the scope of the intended learning:

  • “Using secondary literature”
  • “With cultural awareness and emotional intelligence”
  • “Using quantum optical theories and principles”

How to Write Course Learning Outcomes

Course learning outcomes should always include a(n):

Putting all of these elements together should looks something like this: write (action) student learning outcomes (object) that are measurable and appropriately scoped (scoping condition).

Action

The action of a course learning outcome describes what students will do to demonstrate their learning. Clearly defined CLOs use action verbs that are specific and unambiguous. For example, “analyze” and “evaluate” are less useful action verbs for course learning outcomes because they are too general and ambiguous; they have different meanings in different contexts and disciplines and often involve several actions and steps. More useful action verbs would be “illustrate,” “categorize,” “determine” or “justify”.

CLO actions directly translate into assignments and assessments of student learning, so it is important that the action can be measured or observed. Verbs such as “know”, “understand” or “appreciate” describe actions that cannot be observed or measured directly, making them less useful for course learning outcomes. More useful verbs focus on how learners will apply their knowing, understanding and attitudes.

Example action verbs:

  • Applying knowledge: outline, define, identify, label, describe, explain, restate, summarize, contrast, categorize, illustrate, simplify, associate
  • Developing a skill or attitude: perform, produce, design, build, compose, derive, modify, develop, defend, justify, determine, argue, integrate, respond

More comprehensive lists of action verbs are available organized by Bloom’s Taxonomy and Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning.

Object

The object of a course learning outcome is the course-specific learning and content on which the action operates. The action identifies how the learning will be demonstrated, and the object defines and details the learning itself.

For example, calculus students demonstrate their learning by “solving” (action). The object explains what they are solving as a result of learning in this course, i.e. “ordinary and partial differential equations” (object).

Scoping Condition

The scoping condition of a course learning outcome provides detail about the action by providing conditions or context in which the learning will be demonstrated. Considerations for identifying the scoping condition include:

  • Equipment, tools or resources required to perform the action, such as using a specified software application, laboratory device or technical tool
  • Situation or environment in which the action will be performed, such as a clinical setting or during a performance
  • Format or modality in which the action will be performed or documented, such as written text, video or audio recording, graphic, or slide presentation

The scoping condition may also provide information about degree or criterion for acceptable demonstration of the action. The specificity of the degree will vary and should be consistent with both the level of course and real-world professional standards. For example:

  • With 90 percent accuracy
  • Within 10 minutes
  • Obtain a valid solution
  • In a 100-word paragraph
  • Suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal

Best Practices

Clearly defined course learning outcomes are:

  • Limited in number: there are only three to five course learning outcomes
  • Action-oriented: focused on what students can do
  • Learner-centered: use second person pronouns (‘you’) and are jargon free
  • Time-bound: contain framing language such as “by the end of the semester” or “after completing this course”
  • Aligned with the level and significant learning domain of the course
  • Directly measurable: the action or learning can be observed
  • Scoped or limited in application and/or degree of mastery of the articulated action

Example Course Learning Outcomes

Performing arts: You will be able to demonstrate (action) the accuracy, intonation and expressive control of your instrument (object) required for artistic self-expression in a solo performance (scope).

Humanities: You will be able to conduct (action) formal and informal logical analysis (object) of contemporary moral issues (scope).

Social science: You will be able to predict (action) the responses of a macroeconomy (object) to external shocks, and fiscal and monetary policies (scope).

Natural science: You will be able to calculate (action) Fourier series representing periodic functions (object) to obtain a valid solution (scope).

Engineering: You will be able to perform (action) a First Law analysis (object) on arbitrary stead flow systems and time-dependent open and closed systems (scope).

Medicine: You will be able to distinguish (action) between relevant and irrelevant assessment findings (object) to minimize pathologies and manage pharmacotherapeutics to promote optimal patient outcomes (scope).

References

Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., & Bloom, B. S. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing : a revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives (Complete ed.). Longman.

Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: an integrated approach to designing college courses (Rev. and updated ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Lovett, M. C., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Ambrose, S. A., & Norman, M. K. (2023). How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching (Second edition). Wiley.

Walvoord, B. E. (2010). Assessment Clear and Simple: A Practical Guide for Institutions, Departments, and General Education (2nd Edition). Jossey-Bass.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd edition.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.