UNSW Course Outline
Note: All course documentation should be written in plain English and be easily understood by students.
The boxed text indicates where you can insert information relevant to your course. In some cases sample text
is included which you can edit. Blue text gives additional help in completing the outline – please delete for
final copy. For questions relating to use of the course outline contact Learning & Teaching @ UNSW on
lt@unsw.edu.au.
1. Location of the course
Enter your content here
Information should be provided on a cover page that indicates: faculty, school, course, course code, course
name, session and year.
2. Table of Contents
Enter your content here
A list of the sections of the course outline with their corresponding page numbers should precede the outline
content.
3. Staff Contact Details
Contact details for all staff should be included. A useful template that can be used is:
Position
Name
Email
Availability; times
and location
Phone
Course Convener
Lecturer/tutor
4. Course details
Credit Points:
Enter your content here
You should indicate the credit point value and identify if there is parallel teaching involved in the course.
Summary of the Course
Enter your content here
This section provides a brief overview of the course and identifies the general purpose of the course. For
instance a statement that begins “This course will focus on (insert appropriate content) and will explore these
ideas from the viewpoint of (. . XXX)” provides students with a general understanding of the intention of the
learning content.
Aims of the Course
The aims of the course are designed to make explicit to the students what YOU as the lecturer wish to
achieve by teaching this course. They should express why this course is important to the learner and provide
an overall big picture vision for student learning. The aims should relate to the alignment and impact of the
curriculum, learning and assessment of the course components. It is highly recommended that no more than
1
UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009
TWO aims be provided. You should include a brief statement on how the intended learning relates to the
overall program(s) in the discipline and how they reflect the identified graduate attributes.
For example:
1. This course will enable students to explore and gain further understanding of (. . XXX) through
the investigation of (. . XXX) with a direct emphasis of their application to real world situations
in the field of (. . XXX)
Student learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are what you wish the STUDENTS who are undertaking your course to achieve by its
conclusion. This implies that the learning outcomes are focused upon the actions of the students. Learning
outcomes should include content based, cognitive (understanding and attitudinal) and application (skills
based) outcomes.
A useful way of beginning the learning outcome statements is to commence with the statement:
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Investigate…
2. Apply theory to…
3. Undertake…
4. Create…
Note: Learning outcomes should use verbs to indicate the actions of the learning. The word “understand”
should not be used unless accompanied by an explicit statement of what action will be employed to develop
the desired understanding.
It is recommended that no more than FOUR learning outcomes be provided.
For example:
By the conclusion of this course the student will be able to develop knowledge and skills in on online
communication through a group project that focuses on contributing to a series of Blog entries that (. . XXX)
Graduate Attributes
The identified Graduate Attributes should be referred to in relation to the learning outcomes, the content and
the assessment.
For example:
The students will be encouraged to develop the following Graduate Attributes by undertaking the
selected activities and knowledge content. These attributes will be assessed within the prescribed
assessment tasks.
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Investigate…
2. Apply theory to…
3. Undertake…
4. Create…
2
UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009
It is highly recommended that no more than FOUR graduate attributes are identified in any given course.
5. Rationale for the inclusion of content and teaching approach
In the rationale you are expected to briefly describe the values and beliefs you bring to your teaching and how
these have informed the course design. The rationale should also position the way you see the content to
enhance the experiences of learning for the student within both the specific domain and within the broader
context of learning.
For example:
This course is included to enable students to develop particular communications skills that will enhance their
practice as a (. . XXX). It reflects my position that their practice within the field will require advanced levels of
communication to enable ongoing development (. . XXX).
6. Teaching strategies
Enter your content here
You should indicate the teaching strategies used in the course (e.g. lectures, laboratories, tutorials). A
summary in brief of content could be included that indicates topics and the related teaching strategies that will
be used.
7. Assessment
Enter your content here
An outline of the suggested assessment tasks, including:
A brief description of the types and content (examination, essay, report, research paper)
The number of assessment tasks
The marks assigned to each component
The due date(s)
An explanation of which learning outcome is being assessed is highly desirable
A table is a good way to present the information is a succinct and informative way. A useful template that can
be used is:
Assessment
task
Length
Weight
Learning
outcomes
assessed
Graduate
attributes
assessed
Due date
A fuller description should be provided to students and advice on where they can access this information
should be contained within the course outline.
For example:
The assessment tasks will be provided during class week beginning (. . XXX).
Or
The assessment tasks may be found on the web at (. . XXX).
Submission of Assessment Tasks
3
UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009
Enter your content here
You should provide procedural advice for both submitting work and the relevant policy on late submission,
either by including extracts from the policy or by offering directions for where this information can be obtained.
8. Academic honesty and plagiarism
Enter your content here
You should refer students to The Plagiarism Policy within Elise training. The Learning Centre can provide
further information found via http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism.
9. Course schedule
Provide a table or list of class topics or themes for each week, including the time and location.
For example:
Topic
Date
Location
Child Art
21/4/09
Lecture Room
3
Lecture
Content
Examining
characteristics
of children’s
drawings
Tutorial/Lab
Content
Viewing
exhibition and
discussions
about creativity
Suggested
Readings
Class
readings
10. Expected Resources for students
Enter your content here
You should provide a list of useful and/or required resources which can include amongst others:
 textbook details, including title, publisher, edition, year of publication
 required and suggested additional readings
 material accessible online, including in My eLearning Vista, Blackboard or other LMS.
 recommended websites
You should alert students to the UNSW Library website:
http://info.library.unsw.edu.au/web/services/services.html
11. Course evaluation and development
Enter your content here
Briefly outline how student feedback (both formal and informal) on the course will be gathered, how it will be
analysed and how it will be acted upon by the Faculty and you, the lecturer, to improve the student learning
experience.
For example, what was identified in past feedback and how it was acted upon by the faculty and how this
course was changed to address the issue.
12. Other information to be included

Expectations and responsibilities of students in relation to matters such as attendance and workload
4
UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009





Information on relevant Occupational Health and Safety policies and expectations as outlined at :
http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/ohswc/ohs/ohs_policies.html
Examination procedures and attendance requirements
Advice concerning special consideration in the event of illness or misadventure
Student equity and diversity issues via Student Equity Officers (Disability) in the Student Equity and
Diversity Unit (9385 4734).
Further information for students with disabilities is available at
http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au/disabil.html
5
UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009