Program outcomes are the knowledge, skills, and abilities

students should possess when they graduate from a program.

They are answers to the question, "What should program
graduates know and be able to do at the time of program
completion?"
When thinking about program outcomes, it might be helpful to
consider where program graduates should be within three to five
years of graduation. Should they be practitioners in the profession
of the discipline? Should they have entered the work force
prepared for entry-level jobs? Should they be in a graduate or
professional degree program? Should they have passed a
licensure or certification exam in the field? The answers to
questions such as these can help program faculty focus on the
knowledge, skills, and abilities that will best prepare students for
their next educational or professional endeavors.

Guidelines for writing

program outcomes
1. A program outcome must flow directly from, and support,
the college and division/school/department mission. The
connection between the mission and the outcome should be
clear.
2. A program outcome must be directly related to the
academic discipline of the program. Focus on program
outcomes that reflect the specific knowledge and skills you
expect students to acquire as part of their educational
experience in the program. Avoid program outcomes that are
more related to the general education component of an
education. Writing and critical thinking, for example, are
important educational outcomes, but it is unlikely that your
 program can demonstrate that your graduates acquired their
writing or critical thinking skills through their coursework in
the program. You may, however, incorporate writing and
critical thinking into program outcomes directly linked to the
academic discipline of the program. Consider these
examples:
1. General: Graduates of the Criminal Justice program will
be critical thinkers.
2. Program-specific: Graduates of the Criminal Justice
program will analyze a current issue in criminal justice,
evaluate evidence, and construct an argument.
3. A program outcome must be observable and measurable.
Write outcomes that are focused on demonstrable behaviors
rather than what students know, think, understand,
appreciate, etc. What someone knows, thinks, understands,
or appreciates is invisible and cannot be directly measured.
It is impossible to measure an invisible mental quality like a
student's knowledge or understanding. It is possible to
measure how well a student solves a problem, presents an
argument, or gives a dance performance.
1. Not observable: Graduates of the BA program will think
critically.
2. Observable: Graduates of the BA program will interpret,
analyze, evaluate and construct arguments.
4. A program outcome must be focused on learning
outcomes rather than curricular inputs. Be sure to focus
on the knowledge and skills that program graduates should
possess. Resist the temptation to write outcomes about
curricular inputs, department resources, faculty
characteristics, or instructional methods. Program outcomes
are related to demonstrated behaviors of the students who
graduate -- not characteristics of the program or its faculty.
1. Input focused: Program faculty will improve their
content knowledge through participation in professional
development activities.
 2. Input focused: All department labs will be equipped with
state-of-the-art instruments.
3. Outcome focused: Graduates of the Art History
program will analyze the religious and political
influences on 18th century European artists.
5. A program outcome must communicate a single outcome
rather than combine multiple outcomes into a single
statement.
1. Multiple outcomes: Graduates of the psychology
program will be lifelong learners who understand the
concepts of psychology and can apply those concepts
to the design and application of real research problems.
2. Single outcome: Graduates of the psychology program
will be able to design a research study.

We have collected examples of program outcomes from a variety

of academic disciplines. The outcomes presented were collected
from the web sites of institutions throughout the U.S. and from
ASU departments. In some cases, the examples have been
revised to make them consistent with the guidelines presented on
this page. The presence of an outcome on this site does mean
that we consider the outcome to be appropriate for your program.
The examples are intended only to provide you with some ideas
as you develop your own outcomes.

What are learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes are descriptions of the specific knowledge, skills, or
expertise that the learner will get from a learning activity, such as a
training session, seminar, course, or program.

Learning outcomes are measurable achievements that the learner will

be able to understand after the learning is complete, which helps
learners understand the importance of the information and what they
will gain from their engagement with the learning activity.

Creating clear, actionable learning outcomes is an important part of

the creation of training programs in organizations. When developing
these programs, both management and instructors need to be clear
about what learners should understand after completing their learning
path.

Learning outcomes also play a key role in assessment and evaluation,

making clear what knowledge learners should have upon completion
of the learning activity.

A well-written learning outcome will focus on how the learner will be

able to apply their new knowledge in a real-world context, rather than
on a learner being able to recite information.

The most useful learning outcomes include a verb that describes an

observable action, a description of what the learner will be able to do
and under which conditions they will be able to do it, and
the performance level they should be able to reach.

