Writing Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes identify what students will know and be able to do by the end of a course or program. They should be framed as statements that describe significant and essential learning that students can demonstrate and should represent your highest aspirations for your students. Even learning outcomes that seem ineffable or difficult to quantify (frequently seen in arts and humanities disciplines) can usually be assessed by some measure and should be included in program learning outcomes.
This page contains a collection of resources for faculty on how to write program learning outcomes that accurately reflect the primary mission of the program and that are measurable and useful for assessment purposes.
- Creating Learning Outcomes (Stanford)
- Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
- Anderson & Krathwohl–Revision to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
- 11.3.15 Assessment Teaching Talk, Developing Learning Outcomes_PPT
Examples of Outcomes & Assessment Plans
Undergraduate:
- Sample Assessment Report for Undergraduate Program
- U. of Maryland: Examples of Undergraduate Program Outcomes
- Oregon–Undergradute English Assessment Plan
- UC Berkeley: Chemistry Learning Goals
PhD:
- Sample Assessment Report for MA or PhD Program
- U. of Maryland: Women’s Studies Program Goals
- Rutgers: Psychology Learning Goals & Assessment
- Rutgers: Art History Learning Goals & Assessment
- Georgetown: Linguistics Learning Goals
Other Graduate/Graduate Professional Degrees: