Course goals, teaching objectives and learning outcomes
In brief
Course goals, teaching objectives and learning outcomes are distinct from each other because:
Course goals are general statements that indicate the broad intentions of a course. These goals can be mapped to the program curriculum as indicators of purpose and cohesion.
Teaching objectives describe the instructor’s responsibilities, goals or intentions for the course. They often focus on the content that you, as the instructor, want to cover with your students.
Learning outcomes focus on evidence and the quality of student learning.* They are the indication that the teaching objectives have been met.
* For this reason, we often refer to learning outcomes as student learning outcomes and differentiate them from teaching objectives.
Because course goals, teaching objectives, and learning outcomes are often conflated in educational literature, we will clarify the distinctions between them for our purposes in this module.
Course goals describe the high-level goals or general aim of the course. Some Instructors will frame these as the ‘one essential I want them to take away from this course if nothing else’. They cannot be easily measured and often include several teaching objectives consolidated into one broad statement. Instructors often include course goals in their syllabus. While they may be useful for providing context, they typically do not clarify expectations or grading criteria for students.
Learning outcomes are also often referred to as learning objectives.
The important distinction is that with learning outcomes, the descriptive statement focuses on what the student can do to demonstrate their learning.
Teaching objectives center on your instructional goals and the content you intend to cover during the semester in support of your course goals. These are especially practical for instructional planning and curating learning resources and essential content. From the student’s perspective, however, they still do not sufficiently clarify your expectations and grading criteria.
Learning outcomes are the final piece of your planning and the most important piece for students! Because they are observable and measurable statements of student learning indicators, they communicate what students will be expected to do with their learning and how they will be graded.
In the table below, compare the course goals and related teaching objectives with their corresponding student-focused learning outcomes.
| Course Goal(s) General aim of the course |
Teaching objective(s) Knowledge, skill & competencies targeted |
Student learning outcome(s) Observable & measurable actions |
| Explore matters of colonialism as they relate to the oppression of Indigenous people | Explore how colonialism affected Indigenous peoples of North America | Identify and describe the impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples of North America |
| Safely and successfully undertake laboratory experiments | Know the standard safety operating procedures in the laboratory | Explain and demonstrate the safety rules and procedures in the lab |
| Learn about the fundamental theories in nutrition and disease prevention | Understand how the digestive system works. a) Develop an awareness of diet planning principles. b) Appreciate the importance of the Canada Food Guide |
1. Identify each part of the digestive system and describe how they function together 2. Design individualized eating plans using diet planning principles and the Canada Food Guide |
For the purpose of course design, you should use your student learning outcomes to guide your assessment and instructional planning. The learning outcomes provide clear evidence of whether students have achieved your teaching objectives.
Further resources
Diamond, R. (1998). Clarifying Instructional Goals and Objectives. In R. Diamond (Ed.), Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula: A Practical Guide (pp. 147–160). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
General statements that indicate the broad intentions of a course. These goals can be mapped to the program curriculum as indicators of purpose and cohesion.
Describes the instructor’s responsibilities, goals or intentions for the course. They often focus on the content that you, as the instructor, want to cover with your students.
A statement that describes what a student is expected to learn from a single class, a course or an entire program.