5 types of learning outcomes

1. Intellectual skills
With this type of learning outcome, the learner will understand
concepts, rules or procedures. Put simply, this is understanding how
to do something.

2. Cognitive strategy
In this type of learning outcome, the learner uses personal strategies
to think, organize, learn and behave.
3. Verbal information
This type of learning outcome is when the learner is able to definitively
state what they have learned from an organized body of knowledge.

4. Motor skills
This category is concerned with the physical ability to perform actions,
achieving fluidity, smoothness or proper timing through practice.

5. Attitude
This is the internal state that reflects in the learner’s behavior. It is
complex to quantify but can be shown in the learner’s response to
people or situations.

Learning outcomes vs learning

objectives: what is the difference?
You will often see learning outcomes and learning objectives used
interchangeably, but they are different. The following concepts and
examples will show how learning objectives and learning outcomes for
the same activity are different, although connected to each other.

Perspective of the teacher vs student

Learning objective: Why the teacher is creating a learning activity.

Example: This training session will discuss the new policy for reporting
travel expenses.
Learning outcome: What the learner will gain from the learning activity.

Example: The learner understands how to properly report travel

expenses.

Purpose vs outcome
Learning objective: States the purpose of the learning activity and the
desired outcomes.

Example: This class will explain new departmental HR policies.

Learning outcome: States what the learner will be able to do upon

completing the learning activity.

Example: The learner is able to give examples of when to apply new

HR policies.

Future vs past
Learning objective: What the teacher hopes that the learning activity
will accomplish. It looks to the future, what will happen.

Example: This seminar will outline new health and safety protocols.

Learning outcome: This looks at what has been accomplished, what

has happened for the learner as a result of their participation in the
activity.

Example: Seminar participants can correctly identify new protocols

and explain why they have been established.
Intended outcome vs observed outcome
Learning objectives: What the creators of the learning activity hope to
achieve.

Example: This training activity will illustrate the five styles of effective
communication in the workplace.

Learning objectives: What can be demonstrably shown to have been

achieved by the activity.

Example: Learners can list and define the styles of communication.

Specific units of knowledge vs broad outcome

Learning objective: Describes discrete concepts, skills, or units of
knowledge.

Example: This lecture will list ten ways to de-escalate a confrontation

in the workplace.

Learning outcome: Describes a wider range of behavior, knowledge

and skill that makes up the basis of learning.

Example: Learners can reliably demonstrate how to use de-escalation

techniques to neutralize conflicts.

Examples of learning objectives and

learning outcomes
Activity: An onboarding class for new hires

Learning objective: After taking this class, new hires will understand
company policies and know in which situations to apply them.

Learning outcome: Learners are able to identify situations in which

company policies apply and describe the proper actions to take in
response to them.

This type of learning outcome deals with knowledge or intellectual

skills. The learner understands the new concept that they are being
taught.

Activity: A seminar designed to help HR officers improve mediation

Learning objective: This seminar will teach learners how to effectively

mediate disputes using basic conflict dynamics and negotiation.

Learning outcome: Learners understand and be able to apply basic

conflict resolution practices in the workplace.

This type of learning outcome measures performance, learners are

able to use what they learned in a real-world situation.

Activity: An online training session for new product management

software

Learning objective: Session will cover the three main areas of the
software.

Learning outcome: Learners are able to operate software and explain

the functions that they are using.
This type of learning outcome deals with competence or skill. The
learner can demonstrate their understanding of the new concept.

Activity: A virtual reality training session on how to replace machine

components

Learning objective: Session will demonstrate the steps to remove and

replace components.

Learning outcome: Learners can correctly remove and replace

components of each machine, explaining what they are doing and
why.

This learning outcome deals with motor skills. Learners can physically
demonstrate the outcome of their learning.

Activity: A lecture on organization strategies

Learning objective: Lecture will illustrate how proper organization can

help managers optimize workflow within their teams.

Learning outcome: Learners can demonstrate how they will use

organization strategies with actionable steps.

This outcome deals with verbal information. Learners can verbalize

the knowledge they have gained and synthesize solutions for their
workflow.

You can see that, although learning objectives and learning outcomes
are related, they are different, and address different aspects of the
learning process.