Writing Course Objectives
WRITING EFFECTIVE COURSE OBJECTIVES?
Clear and measurable course objectives provide the foundation for designing meaningful assessments and learning activities. According to the principles of backward design, instructors should begin by identifying what students should achieve by the end of the course. These broad outcomes then guide the development of aligned assessments and instructional strategies.
WHAT ARE COURSE OBJECTIVES?
Course objectives are general statements about the overarching aims and what learners are expected to achieve at the end of the course. Their roles are to:
- Reflect major course goals and disciplinary expectations.
- Serve as a roadmap for assessments and content planning.
- Guide the development of more specific module or lesson-level learning objectives
BEST PRACTICES FOR WRITING COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Start with the end in mind
Identify what students should achieve by the end of the course (knowledge, skills, attitudes) - Use measurable action verbs
Avoid vague verbs like “understand” or “know.” Instead, use action verbs that clearly indicate observable knowledge or skills like “explain,” “evaluate” or “design.” - Align with assessment
Each course objective should be assessable through one or more assignments, projects, or exams. - Focus on student outcomes: Write objective from the learner’ perspectives, “What will students be able to do?”
- Incorporate a range of cognitive skills: Use Bloom’s Taxonomy from remembering to creating.
EXAMPLES OF COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course,
| Poorly Written Objective | Well Written Objective |
|---|---|
| Students will be able to learn the programming language Python. | Students will be able to use Python to complete a data mining analysis. |
| Students will be able to know the elements from the periodic table. | Students will be able to identify elements from the periodic table based on their symbols. |
| Students will be able to apply one of the many theories of social psychology to real-world situations. | Students will be able to apply theories of social psychology to analyze real-world situations. |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolina, Charlotte. (2025, July 15). Writing measurable course objectives.
Writing Measurable Course Objectives
Office of Analytics & Institutional Effectiveness, Virginia Tech. (2025, July 15). What is the Difference Between Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes?
REFERENCES
- Allen, D. I., & White, R. T. (1980). Learning objectives and teaching strategies. Canadian Journal of Education, 5(2): 23-42.
- Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning, University of Illinois. (2025, July 15). Big Picture Planning. https://citl.illinois.edu/citl-101/online-strategy-development/develop-or-revise-an-online-course/online-course-in-a-box/designing-your-course/bigpicture/defining-the-goal
- Harden, R.M. (2002). Learning outcomes and instructional objectives: Is there a difference? Medical Teacher, 24(2): 151-155.
- Honebein, P. C., & Honebein, C. H. (2015). Effectiveness, efficiency, and appeal: Pick any two? The influence of learning domains and learning outcomes on designer judgments of useful instructional methods. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63(6): 937-955.
- Kennedy, D. (2006). Writing and using learning outcomes: A practical guide. Cork, University College Cork.
- Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4): 212-218. Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education. New York, NY: Routledge.