Course Level Objectives

Course Level Objectives describe specifically what the students will be able to do upon completion of the course, after the successful completion of each module.


These objectives are broader and more encompassing than their corresponding Module Level Objectives.


Module Level Objectives

Module Level Objectives are the smaller, more granular objectives in the individual modules, which will scaffold and build up to the larger learning objectives at the course level.


Module Level Objectives must be consistent with the Course Level Objectives, but not identical. 


Course objectives typically encompass higher-order thinking skills (like apply, create, and evaluate), while module objectives reflect the necessary building of lower-level skills.


Sample Learning Objectives

Students will...

Course Level Objectives

Module Level Objectives

Assess the usefulness and reliability of sources.
  • Describe elements that influence the credibility of a source.
  • Analyze the qualifications and credentials of a source.
  • Evaluate the usefulness of a source given the rhetorical context.
Apply closing techniques to complete a sale.
  • Describe key stages in customer interactions that lead to a close on the sales floor.
  • Explain four types of closes.
  • Apply the appropriate close for a given sales situation.
Summarize the relationships that exist between biology and human behavior
  • Define seven major biological areas
  • Recognize examples of how each area affects behavior.


Bloom's Taxonomy

Learning objectives should be written in accordance with Bloom's Taxonomy, which is a method to describe and organize human learning and assessment.


Higher order thinking skills include creating, evaluating, analyzing, and applying. Lower level skills include understanding and remembering.


Measurable Verbs

Measurable learning objectives must begin with an action verb followed by behaviors that can be observed or evaluated.


This is important because measurable objectives state precisely and clearly what students will be able to do to successfully complete the course.


A list of sample measurable verbs and their position in Bloom's taxonomy is available.