Student Learning Outcomes Policy

Oregon State University requires all courses and all undergraduate and graduate academic programs (including majors, minors and certificates) to establish student learning outcomes that are measurable and assessed systematically. For approved credentials, annual assessment must include direct measures of student learning outcomes.

Each outcome statement should start with a measurable action verb that indicates the level of learning, followed by a precise description of the learned behavior, knowledge, or attitude. Bloom's Taxonomy is a recommended resource for choosing action verbs that accurately describe a desired level of student learning.

An approved change proposal in CIM is required to modify course or program learning outcomes.

Courses

• Course learning outcomes must be included in the syllabus and must be consistent across all sections of the course, regardless of location, modality, or instructor.
• Core Education courses
  • In addition to the category-specific learning outcomes, courses must include at least 1 course learning outcome, with 2 to 3 course learning outcomes recommended.
  • Transitions courses must use only the category-specific learning outcomes.
  • Non-credit Beyond OSU courses (007 or 008) must use the learning outcomes required for non-credit courses. Additional course learning outcomes are optional.

• Undergraduate courses that are not part of Core Education are recommended to have 5 to 7 course learning outcomes. Graduate courses are recommended to have 3 to 5 learning outcomes. One and two credit courses may have fewer than 5 learning outcomes.
• Common Course Numbering courses must use the agreed upon outcomes determined via the statewide alignment process.
• Slashlisted (4xx/5xx) courses must have differentiated course learning outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students (per the Slashlisted (4xx/5xx) Courses policy). Courses may use a set of shared outcomes for both sets of students with at least one outcome specific to graduate students. It is recommended that slashlisted courses have 5 to 7 undergraduate learning outcomes and 1 to 3 graduate learning outcomes.
• Courses in a series may have learning outcomes that are similar, but not identical. There must be variation in the outcomes that indicate how each course is distinct.
• Graduate level course learning outcomes are expected to use verbs that reflect mostly higher-order cognitive processes.
• Blanket, special topics, and experimental courses do not require course learning outcomes.
• Professional accreditation requirements may dictate the language and number of learning outcomes for some courses.

Programs

• Program learning outcomes are published in the Academic Catalog. The outcomes listed in the Catalog are the outcomes that must be included in the annual assessment report.
• Program learning outcomes must be consistent across locations and modalities.
• For undergraduate programs, 4 to 7 program learning outcomes are recommended.
• Master’s and doctoral programs, at a minimum, must include the Graduate Learning Outcomes and may add additional program learning outcomes.
• Graduate certificates require a minimum of two graduate-level learning outcomes.
• Professional accreditation requirements may dictate the language and minimum number of learning outcomes for some programs.

Options

• Undergraduate and graduate options must use the associated major program’s learning outcomes. If there are additional option-specific learning outcomes, these should be listed with the major program's learning outcomes, with added notes to identify the option specific outcomes.

Procedures: The Division of Academic Affairs oversees this policy.

Resources: Student Learning Outcomes page