Seattle Central Community College
Assessment Matters

From Program Outcomes to Course Outcomes: Examples
Page updated April 19, 2006

Skidmore College, Sarasota Springs, NY
http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/assessment/H_program_to_syllabus.htm

Program outcomes are broad statements of what the students are expected to do, know, or develop as values. Course outcomes should clearly relate to the program outcomes and specifically define what students should be able to do or know upon completion of the course.

Quality Check: Outcomes Statements

The outcome describes a learning result rather than a teaching process.
The outcome describes what the student will be able to demonstrate.
The outcome is measurable.
The outcome is specific.
The outcome addresses no more than a single result (uses no conjunctions!).
The outcome uses action verbs that specify definite, observable behaviors.
The outcome is clear: faculty, students, administrators, and people outside the unit are able to understand it.
The outcome is validated by departmental colleagues.
The outcome is clearly linked to unit goals.
The outcome is reasonable, given the ability of the students.

Examples

A. From a Kinesiology program:

One of the broad program outcomes is:

Students will be able to develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion programs for specific target programs.

One course syllabus translates that broad outcome into specific learning outcomes:

By the end of this course, each student will be able to:

     1.     explain models currently used in health promotion programming;
      2.     conduct a needs assessment;
      3.     develop a program rationale;
      4.     specify how to recruit and select advisory committee members;
      5.     write program goals and objectives;
      6.     create a marketing brochure;
      7.     predict factors that may prevent program success;
      8.     develop methods to evaluate program success.

B. From a Business program:

One of the broad program outcomes is:

Students will understand financial management principles and practices.

One course syllabus translates that broad outcome into specific learning outcomes:

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Analyze and interpret changes in the operating profitability of a firm using the
rate of return on assets and its components, profit margin and total assets turnover.

2. Analyze and interpret changes in the rate of return on common shareholders' equity,
including the conditions when a firm uses financial leverage successfully.

3. Understand the importance of effective working capital management and apply
analytical tools for assessing short-term liquidity risk.

4. Understand the benefits and risks of financial leverage and apply analytical tools for
assessing long-term solvency risk.

C. From a Communications program:

One of the broad program outcomes is:

Students will understand the major developments in the history of communication
technology so that they understand how innovation and institutionalization occur in
different settings.

One course syllabus translates that broad outcome into specific learning outcomes:

1. You will be able to write an analysis comparing, contrasting, and evaluating
different technologies across different cultural contexts.

2. You will be able to summarize the major technological developments in
communication from prehistory to the present.

3. You will write a research paper on the uses, strengths, and weaknesses of one
modern communication technology.

D. From an English literature program:

One of the broad program outcomes is:

Students will be able to analyze literature.

One course syllabus translates that broad outcome into specific learning outcomes:

1. You will be able to explain the themes, symbols, metrics, and other conventions
common to this period of literature.

2. You will be able to describe how the historical and social context of the times
influenced the literature.

3. You will develop a research project that analyzes a work from this period or a
theme exemplified by several authors and works.

E. From a Social Work program:

Note how Social Work has outlined the relationship between their program outcomes and their
individual courses in the example below:

A Social Work program outcome:

Apply critical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice.

How that outcome is applied in Social Work 338, examples:

Students will analyze media coverage for information regarding social problems,
policies, and programs.

Students will describe various programs in public assistance, social insurance, and
social services.

Students will identify the personal, professional and political values that influence policy
formulation, implementation, and evaluation.