What are broad statements explaining what students should have learned by the completion of a course?

Course outcomes are comprehensive statements that encapsulate what students are expected to know or be able to do by the end of a course. They provide a clear framework for both instructors and learners, defining the skills, knowledge, and competencies that should be achieved. These outcomes often align with the overall goals of the educational program and serve as benchmarks for assessing student learning.

While learning objectives detail specific tasks or skills students should master, course outcomes focus on the broader context of what those skills enable students to accomplish in practical scenarios. They also help guide the design of assessments, ensuring they effectively measure whether students have met the anticipated learning results. Instructional goals, while related, are often more general than the specific outcomes tied to individual courses and may not directly reference student performance.