UNSW Course Outline

Note: All course documentation should be written in plain English and be easily understood by students.

The boxed text indicates where you can insert information relevant to your course. In some cases sample text is included which you can edit. Blue text gives additional help in completing the outline – please delete for final copy. For questions relating to use of the course outline contact Learning & Teaching @ UNSW on .

  1. Location of the course

Enter your content here

Information should be provided on a cover page that indicates: faculty, school, course, course code, course name, session and year.

  1. Table of Contents

Enter your content here

A list of the sections of the course outline with their corresponding page numbers should precede the outline content.

  1. Staff Contact Details

Contact details for all staff should be included. A useful template that can be used is:

Position / Name / Email / Availability; times and location / Phone
Course Convener
Lecturer/tutor
  1. Course details

Credit Points:

Enter your content here

You should indicate the credit point value and identify if there is parallel teaching involved in the course.

Summary of the Course

Enter your content here

This section provides a brief overview of the course and identifies the general purpose of the course. For instance a statement that begins “This course will focus on (insert appropriate content) and will explore these ideas from the viewpoint of (. . XXX)” provides students with a general understanding of the intention of the learning content.

Aims of the Course

The aims of the course are designed to make explicit to the students what YOU as the lecturer wish to achieve by teaching this course. They should express why this course is important to the learner and provide an overall big picture vision for student learning. The aims should relate to the alignment and impact of the curriculum, learning and assessment of the course components. It is highly recommended that no more than TWO aims be provided. You should include a brief statement on how the intended learning relates to the overall program(s) in the discipline and how they reflect the identified graduate attributes.

For example:

  1. This course will enable students to explore and gain further understanding of (. . XXX) through the investigation of (. . XXX) with a direct emphasis of their application to real world situations in the field of (. . XXX)

Student learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what you wish the STUDENTS who are undertaking your course to achieve by its conclusion. This implies that the learning outcomes are focused upon the actions of the students. Learning outcomes should include content based, cognitive (understanding and attitudinal) and application (skills based) outcomes.

A useful way of beginning the learning outcome statements is to commence with the statement:

At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

  1. Investigate…
  2. Apply theory to…
  3. Undertake…
  4. Create…

Note: Learning outcomes should use verbs to indicate the actions of the learning. The word “understand” should not be used unless accompanied by an explicit statement of what action will be employed to develop the desired understanding.

It is recommended that no more than FOUR learning outcomes be provided.

For example:

By the conclusion of this course the student will be able to develop knowledge and skills in on online communication through a group project that focuses on contributing to a series of Blog entries that (. . XXX)

Graduate Attributes

The identified Graduate Attributes should be referred to in relation to the learning outcomes, the content and the assessment.

For example:

The students will be encouraged to develop the following Graduate Attributes by undertaking the selected activities and knowledge content. These attributes will be assessed within the prescribed assessment tasks.

At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

  1. Investigate…
  2. Apply theory to…
  3. Undertake…
  4. Create…

It is highly recommended that no more than FOUR graduate attributes are identified in any given course.

  1. Rationale for the inclusion of content and teaching approach

In the rationale you are expected to briefly describe the values and beliefs you bring to your teaching and how these have informed the course design. The rationale should also position the way you see the content to enhance the experiences of learning for the student within both the specific domain and within the broader context of learning.

For example:

This course is included to enable students to develop particular communications skills that will enhance their practice as a (. . XXX). It reflects my position that their practice within the field will require advanced levels of communication to enable ongoing development (. . XXX).

  1. Teaching strategies

Enter your content here

You should indicate the teaching strategies used in the course (e.g. lectures, laboratories, tutorials). A summary in brief of content could be included that indicates topics and the related teaching strategies that will be used.

  1. Assessment

Enter your content here

An outline of the suggested assessment tasks, including:

A brief description of the types and content (examination, essay, report, research paper)

The number of assessment tasks

The marks assigned to each component

The due date(s)

An explanation of which learning outcome is being assessed is highly desirable

A table is a good way to present the information is a succinct and informative way. A useful template that can be used is:

Assessment task / Length / Weight / Learning outcomes assessed / Graduate attributes assessed / Due date

A fuller description should be provided to students and advice on where they can access this information should be contained within the course outline.

For example:

The assessment tasks will be provided during class week beginning (. . XXX).

Or

The assessment tasks may be found on the web at (. . XXX).

Submission of Assessment Tasks

Enter your content here

You should provide procedural advice for both submitting work and the relevant policy on late submission, either by including extracts from the policy or by offering directions for where this information can be obtained.

  1. Academic honesty and plagiarism

Enter your content here

You should refer students to The Plagiarism Policy within Elise training. The Learning Centre can provide further information found via .

  1. Course schedule

Provide a table or list of class topics or themes for each week, including the time and location.

For example:

Topic / Date / Location / Lecture Content / Tutorial/Lab Content / Suggested Readings
Child Art / 21/4/09 / Lecture Room 3 / Examining characteristics of children’s drawings / Viewing exhibition and discussions about creativity / Class readings
  1. Expected Resources for students

Enter your content here

You should provide a list of useful and/or required resources which can include amongst others:

  • textbook details, including title, publisher, edition, year of publication
  • required and suggested additional readings
  • material accessible online, including in My eLearning Vista, Blackboard or other LMS.
  • recommended websites

You should alert students to the UNSW Library website:

  1. Course evaluation and development

Enter your content here

Briefly outline how student feedback (both formal and informal) on the course will be gathered, how it will be analysed and how it will be acted upon by the Faculty and you, the lecturer, to improve the student learning experience.

For example, what was identified in past feedback and how it was acted upon by the faculty and how this course was changed to address the issue.

  1. Other information to be included
  • Expectations and responsibilities of students in relation to matters such as attendance and workload
  • Information on relevant Occupational Health and Safety policies and expectations as outlined at :
  • Examination procedures and attendance requirements
  • Advice concerning special consideration in the event of illness or misadventure
  • Student equity and diversity issues via Student Equity Officers (Disability) in the Student Equity and Diversity Unit (9385 4734).
  • Further information for students with disabilities is available at

1

UNSW Course Outline Template - May 2009