Learn at a Distance

Course goals are high-level, general statements that describe the primary outcomes a course aims to achieve. Unlike specific learning objectives, which focus on measurable skills or tasks, course goals paint the big picture of what students will gain from their learning experience.

How to Write a Course Goal: Insights from Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design

Designing a course goal can feel like a daunting task. How do you ensure that your students not only learn specific skills and knowledge but also retain and apply them in meaningful ways after the course ends? Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design (UbD) framework offers a practical, purposeful approach to writing course goals that help guide both instruction and assessment.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to designing effective course goals using UbD.

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Step 1: Start with Backward Design

One of the central ideas in UbD is backward design. Instead of focusing first on what students will do in the course, Wiggins and McTighe advise starting with the end in mind. Ask yourself: What should students understand and be able to do by the end of this course?

This approach encourages us to think about long-term transfer goals. In other words, what skills and knowledge do we want students to retain and apply long after the course has ended? As Wiggins and McTighe emphasize, “Effective goals are not simply about what we want students to know or do, but about what we want them to be able to accomplish with their knowledge and skills in authentic contexts” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 14).

Step 2: Prioritize Enduring Understandings

“Enduring understandings” are at the heart of UbD’s approach to course goals. These are the big ideas or principles that are essential to your discipline and will continue to be valuable long after students have completed your course. When creating course goals, think about the core takeaways that matter most over time. This approach helps shift the focus from surface-level facts to deeper concepts that enrich students’ long-term knowledge and skills.

Step 3: Frame Your Goals with Essential Questions

Essential questions serve as an anchor, helping frame course goals in a way that sparks curiosity and promotes inquiry. These questions invite students to think deeply and explore the course material more fully. For example, in a Business Communication course, an essential question might be: How does effective communication shape professional relationships? Questions like these provide context for course goals and encourage students to connect learning to broader, real-world themes.

Step 4: Craft Specific, Actionable Goals

UbD emphasizes writing course goals that are clear, specific, and measurable. This makes it easier for students to understand the purpose of their learning and for you to assess their progress. Use action verbs that focus on higher-order thinking skills—such as analyze, evaluate, and create—to set goals that promote deeper learning and intellectual challenge.

For example:

• “By the end of this course, students will be able to evaluate diverse communication strategies and create adaptable approaches tailored to various professional scenarios.”

Step 5: Align Goals with Assessment

A key component of Wiggins and McTighe’s approach is aligning course goals with assessment. If a goal represents what students should be able to do, then assessment represents how they’ll demonstrate it. Each course goal should be measurable in a way that authentically reflects students’ understanding and ability to apply the material. By integrating assessment into your goals, you ensure that both instruction and evaluation are purposefully aligned with what you want students to achieve.

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Putting It All Together

Following these steps can help you create course goals that foster intentional learning, enduring understanding, and meaningful assessment. Here’s a quick summary:

1. Start with Backward Design: Begin with the end goal in mind, focusing on what students should understand and accomplish.
2. Prioritize Enduring Understandings: Identify the big ideas that students will find valuable beyond the course.
3. Frame Goals with Essential Questions: Use guiding questions to provide context and inspire inquiry.
4. Craft Specific, Actionable Goals: Write clear, measurable goals that encourage deep learning.
5. Align Goals with Assessment: Ensure each goal can be demonstrated through authentic student work.

Using Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design approach helps keep course goals focused not only on knowledge acquisition but also on skills and understandings that hold real-world value. As you plan, remember that these goals are more than just statements; they’re a roadmap to guide both your teaching and your students’ learning toward a successful, enduring outcome

Further reading:

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality units. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.