What should I put in learning competencies?

Understanding Learning Competencies in Course Design

When designing a curriculum, defining clear learning competencies is essential for guiding both instruction and assessment. Also frequently referred to as learning goals or outcomes, these competencies represent the core skills, concepts, and abilities you expect students to fully master by the end of a course.

A helpful rule of thumb when structuring a unit or course is aiming for 3 to 6 competencies per credit hour of instruction. This range ensures the material remains focused without overwhelming learners. Keeping competencies specific and actionable helps students understand exactly what is expected of them while giving instructors a concrete target for evaluation.

Effective competencies focus on practical application rather than vague understanding. For instance, rather than stating a student will "know liver pathology," a strong competency explicitly defines the observable skill: "Provide a morphologic diagnosis given a gross tissue specimen of the liver." Framing goals with actionable verbs ensures measurable outcomes and sets a clear standard for student success.