Learning Outcomes
As part of our institutional accreditation, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) requires that we identify, publish, and assess Learning Outcomes for the institution, all programs that we offer, and the courses we teach.
In our 2024 NWCCU Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness, the 猎奇重口 received the following recommendation:
Develop an inclusive and integrated University-wide framework to assess student learning outcomes at the program and degree level that is distinct from the use of student achievement data and metrics.” (2020 Standard 1.C.7)
To address this recommendation, the first step is to ensure all programmatic student learning outcomes are current and published in the catalog, per 2020 Standard 1.C.3:
The institution identifies and publishes expected program and degree learning outcomes for all degrees, certificates, and credentials. Information on expected student learning outcomes for all courses is provided to enrolled students.
Fall 2025 Curriculum Review
As part of the Fall 2025 curriculum review, all academic units must:
- Review and/or revise the mission and values of the unit.
- Identify all active degrees, certificates, minors, and concentrations.
- Develop or revise assessable, student-centered Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for each program.
- Align PLOs with program curricula to ensure they can be introduced, developed, and mastered.
- Enter PLOs in CourseLeaf for review by the Assessment Advisory Committee.
Existing program outcomes can be found in your unit’s most recent departmental assessment report. Additional guidance can be found in the
PLO Development Sessions: Programs may request working sessions by emailing officeoftheprovost@umontana.edu.
Defining Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes describe what students should be able to know or do by the time they complete the program. They are not aspiration goals or course objectives, but measurable indicators of student learning that support curriculum design and continuous improvement.
Strong PLOs should:
- Use active, measurable verbs (e.g., analyze, create, evaluate)
- Be written in clear, student-focused language ("Students will be able to…")
- Be limited in number—about one outcome per 9–12 credits
- Align with course and co-curricular learning experiences
Shared and Stackable Outcomes
Programs may share overlapping outcomes, especially when built on a shared mission or curriculum. For example:
- A minor may include a subset of a major’s outcomes.
- Concentrations may share core PLOs while including specialized outcomes.
- Stackable certificates should align with the broader outcomes of an associate or bachelor's degree.
This approach supports clarity for students and advisors, coherence across offerings, and meaningful faculty collaboration.
Sources for Developing Program Learning Outcomes
(Adapted from Maki, Peggy (2004). Assessing for Learning.)
- Mission Statements: Draw from institutional and college mission statements and core values. What specific abilities should students demonstrate based on these mission statements and core values?
- Professional Organizations: Adapt statements developed by disciplinary and professional organizations.
- Student Work: Derive outcomes based on collective examination of student work over time (e.g., capstone course projects).
- Input from Invested Groups: Identify outcomes through interviews and dialogues among colleagues, students, employers, etc.
- Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning: Consider how courses and educational experiences position students as learners across their continuum of learning. To what degree do we promote and value surface (e.g., memorization) and deep (e.g., analysis and synthesis) approaches to learning? How and when do the curriculum and other educational experiences position students to adopt a deep approach to their learning?