What Are Learning Outcomes?

Learning outcomes are statements that describe what a student should know, understand or be able to do after completing a course, module or program. They shift the focus from what the instructor covers to what the student can demonstrate, and they are now a standard part of syllabi, program descriptions and quality reviews in many countries.

What they look like

Outcomes usually begin with an action verb that can be assessed. Examples:

• Explain the main causes of the French Revolution using primary sources.
• Solve systems of linear equations using matrices.
• Critique a research study's design and conclusions.
• Prepare a balance sheet in accordance with standard accounting principles.

Vague words such as "understand" or "appreciate" are often replaced by measurable ones such as "analyze," "compare" or "design." Many frameworks arrange verbs by level of thinking, from remembering and understanding to applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating.

Course and program levels

A course has its own outcomes, and a program has broader ones that the courses build toward. A nursing program might include outcomes about clinical judgment and ethical practice, and each course contributes to them. Accreditation bodies often require programs to show that students achieve these outcomes.

How to use them as a student

• Read them at the start of each course to understand its goals.
• Match them to assessments, noting which outcome each assignment or exam tests.
• Use them as a study checklist, asking whether you can do what each one describes.
• Turn them into practice questions.
• Cite them in applications and interviews, since they describe skills you have built.

Why they matter to instructors

Outcomes guide the design of lessons, assignments and grading rubrics so that teaching and assessment line up. They also help students and employers understand what a qualification means.

Related terms

See syllabus, capstone, module and transcript.