SOME RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING LEARNING OUTCOMES
FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Some Strategies for Developing Learning Outcomes
The list below provides some possible action steps for developing student learning outcomes.
Additional ideas for the process of developing outcomes can be found at this link from North
Carolina State: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-staff/docs/pe/Outcomes_Procedure.pdf.
Talk with others
‰ Brainstorm what an ideal graduate would know, understand, be able to do (and/or . . .).
‰ Define the essential features of your academic program and think about how they help
shape student beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes.
‰ Describe skills/qualities of successful alumni of your program.
‰ Examine curricular and co-curricular experiences provided to students in the program and
the skills, attitudes, beliefs that they use and develop.
‰ Share ideas about teaching and learning in your discipline—e.g., teaching strategies,
teaching philosophies, theories of learning, research on learning in the discipline, principles
or assumptions about teaching and learning, etc.
Seek Models & Resources
‰ Check for lists of standards/competencies/qualities available from web sites or other
resources from professional organizations.
‰ Look at student learning outcome statements from other departments or on campus or at
other universities.
‰ Consider surveys or other sources for lists of skills and qualities expected of your graduates
by graduate/professional schools, employers, and others who will interact alumni of your
programs.
‰ Review documents (brochures, fliers, web pages, catalog descriptions) for recurring themes
related to outcomes/goals.
‰ Look for connections between institutional, college-level, and Liberal Arts Core goals and
discipline-specific applications of those goals.
Make Use of Inventories and Taxonomies
‰ Teaching Goals Inventory (Angelo and Cross)
http://www.uiowa.edu/~centeach/tgi/index.html
‰ Bloom’s Taxonomy (There are many links to Bloom’s taxonomy; this is just one of them.)
http://www.coe.uga.edu/epltt/bloom.htm
‰ Taxonomy of Significant Learning
http://www.ou.edu/idp/significant/WHAT%20IS.pdf
UNI Office of Academic Assessment—page 1 of 4
Generic Graduate Program Goals
The links below provide examples of learning goals that are typical for graduate programs in
general. While learning goals may be similar across programs, how those goals are achieved
through curriculum and in the classroom will vary according to the specific discipline for the
program.
http://www.uwf.edu/cutla/ALP/CI_EdD_ALP.pdf
University of West Florida
In general, a student who has successfully completed the degree requirements should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a mastery of the methodology and techniques specific to the field of study;
2. Communicate both orally and in writing at a high level of proficiency in the field of study;
3. Conduct research or produce some other form of creative work; and/or
4. Function as a professional in the discipline.
http://www.plattsburgh.edu/intranet/assessment/gradoutcomes.php
SUNY-Plattsburgh
1. Have mastered the advanced knowledge, skills and perspectives of their field of study.
2. Have incorporated the knowledge, skills, and perspectives acquired through their
baccalaureate programs and experiences into their graduate work and their professional and
personal lives.
3. Be prepared and motivated to hold continuing professional positions, or pursue further
graduate studies, and continue to grow intellectually, professionally, and personally.
4. Have adopted professional ethics and developed a personal philosophy that result in
responsible professional behavior.
5. Communicate effectively in written and oral expression, using educational and
telecommunication advances as appropriate to their disciplines.
6. Apply critical thinking to the production of knowledge through research, intellectual inquiry,
and practice.
7. Apply knowledge toward addressing the technological, social, economic, and human
challenges and problems of our society.
8. Participate in the preservation and transmission of knowledge in a way that supports the
pluralistic and inclusive aspects of our culture.
9. Practice self-reflection and self-evaluation in their professional lives.
10. Become responsible contributing members who provide leadership for change in their
professional, local, regional, and global communities.
UNI Office of Academic Assessment—page 2 of 4
http://higheredassessment.com/presentations/Hoey_Grad_SACS06.pdf
College of William and Mary
Students will demonstrate professional and attitudinal skills, including:
• Oral, written, and mathematical communication skills;
• Knowledge of concepts in the discipline;
• Critical and reflective thinking skills;
• Knowledge of the social, cultural, and economic contexts of the discipline;
• Ability to apply theory to professional practice;
• Ability to conduct independent research;
Ability to use appropriate technologies;
• Ability to work with others, especially in teams;
• Ability to teach others; and
• Demonstration of professional attitudes and values such as workplace ethics and lifelong
learning.
http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/mtg_am06Larick.pdf
North Carolina State
Outcome 1: Professional Development
1.To enable students to develop as successful professionals for highly competitive positions in
industry, government, and academic departments, the program aims to provide a variety of
experiences that help students to:
a. achieve the highest level of expertise in XXXX, mastery of the knowledge in their fields and
the ability to apply associated technologies to novel and emerging problems
b. present research to local, regional, national, and internation alaudiences through publications
in professional journals and conference papers given in a range of venues, from graduate
seminars to professional meetings
c. participate in professional organizations, becoming members and attending meetings
d. broaden their professional foundations through activities such as teaching, internships,
fellowships, and grant applications
Outcome 2: Effective Researchers
2.To prepare students to conduct research effectively in XXXX in a collaborative environment,
the program aims to offer a variety of educational experiences that are designed to develop in
students the ability to:
a. read and review the literature in an area of study in such a waythat reveals a comprehensive
understanding of the literature
b. identify research questions/problems that are pertinent to a field of study and provide a focus
for making a significant contribution to the field
c. gather, organize, analyze, and report data using a conceptual framework appropriate to the
research question and the field of study
d. interpret research results in a way that adds to the understanding of the field of study and
relates the findings to teaching and learning in science
UNI Office of Academic Assessment—page 3 of 4
Some Examples of Graduate Program Learning Outcome Statements
The links below provide assessment plans and/or learning outcomes for a variety of graduate
programs. Looking at what other institutions have done can provide ideas for the development
of learning outcomes and assessment plans.
http://www.unf.edu/graduatestudies/faculty/glo/index.html
http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-staff/docs/Science%20Ed%203.pdf
http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-staff/docs/Psychology%20Outcomes%204.pdf
http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-staff/docs/Math%20Ed%203.pdf
http://www.uwf.edu/cutla/ALP/CI_MEd_ALP.pdf
http://www.uwf.edu/cutla/ALP/CI_EdS_ALP.pdf
http://www.uwf.edu/cutla/ALP/CI_EdD_ALP.pdf
http://academics.boisestate.edu/provost/assessment/education/
http://academics.boisestate.edu/provost/assessment/arts/
http://www.marquette.edu/assessment/ (see links for plans/reports by unit)
http://www.mnstate.edu/assess/Plans_Reports.htm
http://www.uni.edu/assessment/SOAExamples.shtml
http://www.uni.edu/assessment/plans/index.shtml
UNI Office of Academic Assessment—page 4 of 4