Higher Education Policy Hub:
Programme to Module Learning Outcome Map

All learning outcomes in an academic programme should be clearly written and make sense both at the individual level of each learning outcome but also in how the individual module learning outcomes build to meet the overall programme learning outcomes. The way we recommend ensuring this is through a programme to module learning outcome map. This 'map' is really a matrix with programme learning outcomes shown on one axis and all the modules and their learning outcomes on the other axis. The content of each cell tells you something about the learning outcome if it is appropriate to do so. The following is a model for the learning outcome map.

PLO.1 means Programme Learning Outcome number 1

M1-LO.1 means Module 1, Learning Outcome number 1

* in any cell indicates that the module learning outcome contributes to or demonstrates the overall programme learning outcome

Using this map it is clear what role each module learning outcome plays in the overall programme. This is the row view of the matrix. It also shows, by looking down each column, in which module(s) the programme learning outcome is tested. Each column should obviously have at least one * otherwise it is not tested. This approach is particularly useful where a programme has a number of elective modules. If, to achieve a particular programme learning outcome, it is demonstrated through an elective rather than core module, then it should be tested in ALL the elective modules the student can take in that elective slot - otherwise some students will not demonstrate ALL the programme level learning outcomes.